Reader's Theater Script – Books of Moses 11
The Ten Commandments

Exodus 20:2-3

This Microsoft Word version of the Reader’s Theater scriptcan be customized. Add or delete characters and dialogue to fit your needs.

Characters: Narrator, Girls, Boys, Voices, Moses, God (in 3 voices)

Reader’s Theater - Slide 1

Narrator: Complain, complain, complain! Ever since their escape from Egypt the people of Israel did nothing but complain!

Girls:(whining) We don’t have any water.

Boys:(whining louder) We’re all gonna die!

Voices:(shouting) We were better off in Egypt!

Narrator: Moses struck a rock and water gushed out!

Girls:(whining) We don’t have any food.

Boys:(whining louder) We’re all gonna die!

Voices:(shouting) We were better off in Egypt!

Reader’s Theater - Slide 2 (Click to advance)

Narrator: The next morning, God sent bread from heaven.

Voices: What is it?

Moses: Manna.

Voices: What is it?

Moses: I told you. It’s manna!

Narrator: And that evening a flock of quail landed in camp.

Reader’s Theater - Slide 3 (Click to advance)

Narrator: On the third month after their escape from Egypt, while camping at the base of Mount Sinai in the wilderness, the whole earth began to shake.

(Piano rumbles low notes and children pound their chests)

Narrator: The mountain was wrapped in smoke and fire. Lightning flashed and the people of Israel trembled in fear.

Voices: We’re all gonna die!

Narrator: Moses climbed to the top of the mountain, and there God gave him the laws that were to govern God’s people: The Ten Commandments.

Reader’s Theater - Slide 4 (Click to advance)

God (In Three Voices): I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; You shall have no other gods before me!

Boys: You shall not make for yourself an idol.

Girls: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

Boys: Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.

Girls: Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

Boys: You shall not kill.

Girls: You shall not commit adultery.

Reader’s Theater - Slide 5 (Click to advance)

Boys: You shall not steal.

Girls: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Boys: You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.

Girls: You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife…

Boys: Or male or female slave…

Girls: Or ox…

Boys: Or donkey…

Voices: Or anything that belongs to your neighbor!

Reader’s Theater - Slide 6 (Click to advance)

Narrator: Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord; and the people answered with one voice, and said:

Voices: All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do!

Moses: Yeah? Well, we’ll see about that.

Voices: To be continued!

(Applause)

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