Exodus: Gods and Kings

It's true, the Hittite army

has 16,000 troops camped outside Kadesh.

What's less clear is why.

The Hittites are trying

to cross the border.

Obviously.

What else would they be doing?

Anticipating an invasion by us,

according to our information.

They think we are... preparing

an attack, which we are not.

What I don't want to do,

and won't do, is sit here...

And wait until we're fighting

Hittite armies outside the palace walls.

Come.

- What do the entrails say?

- They don't "say" anything.

They imply.

And that's open to interpretation.

So, interpret them. We'll win

or we won't in a preemptive attack?

It's a yes or a no.

And it's not clear.

But something else is.

In the battle, a leader will be saved,

and his savior will someday lead.

Then the entrails should also say

that we will abandon reason,

and be guided by omens.

Great Sekhmet,

Pharaoh drinks in your name,

and prays for victory

over the Hittites at Kadesh.

Your first order of business

when the time comes, you retire her.

I will.

I don't know why my father hasn't.

But, just in case If you see me

in any real danger out there,

ride the other way.

I'm serious.

When I look at you,

I still see the two boys

who grew up together, close as brothers.

If, for any reason

you ever forget that...

Let these remind you.

Long enough to be effective from horseback,

not so long that you trip over them.

- This is his. You've got mine.

- That's right. That's how I want it.

You have each other's,

to keep each other safe.

Promise me you'll do that... always.

SETI! SETI! SETI!

SETI!

There!

Deploy Amun division to the north,

Ra division to the center...

and Ptah to the South.

And we hold Seth in reserve.

- In reserve?

- Yes.

We should concentrate

our strength in the center.

You should concentrate yours

on fighting.

Leave the generalship to me.

Fire!

Fire!

Charge!

Take ramses! Go!

Go!

Turn around! Turn around!

Moses! Moses! Moses!

Moses.

- What happened out there?

- Nothing.

I asked the commanders

the same thing. They, too, lied.

And I'm tired of it.

He thinks something happened.

But it didn't.

- Meaning?

- The high priestess, her prophecy.

She said she couldn't see who would win.

The other one.

"The leader will be saved, and..."

so on.

You saved my son's life?

Yes.

Sit.

"Thank you" is not sufficient, but...

thank you.

I know you don't believe

in omens or prophecies...

- But I do believe.

- And I respect that.

But this isn't anything.

This doesn't even make any sense.

Because you're not my blood.

Yes.

It's true, you can't succeed me.

Not in the usual way.

- Not in any way.

- In any way imaginable, sitting here.

It's horrible to say this

about one's own son, but I...

trust you more than him to lead.

"The Hittite chariotry crashed through

our defense and began its attack.

"I found myself

surrounded by the enemy...

"No soldier, no shield-bearer...

"Facing a desperate fight for my life.

"Only with the help of the gods

did I defeat our attackers,

- "and rejoin Ra division."

- Stop there.

- Anything you'd like to rephrase?

- No.

- Shall I go on?

- No, I'm sure the rest is fine.

- What's next?

- Pithom.

- What about it?

- The situation. The slaves.

Fine. Ramses.

What?

Go up there, meet with the viceroy,

look around, make a report.

Me?

It will be yours someday.

Take an interest in it.

What else?

- I'll go to see the viceroy.

- No.

I'll go.

- It's beneath you.

- It's beneath any general.

I'll do it.

Ramses, can we forget what happened

on the battlefield?

If our positions had been reversed,

I would've saved your life, too.

I know. I know.

It was a good shot.

Even if the gods did guide your aim.

A little venom in your blood

is a good thing.

Makes you less vulnerable

to the next poisonous bite.

Maybe even my father's.

Welcome to Pithom.

You get used to the smell.

The viceroy seems to be enjoying

a good share of his resources.

This isn't a job everyone

wants to do, my Lord.

A certain degree of comfort

is necessary to keep up his spirits.

You know what the problem is?

People live too long these days.

Every year, the death rate lags further

behind the birth rate. And these people...

They reproduce like it's a sport.

This is the problem?

A growing work force?

No, of course not.

It's good for production.

Of course it is, but only to a point.

When that population wants you dead...

Yes, it's a problem.

So, either I'm given more troops

to maintain order...

Or I start thinning out the herd.

You start slaughtering people for no reason

other than this precarious theory...

You will provoke the very thing

you say you wish to avoid.

Fine, then give me the troops.

- Let's go down and talk to them.

- Why on earth?

You're worried about sedition.

Let's find out if that worry is real.

- By talking to them?

- By looking at them...

when I talk with them.

You can tell a lot about somebody...

looking him in the eye.

Let me tell you something about Hebrews.

They are a conniving, combative people.

Do you know what "Israelite" means

in their own language?

- "He who fights with God."

- "He who wrestles with God."

There is a difference.

Look, I may not be as educated as you,

which, apparently, you want to remind me of.

But I have to deal with them every day.

I know what I'm talking about.

You don't have to come.

I'll go down there myself.

Stop!

- Why is he being punished?

- Persistent troublemaker, My Lord.

Why is he smiling?

He says he feels no pain, My Lord.

Then why whip him?

You were not gathered up at random.

I asked to see

the elders.

Come on. What do you pray for?

- We pray to see Canaan again.

- Canaan again? You've never seen it.

I've seen Canaan.

I've seen that it's inhabited

by tribes fiercer than Egypt's military.

So, you won't be returning to it

- or, if you do, from it.

- God says otherwise.

Which God? Your God? The God of Abraham?

The God that says that you are special?

That you are chosen? Let me tell...

Come here. Up. Come here.

He's wrong.

I can see you're unconvinced,

and that's a problem.

Because next to unrealistic belief lies

fanaticism. And next to that, sedition,

and next to that, revolution.

And it all starts with the elders.

- What's your name?

- What's yours?

I'll tell you. I am Moses, son of Bithia,

grandson of Horemheb.

Record this one's name and the rest

of them. Bring in the next group.

My name is Nun.

My Lord!

- Stop there!

- Let him through.

There's something the elder

has to tell you. But not here.

- Say where and when.

- The prayer house, tonight.

Here.

I see you've survived your adventure.

- Sorry to make you wait again.

- I'm not waiting.

- How was your trip to the quarry?

- Fine.

You saw what I'm up against.

Tell me, is there any more of my records

I could get for you before you leave?

You can tell me... Has all of this

been reported to Memphis?

Was it approved?

Do you have it in writing?

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