Moon of Israel: A Tale of the Exodus

Moon of Israel by H. Rider Haggard is a captivating historical novel set in ancient Egypt during the time of the biblical Exodus. The story follows the love affair between Prince Seti, the Pharaoh's son, and Merapi, a Hebrew slave known as the "Moon of Israel." As Seti and Merapi's forbidden love blossoms, they are caught in the midst of political intrigue, divine interventions, and the plagues that ravage Egypt. The novel vividly portrays the struggle between the Egyptian rulers and the enslaved Israelites, blending romance with dramatic historical events. Published in 1918, Moon of Israel highlights Haggard's ability to weave historical detail with compelling narrative, offering readers an immersive journey into the past. Moon of Israel (1918) was one of the earliest Haggard books to be filmed (in 1924, as a silent movie directed by Michael Curtiz). The movie adaptation has been released both as Moon of Israel and The Slave Queen. Paramount bought the original film and suppressed it so it wouldn't complete with the release of DeMille's original silent version of The Ten Commandments. Author and critic Jessica Amanda Salmonson has called Moon of Israel "a beautifully written Jewish legend," and adds, "Haggard was pro-Zionist advocating a Jewish homeland in Palestine as early as 1915."