It is certainly not only Jacob’s Ladder, the burning bush, the blazing Elijah, or Ezekiel’s chariot that have made the Tanakh, the Old Testament, a treasure for creative minds of every faith. At every turn of this voluminous book, we discover dramatic adventures, thrilling encounters between earthly and higher beings, passionate battle scenes, and inexplicable miracles – which, especially since the “invention” of the oratorio, quite literally call for a musical interpretation. Bernardo Pasquini, the much admired musician in the service of the Borghese family of Rome, dedicated one of his nearly twenty oratorios to an episode from Exodus. During the feast of joy, held to thank the God of Israel for deliverance from Egyptian slavery, the various stages of the journey were commemorated. Suddenly, the clash of arms was heard, and the enemy troops of Amalek advanced. Joshua led his people into battle, while Moses tried to influence the outcome of the battle through his prayers. The more fervently he prayed, the more favorable Israel’s fortunes were. But as soon as he faltered, the page was turned. In the end, however, victory is assured, celebrated by a magnificent and resounding final chorus.