Moses was a slave of a government official in Egypt until he was dismissed for theft and suspected murder.

[3] Moses was a man of huge physical stature, strength and courage, and became leader of this gang of robbers that became a social menace and living terror to the communities where they roamed.

[4] On one occasion, a barking dog prevented Moses from carrying out a robbery, so he swore vengeance on the owner.

The owner, again alerted, was able to hide, and the frustrated Moses stole four of his sheep and took them to slaughter, selling their fleece in exchange for wine.

[5][6] Attempting to hide from local authorities, he took shelter with some monks in a colony in the desert of Wadi El Natrun, then called Scetis, near Alexandria.

Attacked by a group of robbers in his desert cell, Moses fought back, overpowered the intruders, and dragged them to the chapel where the other monks were at prayer.

Feeling overcome by despair and once again tempted by his former passions, early one morning, Isidore, abbot of the monastery, took Moses to the roof.

When he was again called to the meeting, Moses took a leaking jug filled with water and carried it on his shoulder.

[3] At about age 75, about the year 405 AD, word came that the Mazices, a group of Berbers, planned to attack the monastery.

Hence God rendered him an object of dread to the demons and he was ordained presbyter over the monks at Scetis.

After a life spent in this manner, he died at the age of seventy-five, leaving behind him numerous eminent disciples.