Dividing the Red Sea

[Unorthodox Thesis]

Anyone who has a logical theory about the Red Sea phenomena described in Exodus is welcome. Could it be the hand of God, or was it just a natural phenomena?

Exodus 14:16-28

16 "But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

17 "And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen.

18 "Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen."

19 And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them.

20 So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided.

22 So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

23 And the Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

24 Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the LORD looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians.

25 And He took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty; and the Egyptians said, "Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians."

26 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen."

27 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and when the morning appeared, the sea returned to its full depth, while the Egyptians were fleeing into it. So the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.

28 Then the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained.

(NKJ)

Edited February 10, 2005 by Norman

[Mekorig]

Once i read and interesting theory abou Moises crosing the "Reed" sea, a salt water lake in north Egypt , and not the "Red" sea.Something about a translation mistake and the propagation of this mistake. I would have to find it in the net...

[Unorthodox Thesis]

Umm. I think thats just nonsense, because you have to look at the hystorical circumstances also. They were on their way to Israel from Egypt.

There is no "reed" sea between the Mediterrian and the real Red Sea.

Im looking for something a little more likely. Thats just empty speculation.

(no offense)

Edited February 10, 2005 by Norman

[beowulf]

Since no other culture mentioned such a show of force by the Hebrew God, including the people that the force was exerted against (the Egyptians) and since the Bible wasn't compiled and written until 600-800 years later, my theory is that it is all mythology and requires no contemplation or theorizing about!

[Shaftsbury]

Personally I think that if the event actually happened it would have been due to a natural phenomemen which was misunderstood, and the account was simply exaggerated over time.

As to where it might have happened I found a couple of interesting links:

Link 1

Link 2

Each supports a different idea of where they think it may have happened, some interesting images but nothing that would make me want to change my opinion.

[panther10758]

I agree although I have yet to click on links I once saw a program that gave several natural occurences that may have happened to cause such an effect or in this case misread effect.

[Venomshocker]

This is the theory I support.

http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/forum...topic=15113&hl=

Edited February 10, 2005 by Venomshocker

[LunarWarrior]

Actually I was also taught that it actually was the Sea of Reeds, which I believe is a little north of the Red sea. In the Sea of Reeds there is a natural phenominom where the water will pull away (due to tide and strong wind, something like that) where some shallow parts of the bedrock actually do poke out of water, or at least make it shallow enough to walk in.