Good points, it's a whole different picture realizing there were _millions_ of people in the crossing. Likewise the narrow crossing portrayed in some movies is unlikely given the numbers that made the journey that night.
[from David Guzik Study Guide on the Blue Letter Bible site]
a. The Hebrew phrase for Red Sea is yam suph, which clearly means "Reed Sea." "The term aptly describes the lake region north of the Gulf of Suez comprising the Bitter Lakes and Lake Timsah. It is possible that the Israelites went along the narrow neck of land on which Baal-zephon stood and that the Biblical Sea of Reeds was modern Lake Sirbonis. We are certain that the crossing was in this area because the Israelites found themselves in the Wilderness of Shur after crossing the sea (Exod. 15:22)." (Pfeiffer)
i. We don't know exactly where the place was, and what the exact geography was (an area like this will change geography every flood or drought season); we do know there was enough water present to trap the Israelites, and then later to drown the Egyptians - perhaps 10 feet of water or so; and we know there had to be enough room for the Israelites to cross over in one night - perhaps a mile wide stretch
b. Could this really have happened? Isn't this just another interesting legend? It is completely plausible, according to a Los Angeles Times article by Thomas H. Maugh titled "Research Supports Bible's Account of Red Sea Parting" (3/14/92):
"Sophisticated computer calculations indicate that the biblical parting of the Red Sea, said to have allowed Moses and the Israelites to escape from bondage in Egypt, could have occurred precisely as the Bible describes it.
Because of the peculiar geography of the northern end of the Red Sea, researchers report Sunday in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, a moderate wind blowing constantly for about 10 hours could have caused the sea to recede about a mile and the water level to drop 10 feet, leaving dry land in the area where many biblical scholars believe the crossing occurred."
Slashdot Mirror
"but I knew people who used it for substantial monetary gain (illegal of course)"
and you informed the proper authorities (of course) because you did not want to encourage and support these criminals (of course)
Good points, it's a whole different picture realizing there were _millions_ of people in the crossing. Likewise the narrow crossing portrayed in some movies is unlikely given the numbers that made the journey that night.
[from David Guzik Study Guide on the Blue Letter Bible site]
a. The Hebrew phrase for Red Sea is yam suph, which clearly means "Reed Sea." "The term aptly describes the lake region north of the Gulf of Suez comprising the Bitter Lakes and Lake Timsah. It is possible that the Israelites went along the narrow neck of land on which Baal-zephon stood and that the Biblical Sea of Reeds was modern Lake Sirbonis. We are certain that the crossing was in this area because the Israelites found themselves in the Wilderness of Shur after crossing the sea (Exod. 15:22)." (Pfeiffer)
i. We don't know exactly where the place was, and what the exact geography was (an area like this will change geography every flood or drought season); we do know there was enough water present to trap the Israelites, and then later to drown the Egyptians - perhaps 10 feet of water or so; and we know there had to be enough room for the Israelites to cross over in one night - perhaps a mile wide stretch
b. Could this really have happened? Isn't this just another interesting legend? It is completely plausible, according to a Los Angeles Times article by Thomas H. Maugh titled "Research Supports Bible's Account of Red Sea Parting" (3/14/92):
"Sophisticated computer calculations indicate that the biblical parting of the Red Sea, said to have allowed Moses and the Israelites to escape from bondage in Egypt, could have occurred precisely as the Bible describes it.
Because of the peculiar geography of the northern end of the Red Sea, researchers report Sunday in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, a moderate wind blowing constantly for about 10 hours could have caused the sea to recede about a mile and the water level to drop 10 feet, leaving dry land in the area where many biblical scholars believe the crossing occurred."