The   Parting   of   the   Red   Sea      

( Exodus 14:1 - 15:22 )



Did this really happen? Some folks say that it did not. While others say it did, but not the way the Bible describes it.

Yeah, for what ever reason, some people say that the record as presented in the Bible is flawed. They say that it was not the Red Sea that the Israelites crossed, but the Reed Sea. Which I have been told is thought to be a shallow, marshy area North West of Suez close to where the Suez Canal is located. I will have to admit that in doing a bit of research on the Hebrew words that mean “reed“:

('Qaneh' = 'reed'="water-plant", "stalk", or "reed". A second derived meaning = "measuring-rod")
Most commonly used when referring to a plant or measure.

Cuwph = ‘reed’, rush, water plant.= used as a name to describe a body of water.
    reed, rush, water plant, rushes
            sea of rushes
            of Red Sea
            of arms of Red Sea
            of Gulf of Suez
            of sea from straits to Gulf of Akaba

While the Hebrew word ‘Cuwph’, which also means ‘reed’, can be translated ‘red’. But here it is used to describe the bodies of water more commonly known as the Red Sea and the parts there of.

So, be that as it may, the crossing area still has to meet certain criteria that a marshy, swampy area just can not meet.

But besides all of this, let us look at the crossing from how the Bible describes it and see some facts that have to take place.

1. "Strong East Wind, all that night"= Some say the wind only blew the waters back on one side, like the receding of water just before a tidal wave hits. But the Bible describes it as "a wall" on both sides ( Exodus 14:22 ). And that a wind strong enough to blow water like that would be to strong for the people to walk. We will come back to this idea a little later, but right now let us look at some more facts that have to fit in with the crossing. And then at some eye witness accounts that will clear a lot of this up.
2. Children of Israel great in number ( Exodus 12:31-38 ). 600,000 men, besides women, children, and animals, as well as others. It has been estimated to be about 1,200,000 people.
3. Egyptians were great in number. ( Exodus 14:5-9 )
4. Crossing area, has to be wide/long enough for the entire Egyptian pursuers to all be in the crossing area at the same time ( Exodus 14:23-25 ).
5. Crossing area, has to be deep enough to drown the entire Egyptian pursuers ( Exodus 14:26-30 ).

So by this we can see the enormousness of the crossing.

With these 5 points in mind, let us first look at the first of these = Strong wind all night long. At first you might say to yourself, “Good point. For a wind strong enough to blow a path through a sea and keep the water back on both sides, would most definitely be much to strong to be able to walk in.” But here again, I have to say, “Is that really what the Bible says happened?” Well, let’s see. The Bible does say in Exodus 14:21 , “the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night…”. So that, according to the Bible, is how the Lord chose to cause the sea to open up, but is that how He kept the sea from closing back together? If so, then that would mean the wind would have to keep blowing strong enough, just along the edges of the opened up area to keep the sea from closing back in, while at the same time remaining relatively calm enough for the people and their herds to be able to walk in the middle. How absurd, there is no way wind could be blowing that strong and just a few feet away it is calm. Have you ever heard of such a thing? Well, I have. As a matter of fact, it happens all the time. It is called, “the eye of a hurricane”. Is that what happened? The children of Israel passed through the Red Sea in the eye of a hurricane? No, that is not how the Bible describes this event. It says that the wind was only blowing in one direction, East. But what I am saying is that if God wanted to do it this way, He could have. Please do not try to limit the power of God.

Well, let’s see how an eye witness of this account describes what they saw and possibly felt. It is recorded right here in the Bible.

After the Israelites made it safely to the other side. After all the Egyptians that went into the sea were destroyed. The people sang a song describing what they had just witnessed how it took place. Look at ( Exodus 15:8 ). Where it says, “the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.” It is this word ‘congealed’ I want you to look at. Hebrew word,

    Qapha' (kaw-faw'); , Strong #: 7087
        1. to thicken, condense, congeal, settle, become dense
            a. (Qal) to be condensed
                1. thickening (participle)

Yep, the Bible describes the walls, one on the right hand and one on the left, as congealed (a SOLID) wall of water. How did the Israelites know it was solid, did they touch it? I don’t know, may be some of them did, but we do know that this is what they said happened.

Bottom line, IT WAS DONE BY THE POWER OF GOD.

Also here is an internet link that you might find very informative. But I am NOT indorsing it because it is not part of the scriptures, but it does explain some things that might help us understand the crossing of the Red Sea.

NOTE: I AM NOT ENDORSING ANY OF THE EXTERNAL REFERENCES OR WEB SITES. THEY ARE HERE FOR YOUR INFORMATION.

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