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Parting of the Red Sea.....
- Thread starter Bangbang
- Start date
Bangbang
Active Member
Here is an iteresting explanation.
The Parting of the Waters
Parting the Red Sea would indeed be a feat, since it is 150 miles wide on average (not to mention 1,450 miles long). It is highly unlikely, though not completely out of the question, that this is the sea the Lord has in mind; none of the probable Exodus routes takes the Israelites anywhere near it at this stage of their journey. The Hebrew term yam suph, which is used for the Red Sea and its two gulfs, literally means "Sea of Reeds," and so probably refers here to a freshwater marsh on the border between Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula. Such a lake, while no pushover to cross at high water, might easily be "parted" for passage by a good drought, or even, as the Bible suggests, by a "strong east wind" (verse 21).
So while one needn't deny God's hand in parting the waters, he might have been able to do it by natural means. In any case, the rest of the story does suggest that what happened at yam suph was extraordinary at least in its timing. Though the lake was passable by the Israelites, who crossed on foot, it foiled the Egyptians, sent in pursuit by the hard-hearted Pharaoh. The wheels of their chariots got stuck in the muddy marsh-bed, and thereupon the waters returned to drown the whole lot of them, along with their horses.
That's the last the Israelites heard of Egypt, and their miraculous delivery had the side effect of striking the fear of God (and Moses) into them -- at least for a while. The whole episode, among others, suggests that in Moses' time Yahweh was thought of primarily as a warrior-god, personally involved in his worshipper's battles. Though in later books the Lord is often given the credit for Israel's military victories and defeats, he is less and less directly involved. By the time Israel and Judah are established as states, Yahweh is principally a god of law -- a role he first assumes by issuing Moses the Ten Commandments.
http://www.gracecathedral.org/enrichment/brush_excerpts/brush_20040303.shtml
The Parting of the Waters
And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:
But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
If "parting of the waters" calls to mind Moses waving his rod and dividing a vast sea into two huge walls of water, forget it. What is called the "Red Sea" in Exodus is almost certainly not what we call the Red Sea today, but rather a much humbler body of water. But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
-- Exodus 14: 15-17 (KJV)
Parting the Red Sea would indeed be a feat, since it is 150 miles wide on average (not to mention 1,450 miles long). It is highly unlikely, though not completely out of the question, that this is the sea the Lord has in mind; none of the probable Exodus routes takes the Israelites anywhere near it at this stage of their journey. The Hebrew term yam suph, which is used for the Red Sea and its two gulfs, literally means "Sea of Reeds," and so probably refers here to a freshwater marsh on the border between Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula. Such a lake, while no pushover to cross at high water, might easily be "parted" for passage by a good drought, or even, as the Bible suggests, by a "strong east wind" (verse 21).
So while one needn't deny God's hand in parting the waters, he might have been able to do it by natural means. In any case, the rest of the story does suggest that what happened at yam suph was extraordinary at least in its timing. Though the lake was passable by the Israelites, who crossed on foot, it foiled the Egyptians, sent in pursuit by the hard-hearted Pharaoh. The wheels of their chariots got stuck in the muddy marsh-bed, and thereupon the waters returned to drown the whole lot of them, along with their horses.
That's the last the Israelites heard of Egypt, and their miraculous delivery had the side effect of striking the fear of God (and Moses) into them -- at least for a while. The whole episode, among others, suggests that in Moses' time Yahweh was thought of primarily as a warrior-god, personally involved in his worshipper's battles. Though in later books the Lord is often given the credit for Israel's military victories and defeats, he is less and less directly involved. By the time Israel and Judah are established as states, Yahweh is principally a god of law -- a role he first assumes by issuing Moses the Ten Commandments.
http://www.gracecathedral.org/enrichment/brush_excerpts/brush_20040303.shtml
nutshell
Well-Known Member
An analysis of possible routes out of Egypt aslo reveals the Hebrews may have passes through the narrow northern area of the Red Sea, more appropriately called the Suez (not the canal, but near that location).
This strip of water is much less than the average 150 miles you mentioned.
But as Dawny and mormonman mentioned, anything is possible with God.
This strip of water is much less than the average 150 miles you mentioned.
But as Dawny and mormonman mentioned, anything is possible with God.
gnostic
The Lost One
The 1985 new translation of the Tanakh (or Holy Scriptures) by JPS (Jewish Publication Society) has the "Sea of Reeds", but their earlier translation, printed in 1918, has the "Red Sea".
The new translation is more reliable. I believed that most Jews would agreed that the sea mentioned in all earlier English translations of bibles and hebrew scriptures have mistranslated it to the Red Sea, whereas it should have been more precisely means "Sea of Reeds".
The new translation is more reliable. I believed that most Jews would agreed that the sea mentioned in all earlier English translations of bibles and hebrew scriptures have mistranslated it to the Red Sea, whereas it should have been more precisely means "Sea of Reeds".
standing_alone
Well-Known Member
How so?
standing_alone
Well-Known Member
But what if God made a typo?
Smoke
Done here.
dawny0826 said:
And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.
And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:
And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.
The whole reason Pharaoh chased the Israelites was that God goaded him into it, and the whole reason God did so was to give himself an excuse to kill the Egyptians and "get [him] honour upon Pharaoh."And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:
And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.
Why would anybody want to worship such a vicious god? What would you think of a human being who acted like that?
jeffrey
â Ãig Dogâ
MidnightBlue makes a great point. I believe in God. I believe God could have parted the sea. But I don't see God 'hardening their hearts' then killing them. The God I see is love. Not how the OT portrays God. Who knows how 3,000 years from now how Katrina will be portrayed. Maybe something similar.