Where did God part the waters to let the Israelites get across?

Question

In Bible Study last night, we were going over the probable route that the Israelites took out of Egypt to go into the promised land. Was it really the Red Sea that the Lord parted the waters to let them cross to escape the Egyptians? Or was it the Gulf of Suez? Or the Gulf of Akaba?

Were these 2 gulfs considered to be part of the Red Sea?

Answer 1

The Bible clearly describes the place where God parted the Red Sea. Interestingly, only one place on the entire Red Sea fits the Bible's description of the parting site.Three Bible passages describe three geographical features that mark the site where God parted the Red Sea. The geographical features, in Hebrew, are Migdol, Baal-zephon, and Pi-hahiroth. Speak to the Children of Israel and let them turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal-zephon; you shall encamp opposite it, by the sea. (Exodus 14:2 ST) Egypt pursued them and overtook them, encamped by the sea ... by Pi-hahiroth before Baal-zephon. (Exodus 14:9 ST)
They journeyed from Etham and it turned back to Pi-Hahiroth, which is before Baal-zephon, and they encamped before Migdol. They journeyed from before Hahiroth and passed through the midst of the Sea toward the Wilderness… (Numbers 33:7-8 ST)Just before crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites camped by the sea.
…you shall encamp … by the sea. (Exodus 14:2 ST)
Egypt … overtook them, encamped by the sea… (Exodus 14:9 ST)Migdol is a hill, and that Baal-zephon is a mountain next to the sea, were scholarly guesses. We can state that Migdol was a watchtower because that is it's English meaning. We can also state that Baal-zephon was a solid geographical feature, since it was across a mouth of water from the Israelite camp, and since the mouth of water was "al-pnay" (on the face of) Baal-zephon. That Pi-hahiroth is a narrow mouth of water is a fact, however. Pi-hahiroth is known to be a mouth because "pi" is Hebrew for "mouth". Pi-hahiroth is known to be made of water because it is a geographical feature that is upon the face of another geographical feature, Baal zephon. Pi-hahiroth is known to be narrow because Baal-zephon was on the opposite side of the mouth of water from the Israelite camp, yet Baal-zephon was before (in the presence of) the Israelite camp. Our next task is to search the Red Sea for a narrow mouth of water. A prominent hill on one side of the mouth, and a mountain next to the sea on the other side of the mouth.

Answer 2

The Bible shows in Exodus 15:4 that it was the Red Sea. The problem, as I saw on some show, was not whether it was the Red Sea but WHERE on the Red Sea they crossed.

One theory was a place that was way north of where it was assumed they came to the sea ... probably the Gulf of Suez ... but is shallow enough that people could cross on a calm day. Theologists reject this, mainly because if it was shallow enough to cross, then why did Pharaoh drown? lol

Another was a place that was further south (I forget the name, but it wasn't the other Gulf of Akaba) mainly because on the Egyptian side it led into a place where there were mountains and cliffs on one side of the Israelites and the sea on the other. It basically backed them into a corner. But it's also at one of the widest parts of the sea.

I don't think the Gulf of Akaba was considered, since they had to cross the Gulf of Suez first lol.

I don't think we'll ever know ... the cities listed in Exodus 14 don't exist anymore. Oh, and yes, both gulfs are on the Red Sea, they stick out to the north of it like antennae on a bug lol

Answer 3

There is a traditional route of the Exodus which has the children of Israel wading in shallow water through an area north of the Gulf of Suez while the tide was out. This area cannot be the crossing site as it does not match the biblical account. A shallow area of water could not drown all of the Egyptian army. Also, they were to leave Egypt proper before encountering the Red Sea crossing. After crossing the Red Sea, the Bible says they encountered the mountain of God or Mount Sinai which is in Midian. Midian is not in the area we call today the Sinai Peninsula. It is instead in Saudi Arabia and can be found on most maps in that location. The traditional Mt. Sinai was "found" by Constantine's "psychic" mother who in the fourth century went around the Holy Land pointing out various sites as the "authentic" biblical sites, such as the birthplace of Christ, the church of the Holy sepulcher (which was a pagan temple during her time), etc. There is no archaeological evidence of the forty year existence of the children of Israel in the Sinai Peninsula.

May God bless you

Answer 4

The word of God says the Red Sea. The name may have changed or perhaps the landscape, but in all it is still the same.

That is a wonderful idea to study that area on different routes.
I use to have a large map of that area, because looking at this area on a world globe is hard on the eyes.

Answer 5

It was the Red Sea, which was really named the Reed Sea.

Answer 6

Red Sea is correct.

Answer 7

Of direction Jesus isn't god. there could be evidence pointing to the existence of a different Jesus (no longer a miracle-making immaculately conceived resurrecting messiah, techniques you, in simple terms an trouble-free previous Jesus). there is not any evidence by any potential pointing to the existence of any god by any potential.

Answer 8

Hey, they found the Chariot wheels and axels down there, was on T.V..
Red Sea I think.
Ditto.................

Answer 9

i think it is the red sea...im pretty sure it is.



: )

Answer 10

Come on....Like that really happened!...I mean THINK about it!...Its a story...like tv or movies...its not real..Like the ark...Just not possible.