An illustration based on new research shows how wind could have moved and split waters from two ancient basins.
The parting of the waters described in the book of Exodus that enabled Moses and the Israelites to escape the pharaoh's army is possible, computer simulations run by researchers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research and the University of Colorado at Boulder show.
To test the theory that the biblical account may have depicted actual events, the researchers studied maps of the region, archaeological records and satellite measurements to find a topographical feature where such an event might have been possible. They settled on an area south of the Mediterranean Sea where some oceanographers say a branch of the Nile River drained into what was called the Lake of Tanis, a coastal lagoon 3,000 years ago.
The computer model shows a 63 mph east wind blowing across the area and its 6-feet-deep waters for 12 hours. In the scenario, the wind pushed back the waters into both the lake and the channel of the river, exposing a mud flat 2 to 2.5 miles long and 3 miles wide for four hours. As the winds died down, the waters quickly flowed back in and in theory would have drowned anyone on the mud flat.
“The simulations match fairly closely with the account in Exodus,” said Carl Drews of NCAR, the lead author of the study published in the online journal PLoS ONE. (Read the full study)
“The parting of the waters can be understood through fluid dynamics. The wind moves the water in a way that’s in accordance with physical laws, creating a safe passage with water on two sides and then abruptly allowing the water to rush back in.”
YouTube: Parting the waters, Part 1: The physics of a land bridge
Parting the waters, Part 2: Carl Drews on wind setdown research
The biblical account of Exodus has Moses and his followers trapped by the pharaoh forces against a body of water, which has been translated to both the Red Sea and the Sea of Reeds. In the account, a strong wind comes up after night falls and parts the waters behind the Israelites. Moses leads them into the breach but when the pharaoh army pursues them at daybreak, the gap disappears and the army is lost.
Previous research has focused on areas of the Red Sea near the modern-day Suez Canal where the biblical miracle may have been possible. The NCAR/CU team said their research shows those scenarios unlikely. They ran a series of 14 computer simulations to pinpoint the area where the parting of the waters was most likely.
“People have always been fascinated by this Exodus story, wondering if it comes from historical facts,” Drews says. “What this study shows is that the description of the waters parting indeed has a basis in physical laws."
Drews conducted the Exodus research as part of a larger project on how winds can affect water depths.
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"And We took the Children of Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them in tyranny and enmity until, when drowning overtook him, he said, "I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims.""So today We will save you in body that you may be to those who succeed you a sign. And indeed, many among the people, of Our signs, are heedless." Quran..chapter 10 verse 92-93
it's refreshing to see someone who can at least spell correctly and atriculate a thought! jodaa stop typing and take an English course!
sorry, not English – a typing course!
Love is the key to recognizing who is correct. While we were yet sinners, ungoldy, and enemies Christ died for us. If you cannot love your enemy, if you cannot bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, then your faith is vain. The actions of love display a greater miracle than that of Moses parting the Red Sea. You cannot scientifically understand love. You would do well to seek a God who loves you and tenderly cares for you.
Try Going to You Tube The sight of the crossing was Found By Ron Wyatt ,He even Found the Pillars errected By King Solomon There is a Great Video on the Exodus & Evidence for those that are seeking.
Since apparently You Tube is now a site where fake videos can no longer be posted. Just because it is on You Tube in no way makes it fact my good sir. Try finding a more reliable source of the videos first
Amen Jim. Arkdiscovery site also has great pics and video proving the Biblical narrative correct in every detail!
Whether you are religious or not, the account of the Exodus is a biblical fact. Either a supernatural God made the waters part and/or a scientific weather phenomenon did. This research is interesting and could provide useful today to both religious and nonreligious people alike.
Whoa! You sound way to reasonable and level-headed to be in this forum. Did you get lost?
Useful in what way? Whose life is improved by this research?
"Biblical Fact" is a bit of an oxymoron.
"Useful" in that it raises a question for me. Living near the water as I do, during extreme low tides, it appears that you COULD walk across the (in my case) Bay. But I know from experience (swimming and trying to stand on the bottom wearing fins) that the first step you take on that bottom sludge would bog you down, at best only to your knees. I'd be interested in learning about the make-up of the bottom of that part of the Red Sea (or whatever part of the world this scientific phenomenon happened) that gave the people the capability to physically walk across that sea floor.
Alison, that is the part of the story where God has to be involved. Bible states that they walked across on dry land. And there were enough people, animals, goods, and other items that even if as the research states it was open for upwards of 12 hours, that it would have been near impossible for all of Israel to walk across without getting stuck in the mud. While science can try to explain the water parting, there is still some items that can't be explained without God's involvement. Especially since they weren't looking for any specific place to cross the sea and were cornered by Pharoah and the army until God intervened.
Doug. You have your faith; I have my faith in science (and Mythbusters!). I don't believe God hardened the crust of the sea floor just so those people could be saved anymore than I believe he parted the seas for them. Science has the answers I'm searching for but I don't have the education to go with the answers.
I love your circular logic, it's in the bible so it's true! It is a book of Hebrew history and myth and even the Jews don't take it literally. They laugh at you bozos who can't tell truth from fiction.
Apparently most of you haven't been to the ocean in a long time. I can attest that during low tide you can still walk on the sand. Not only that, it is mostly dry. That is the great thing about sand. To that point I have only been to Egypt once and I think it was a pretty sandy place?
You would think that the Egyptians, who were meticulous record keepers and avid historians, would have mentioned if some slave leader caused plagues to fall on Egypt including the death of every first born and led an exodus across a parted sea. Sounds like that would have been big news. Of course, it's not mentioned anywhere except the bible because it didn't really happen. There is no archeological evidence that the Israelites were ever in Egypt. Maybe you should actually read your history from a history book instead of the bible.
At the bottom of the article, they list the main problem with this. The translation to "Red Sea" is probably wrong, whereas it should read "Reed Sea," which is an entirely different concept (and probably the more accurate translation). In the case of the "Reed Sea," the episode becomes much more figurative - a metaphor or allegory - as much of the Bible is. So looking for a body of water which wind would part temporarily seems like mining for fool's gold to me.
Could be but these legends or myths are very often developed based on things actually seen,
Wrong again there bud, the Bible is to be taken literally, its not an alagoric book in any sense. Do some studying on it
Correct ewahn. The translation is the key.
To those claiming the Bible is to be taken literally, how do you explain that it has two different stories for creation? The Bible (especially the Old Testement) is not to be taken literally, they are stories inspired by God but not the literal truth.
I thought it was actually the "reed" sea not the red sea. So this could provide more evidence that it was not actually an ocean that was parted
What I should have added is that biblical facts are often historical facts, whether or not one wants to attribute the same reasons for their occurance or not will depend on one's perspective.
As you go further back in time biblical facts become less and less associated with historical facts and the story of the Moses and the Red sea is from the very beginning of the bible.
No one parted the Red Sea, period. It is a myth, people, not an historic event. We might as well be trying to find the rabbit hole that lead Alice into Wonderland. We will never find the location for something that never happened.
Unless you are far, far older than you sound, you don't know. Here is a scientific explanation of the "myth". Now, considering the outcome of the story–Pharaoh and his army drowned–IF this is the right place, there well may be evidence of the Egyptians who died there thousands of years ago. Might be worth a look, at any rate.
Archeologists have been looking for evidence of Moses, the Israelites, their slavery in Egypt, etc for decades. They've never found one spot of data, or other hard evidence, like pots, or artifacts, or stone inscriptions. All the evidence is in the form of stories passed down for many generations, and written down 1000's of years later; not reliable information. That many people living in a desert for that long, would have left lots of evidence. Absence of evidence is evidence of absence. Just another biblical fairy tale.
Chuck G. everything you have claimed here is untrue. Like those who run off the end of the earth with their mythology, you state what you want to be so as if it were fact, but it is not so.
Shame on you.
Chuck G Absence of evidence is merely absence of evidence. You can not draw a conclusion from it unless you desire that conclusion.
And yet you problably believe evolution...which has no scientific basis whatsoever no proof no evidence
'And yet you problably believe evolution...which has no scientific basis whatsoever no proof no evidence'
Then you dont understand evolution.
Sorry Razor, but you only put forward evidence of your own ignorance with that statement.
Uhhh, this is a description of a miracle of God. Pretending that science can explain it is unnecessary. Anything is possible with God.
Lol
ROTFLMAO@Wolfen
Wolfen, your faith is your own. Not everyone shares your beliefs – so those who don't either belittle out of ignorance or look to science for answers. Sometimes we find answers there; sometimes not.
Wolfen, you are right, everything is possible with GOD period. I wonder if some of these people knows that other side of this earth can fly their canoe up in the air........just imagine that.
read judges 1:19
And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.
The 'lord' got his holy butt kicked. I have an iron chariot (a 2010 chrysler), guess I can kick the lords butt too!
so, there you have it, everything is not possible with gawd amitey
@bobblob: the bible does not say that. get your facts straight. even if you read the bible as a fairy tale it is far too complex for the common folk. stick with harry potter and vampire diaries
I guess the easy answer to where the sea was parted was, nowhere. Same place where that one guy walked on water.
Gosh. What a pleasant human being you are. I feel I am so truly blessed not to know you personally.
How do you know that you don't know him or her personally?
Gee Roger Waters, I don't know. That is a really good point....in the mind of a five year old. Keep trying, I'll be riding my unicorn with the easter bunny down by the Shire.
Gee Luke . . . I was not responding to you, stupid.
It must really suck to be so bad at life. I pity you, stupid.
More and more non-believers every year! It was God, not science. . .you morons!
Are "God's" methods beyond the ability of man to understand? If you believe that this Christian myth is based on real events, in what manner did your "God" part the waters for Moses and his people? Your view of your God is too narrow, I think.
Dear Thorssman,
When you meet God you can ask him then. But, then, I wonder what answer you will have for his inevitable question about why you didn't believe in him?
ldsmom02, Unless your God is allowed to visit Valhalla–My Gods party better, so He might want in–I doubt I'll be seeing anything of Him.
@Thorrsman
LMAO!!! Awesome response. Party in VALHALLA!!!!
But didn't God create the "Science"? calling people Morons is very unChristian-like...You are supposed to pray for them, not insult them. WWJD..Now! On your knees and Pray!!!
science doesent disprove god just shows his methods
@al
but only if he actually exists. Science cannot prove that an absence of something somehow proves its existence. Duh.
I have seen the awesome power of G-d in my very life. As I read through most of these comments I realized that most of the people here are blind. Ghandi said,"that all he cared about Jesus was his teaching, that he never cared if they proved he never existed". Really Ghandi, We seen what happens when the world has a teacher, what man kind needed and finally received was a savior
.
Credit needs to be given to the Man upstairs. Miracles happen every day
Totally, like all that fun stuff that happens in Myanmar and Iraq.
I agree entirely. But, LUKE, You can't blame God for the acts of men everyday that may or may not be evil or that may or may not make you mad. God put us here to see what we would do and gave us instructions in order to live peacefully. If people don 't live that way, it isn't God's fault. He's still there. And he isn't there to make sure nobody ever gets hurt. You have a wrong understanding of God, like he is some kind of "fairy" as others have called him whose only desire is to fulfill the wishes of everyone. That's is ludicrous.
Idsmom, thanks for your insight, I will pray on it. Wait, j/k hahaha. Living in fairy tales rules!
'God put us here to see what we would do '
For what possible reason why? What on earth was the reason to create man? Was he bored? Conducting an experiment? What?
There is no man upstairs. No second floor, no stairs, no one on the roof, therefore no man upstairs.
But if there is some guy living above you, why extend him credit? Make him come down and fill out an application like everybody else. Then you can take his picture and sell it.
This research is interesting, but it doesn't address that God does as He chooses, and our research is only as accurate as our limited knowledge allows. So, the scientists have now 'proven' that a historic text (the Bible) could be true, but without faith, no amount of proof will serve its intended purpose. This article takes away from God's glory by assuming the weather created the parting of the sea. How about the Creator who created the weather?
How about the creator who created the creator? And then that creator's creator? That must be some family reunion, since all of them are eternal and all.
The comments here by the Cult of Yahweh are typical. Odin goes to all that trouble to save some people, and the cranky Desert God claims credit. Next, they'll be telling us that Ask and Embla were not the first man and woman.
Why would the All Father care about a desert people who never honored Him?
Because, Thorrsman, God loves even you. So, He can love the desert people too.
ldsmom02 I've little doubt about the feelings of the All Father for me and mine, or that the Storm Bringer protects. This desert God of Abraham, however....
Hail Thor, and remember to wear your hammer each and every day; moonsday tiwsday, wodensday especially Thorsday!,
freyasday, the saturnalia and the sunday!
bob blob, I am never without my hammers (tattooed them on) and I never forget the Gods in my daily life. Valhalla when I die!