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Study: Red Sea Parting Possible!
Discovery Channel ^ | Feb. 2, 2004 | By Jennifer Viegas

Posted on 02/03/2004 3:12:10 PM PST by vannrox

Study: Red Sea Parting Possible


By Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News

Feb. 2, 2004 ? The parting of the Red Sea and the subsequent escape of thousands of Jewish slaves, which is described in the Bible's book of Exodus, can be explained by science, according to two Russian researchers.

The study, published in the Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences, is one of the first to examine the event using oceanography, weather patterns, and mathematical calculations.

Naum Volzinger, senior researcher at the St. Petersburg Institute of Oceanology, and colleague Alexei Androsov of Hamburg, determined that a reef runs from Egypt to the north side of the Red Sea. They believe the reef used to be much closer to the surface during Biblical times at approximately 1500 B.C.

Depending on the weather and tidal movements, the reef could have been exposed for hours at a time, according to the new theory.

"If the wind blew all night at a speed of 30 meters (about 98 1/2 feet) per second, then the reef would be dry," Volzinger told The Moscow Times. "It would take the Jews ? there were 600,000 of them ? four hours to cross the seven-kilometer (4.4 mile) reef that runs from one coast to another. Then, in half an hour, the waters would come back."

The theory provides a scientific explanation for the story of the Red Sea parting, which is credited to Moses and Jehovah in the Bible.

"And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and Jehovah caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all the night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left." (Exodus 14:21-22).

Discovery News contacted three Biblical scholars about the Russian study, and each expressed disappointment with the findings.

Robert Coote, professor of Old Testament studies at the San Francisco Theological Seminary, said the language used to write the book of Exodus, Hebrew Yam Sup, can be interpreted in different ways. Coote indicated that the "Red Sea" might actually have been the Mediterranean, a Suez lagoon, the Gulf of Suez, or the Gulf of Aqaba.

Aaron Brody, assistant professor of Bible and archaeology and director of the Bade Museum at the Pacific School of Religion, agreed with Coote and added, "There are no extra-biblical historic texts that pertain to the Exodus story, and short-term events like the one described in the Book of Exodus very rarely appear in the archaeological record, so we have no textual sources outside of the material in Genesis and no artifactual data to clarify this event."

Along with Coote and Brody, Barbara Green, professor of Biblical studies at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology, believes history and science provide important tools for studying the Bible, but that they should not be the only ones.

"The Bible needs to be read with many lenses, among which are history and science, but there are many others as well," Green told Discovery News. "The error is to assume that all that is at stake is facticity ? how many miles, how much speed. It is ludicrous on its own."


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; Israel; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bible; egypt; egyptian; escape; exodus; go; godsgravesglyphs; history; moses; parting; past; people; red; redsea; sea; slave
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Interesting article.
1 posted on 02/03/2004 3:12:12 PM PST by vannrox
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To: vannrox; *Gods, Graves, Glyphs; A.J.Armitage; abner; adam_az; AdmSmith; Alas Babylon!; ...
Earlier article, different source:
Scientist: Parting of Red Sea Was Possible

Gods, Graves, Glyphs
List for articles regarding early civilizations , life of all forms, - dinosaurs - etc.

Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this ping list.

2 posted on 02/03/2004 3:16:09 PM PST by farmfriend ( Isaiah 55:10,11)
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To: vannrox
So it must have been just a coincidence that they got there just as the winds and tide was in perfect conjuction. Sorry, but the biblical account seems more plausible to me.
3 posted on 02/03/2004 3:20:18 PM PST by Russ
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To: vannrox
Could there be scientific evidence for the timing? Some great thinkers have become committed Christians after reading the Creator's manual for man.
4 posted on 02/03/2004 3:22:39 PM PST by kdf1
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To: Russ
Here is the deal...science seeks ultimately to explain the unknown truth. I remember when I was getting my MD, certain professors would say that science is the pathway to the truth, and we can only know what lies at the truth from science. I think it is beautiful that the truth that is consistently found is GOD...and this is my belief, that science ultimately reveals the glory of God, and the Saviour...
5 posted on 02/03/2004 3:23:33 PM PST by gas_dr (Trial lawyers are Endangering Every Patient in America)
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To: farmfriend
Would you mind adding me to the ping list? Thax.
6 posted on 02/03/2004 3:26:28 PM PST by vannrox (The Preamble to the Bill of Rights - without it, our Bill of Rights is meaningless!)
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To: vannrox
I seem to recall reading, however, that if you could see the Red Sea without the water in it, it would be a very deep, very precipitous chasm. With the waters parted, the task facing the Hebrews would've been about the same as hiking across the Grand Canyon. Of course, they had some help... ;)
7 posted on 02/03/2004 3:26:53 PM PST by AminoAcid
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To: vannrox
I alreday knew it was possible. God said so.
8 posted on 02/03/2004 3:36:28 PM PST by RightthinkinAmerican (Try and tackle ME, Franken.)
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To: RightthinkinAmerican
"already"
9 posted on 02/03/2004 3:37:03 PM PST by RightthinkinAmerican (Try and tackle ME, Franken.)
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To: vannrox
"GOD" Is great isn't he. He can make the wind blow and tide rise and fall whenever he wants.

No News Here.

10 posted on 02/03/2004 3:43:12 PM PST by chachacha
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To: farmfriend
Please add me to this list!

Thank you...
11 posted on 02/03/2004 3:56:47 PM PST by BlessedByLiberty (Respectfully submitted,)
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Comment #12 Removed by Moderator

To: BlessedByLiberty
Consider yourself added. If you ever change your mind, or I get you on the wrong list, just let me know.
13 posted on 02/03/2004 4:30:07 PM PST by farmfriend ( Isaiah 55:10,11)
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To: vannrox
I think they miss the entire point of the parting of the red sea. The point is that it should be *impossible*. The tribes of Abraham weren't supposed to be following Moses because he was a good civil engineer.
14 posted on 02/03/2004 5:08:10 PM PST by dr_who_2
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To: Battle Axe
Agreed.
15 posted on 02/03/2004 5:49:23 PM PST by chachacha
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Comment #16 Removed by Moderator

To: vannrox
Thanks for the posts. And I thought the volcano theory was the winner - you know the one that went off in the Greek Isles.
17 posted on 02/04/2004 3:30:35 PM PST by Henchman (I Hench, therefore I am!)
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To: farmfriend
But, then it was able to come splashing back and quickly DROWN all those Egyptian soldiers.

It happened just like the Bible said it did, no purely naturalistic explanation is needed. I hope they have fun trying to explain a pretty much one time event.

18 posted on 06/17/2004 8:25:58 AM PDT by Old Landmarks (Reject the Bible and invite anarchy, then totalitarianism.)
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Just updating the GGG information, not sending a general distribution.
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest
-- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

19 posted on 04/22/2005 11:41:08 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (FR profiled updated Monday, April 11, 2005. Fewer graphics, faster loading.)
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To: 75thOVI; AndrewC; Avoiding_Sulla; BenLurkin; Berosus; CGVet58; chilepepper; ckilmer; demlosers; ...
from 2004.

· Catastrophism ping list · join · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark ·

20 posted on 08/28/2006 9:11:18 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (updated my FR profile on Thursday, August 10, 2006. https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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