Did Moses really part the Red Sea? Experts reveal a scientific basis for Bible story

[Social Media]

 

The story of Moses parting the Red Sea has long been regarded as one of the most astonishing miracles in both Christian and Jewish traditions. However, new scientific research suggests that this biblical event may have a basis in natural phenomena rather than divine intervention.  

 

According to the biblical account, Moses, acting under God’s command, parted the Red Sea to allow the Israelites to escape from an oppressive Egyptian pharaoh. As they crossed, the waters suddenly rushed back, sweeping away the pursuing Egyptian forces. But researchers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research argue that such an event could have been caused by powerful winds blowing at just the right speed and angle.

 

These winds, they suggest, might have created a temporary land passage before the water came surging back with force comparable to a tsunami.  

 

Oceanographer Carl Drews explained this theory, telling the *Daily Mail*, “The crossing of the Red Sea is a supernatural phenomenon that incorporates a natural component—the miracle is in the timing.” He added that computer models suggest winds of at least 60 miles per hour striking the water at a precise angle could have opened a channel roughly three miles wide.  

 

Nathan Paldor, an ocean scientist from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, echoed this idea, stating, “When a strong wind blows southward from the head of the Gulf for about one day, the water is pushed seawards, thus exposing the bottom that was previously underwater.”  

 

Traditionally, scholars and religious texts have placed the event in the Gulf of Aqaba, which separates Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula from Saudi Arabia and the southern region of Jordan. However, some geologists argue that such a crossing would have been impossible due to the Gulf of Aqaba’s extreme depth, which reaches up to 6,000 feet. Additionally, biblical descriptions mention winds coming from the east, while scientific models indicate that for such an event to occur, winds would need to blow from the southwest.  

 

Given these contradictions, archaeologists have explored alternative locations that could align with an extreme weather event similar to the one described in the Book of Exodus. One such possibility is the Gulf of Suez, which is significantly shallower, reaching only about 100 feet deep. The relatively flat seabed in this region, combined with strong tidal forces, could have exposed dry land under the right conditions.  

 

Bruce Parker, former chief scientist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, suggested that Moses may have been aware of these natural tidal patterns and used them to his advantage. “Moses had lived in the nearby wilderness in his early years, and he knew where caravans crossed the Red Sea at low tide,” Parker wrote in a 2014 *Wall Street Journal* article. “He knew the night sky and the ancient methods of predicting the tide, based on where the moon was overhead and how full it was.”  

 

However, even the Suez theory faces challenges, particularly with the claim in Exodus that easterly winds caused the parting. In a study published in *PLOS One*, Drews suggested an alternative location: the Lake of Tannis in the Nile Delta. This theory is based on interpretations of the Hebrew Bible, which refer to the crossing as occurring at a "sea of reeds" rather than the Red Sea. The lake’s shallow, brackish waters are known for their dense reeds, which could support the translation.  

 

Drews cited both ocean modeling and historical records from 1882, which suggest that strong winds in the eastern Nile Delta can push away up to two meters of water, temporarily exposing dry land. He described the lake’s structure as providing a "hydraulic mechanism for the waters to divide."  

 

Despite his scientific explanation, Drews remains firm in his faith, believing the event still carries miraculous significance. “Personally, I am a Lutheran who has always understood that faith and science can and should be in harmony,” he said, adding, “It is fitting and proper for a scientist to study the natural components of this narrative.”  

 

While the debate over the Red Sea crossing continues, both religious believers and scientists seem to agree on one thing—whether by divine intervention or natural forces, the timing of such an event would have been extraordinary.

 

Based on a report by NYP  2025-03-12

 

 

[Purdey]

Still believing in unicorns too?

[faraday]

Nope, it was called The Reed Sea.

[Freddy42OZ]

Utter nonsense.  When will humans stop believing this rubbish.  

[klauskunkel]

Quote

Did Moses really part the Red Sea?

Yes, he did. I saw the movie

[Rimmer]

Moved to Off the beaten track forum

[rough diamond]

12 minutes ago, Rimmer said:

Moved to Off the beaten track forum

I suppose walking across the Red Sea really does qualify as being "off the beaten track"!

🤣

[JBChiangRai]

There’s an invisible man in the sky who watches everything we do.

 

He says we can sell our daughters into slavery as sanctioned in Leviticus 21:7

 

He says if we work on the Sabbath, we should be put to death Exodus 35:2 

 

He says we will be unclean if we touch the skin of a dead pig Leviticus 11:7

 

He says dwarves must not go to church, nor anyone with a flat nose Leviticus 21:18

 

He says if we plant different crop seeds next to each other, we have to be stoned to death and we must be burned to death if we wear clothes made from 2 different threads.

 

There is an another list of 10 things we must not do, and if we do, he will burn and torture us until the end of time.

 

But all this is OK because he loves us.

[cdemundo]

To the original question posed:

No.

 

Let's move on shall we?

[ChipButty]

It's true Ive been there and we found some Chariot wheels on the bottom of the Red Sea in that area, 

[Dionigi]

Someone after Templetons money

[connda]

No.  More than likely some natural phenomenon like a large tidal surge, possibly caused by an earthquake.  Tidal waves are preceded by an massive outgoing tide.  Moses and friends make it across the Red Sea (A Miracle!!!).  Egyptians follow in time to get hit with the tidal surge.  Now, write it down and credit to your own god.  YHWH's Bob's you're uncle! 

[connda]

9 hours ago, Social Media said:

whether by divine intervention or natural forces, the timing of such an event would have been extraordinary.

You can say the same thing about the poor folks who decided to vacation in Phuket on Dec 26, 2004.  "...the timing of such an event would have been extraordinary."

[KhunLA]

"Scientific basis for a Bible story" ... 

 

Hopefully they'll tackle the Tooth Fairy story next 😎

 

 

[spidermike007]

I'm so old that I was fishing on the Red Sea as Moses was parting it, and I screamed over to him "hey show some respect I'm fishing over here".

[rough diamond]

1 minute ago, spidermike007 said:

I'm so old that I was fishing on the Red Sea as Moses was parting it, and I screamed over to him "hey show some respect I'm fishing over here".

Was that your parting of the ways moment with religion?

[JBChiangRai]

Would this be from the same book that says the earth is roughly 5,000 years old?

 

Stop teaching religion to young impressionable minds and it will die out in 1 generation.

 

Most religions fail because in their "holy" documents they try to explain something that science/medicine of the time cannot explain and modern knowledge proves it wrong.

 

The Quran gets it wrong on where sperm comes from, clearly it's not the word of god, it's closer to Stephen King.

[DrJack54]

I prefer the Noah tale.

 

[rough diamond]

53 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

Would this be from the same book that says the earth is roughly 5,000 years old?

 

Stop teaching religion to young impressionable minds and it will die out in 1 generation.

 

Most religions fail because in their "holy" documents they try to explain something that science/medicine of the time cannot explain and modern knowledge proves it wrong.

 

The Quran gets it wrong on where sperm comes from, clearly it's not the word of god, it's closer to Stephen King.

+1

Thank God I am an atheist!

[pomchop]

Go stand by your mailbox dressed as the Easter Bunny with a team of Reindeer set to fly you around the world and wait for Ed McMahon to show up to give you a 100 million dollars because you have won the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes.

 

How sad that so many children worldwide are brainwashed from a very early age to belive the tooth fairy, the easter bunny, Santa Claus and such little children stories.  Even sadder that added to this is all the biblical fantasy stories re parting seas, arks full of animals, virgin births, and best of all the "son of God" who comes back to life.  Saddest of all is that while most people grow out of santa and easter bunnies they still cling to the same fantasy stories all wrapped up in religion and buy it all hook line and sinker ...and then they  indoctrinate their children into the same cult.

 

The reality is your "religion" is most likely determined by where you happened to be born not because you have actually given it a lot of thought and research.

 

  Born in Israel you will be brainwashed jew...Middle east...your man is mohammed.  Born in Italy...in the pope you hope.  India?  Hindu is you.  Asia...Buddha Buddha.  Alabama; Praise jesus and pass the ammunition.  And most everyone is absolutely convinced that their religion and their religion alone is the one and only "truth".  Sadly many of them have been killing each other for centuries to prove that very stupid belief.

 

 

[GreasyFingers]

2 hours ago, JBChiangRai said:

 

There’s an invisible man in the sky who watches everything we do.

 

He says we can sell our daughters into slavery as sanctioned in Leviticus 21:7

 

He says if we work on the Sabbath, we should be put to death Exodus 35:2 

 

He says we will be unclean if we touch the skin of a dead pig Leviticus 11:7

 

He says dwarves must not go to church, nor anyone with a flat nose Leviticus 21:18

 

He says if we plant different crop seeds next to each other, we have to be stoned to death and we must be burned to death if we wear clothes made from 2 different threads.

 

There is an another list of 10 things we must not do, and if we do, he will burn and torture us until the end of time.

 

But all this is OK because he loves us.

Man you are living in the past with Jewish history. Check out the gospels have a different story.

[GreasyFingers]

1 hour ago, connda said:

No.  More than likely some natural phenomenon like a large tidal surge, possibly caused by an earthquake.  Tidal waves are preceded by an massive outgoing tide.  Moses and friends make it across the Red Sea (A Miracle!!!).  Egyptians follow in time to get hit with the tidal surge.  Now, write it down and credit to your own god.  YHWH's Bob's you're uncle! 

This storey of a natural event (it may have been) has been around since I was a kid. Some, or most,  people have short memories.

[Mark Nothing]

Yes, Moses parted the Red Sea in the Book of Exodus.  But it goes much deeper than that. 

 

The Holy Bible is written using allegory, which means a story that can be interpreted to reveal multiple levels of hidden meaning.  It's like treasure hunting, on a multi dimensional playing field.  The results of which can enhance every aspect of life to unimaginable levels.

 

An interesting component is the wisdom is unavailable to those too skeptical to take it in with an open mind.  Kind of like your invisible thoughts, emotions and intellect, otherwise known as your soul, are an  important component of human beings evolution.  They can open this pathway or close it tightly shut.  When the time is right, it is available.