William sent in a link to https://www.yahoo.com/news/moses-parting-red-sea-may-060000050.html … which also appeared on the MSN web site. A scientist is arguing, or speculating, that a natural explanation is available to account for the Biblical parting of the Red Sea. This particular suggestion ignores the possibility it may have been the Reed Sea, not too distant from the Mediterranean coastline., There have been various ideas on the location of the body of water, with many of the opinion favouring a now extinct lake between the Red Sea and the Med. The new theory is confined to the Red Sea, in particulkar the two fingers of water at its top end. The scientist claimed that a strong wind blowing towards the south from the head of the Gulf may be the origin of the story. It would push water seawards, into the main body of the Red Sea. In doing so it could possibly expose the sea bed. He proposes a wind speed of about 65 to 75 km per hour might have done the trick. Computer modelling supports the theory, we are told. In contrast, the Bible says the wind came from an easterly direction. This might also include, generously, a north easterly location – thereby possibly moving the water southwards.
The theory relies on the direction of the wind – but also on the route chosen by Moses. Did he really go that far south – or did he take his followers in a more direct route towards the Promised Land. One view cited at the link is that an easterly wind could have blown towards what is known as the Lake of Tannis. This has now disappeared as a result of hydrological changes in the eastern Nile delta at the end of the Bronze Age. The idea was that a strong wind blowing from the east could have pushed the waters of the lake back up the Pelusiac branch of the Nile. What has not been discussed, as far as I can tell, is that an exploding bolide in the lower atmosphere could have generated a very strong burst of wind. This is known as blast in nuclear bomb terminology. It seems to me the Biblical account is till open for explanation.