Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Peter Kirk"<peter_kirk AT sil.org>]

I plead guilty to suggesting a very tall pillar of fire. I was 
suggesting this simply to point out a logical error in the argument of 
someone else that no pillar of fire could be seen from 200 km away - 
that is simply not true if the height of the pillar is not specified. 
I did not intend to suggest that there was actually a pillar of fire 
thousands of metres high at the time of the Exodus.

Actually it doesn't take a very high column of fire to be visible to 2 
million, if they are spread out over a plain rather than in the narrow 
column which someone suggested. In fact I live in a city of 2 million, 
in the middle of which is an always burning "pillar" of fire (burnoff 
from an oil refinery) which is clearly visible from almost all parts 
of the city when there are no buildings in the way. Why march 10 
abreast when there is no road but a broad desert? I express no opinion 
on whether there actually were or were not 2 million people involved, 
but I do not accept that the idea is totally ridiculous.

Peter Kirk


______________________________ Reply Separator 
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Subject: Re[3]: Date of the Exodus (still shorter)
Author:  <cisbell AT home.com> at Internet
Date:    31/01/2000 08:34


Again to Dave Washburn:

<snip>

I am glad to know that I have erred in painting you in with those who offer 
the unusually high pillar of fire to explain an unusually long column of 
Hebrews marching across the desert.  I consider such an assumption to be the 
last refuge of the truly desperate.

<snip>