Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 17/12/2004 19:05, Jim West wrote:

> At 01:18 PM 12/17/2004, you wrote:
>
> > The text is clear that Jews crossed the sea, while the chariots got 
> > stuck. Before building of Aswan dam, there were plenty of swamps 
> > close to the Red Sea. With little wind, water became shallow. So it 
> > was mud.
> >
> > Vadim Cherny
>
>
> The chariots got stuck, we will no doubt be told, because it was a 
> miracle that what was dry ground for the israelites became mud for the 
> egyptians.  Even though, of course, the egyptians were right on the 
> heels of the israelites. ...


You are trying to manufacture a miracle out of a simple everyday 
occurrence. The ground was hard enough for people to walk across with no 
great problem, but soft enough that narrow chariot wheels got stuck. If 
you don't believe that this is possible, try cycling across a muddy 
field or a sandy beach. Your bicycle wheels will get stuck in places 
where walking is no problem at all. Similarly with chariot wheels.

> ... The various and sundry "naturalistic" explanations, as I have 
> called them, all falter on the simple logic of the text- which again, 
> cannot be "proven". ...


Absolutely. You can speculate what you like about the text. But you 
can't disprove other people's speculations. So stop trying to.

> ... Either you have to accept that the text is recording 
> straightforward history- and that a divine miracle- ...


I dispute that the text is necessarily saying anything miraculous except 
for the timing. I have seen no clear demonstration of any other 
miraculous features. I am not saying that my interpretation is the only 
possible one of an unclear text. But I am saying that it is one possible 
interpretation.

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/