Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peter AT qaya.org>]

On 29/12/2005 07:56, tladatsi AT charter.net wrote:

> ...
> However, if you are asking could a mob of run away slaves 
> move ox carts accros an exposed ocean bottom covered in 
> mud, slime, rocks, and coral and then move those same 
> carts, with oxen, around the Sinai for weeks, months, or 
> years without a reliable supply of fodder and water, then I 
> would say that it is probably not possible. ...

By the way, where is the mention of ox carts at the Exodus? Yes, there 
are ox carts mentioned in Numbers 7:3-8, although only a total of six of 
them. But this is more than a year after the Exodus, and the carts could 
easily have been built, or bought, in the Sinai area. The oxen, just 
twelve of them, could also have been bought; on the other hand, they 
could have walked from Egypt.

As for what the "ocean bottom" consisted of, it might help if first we 
had some idea of where the Israelites crossed the "Red Sea". Some of the 
candidate crossing places have firm sand at the bottom, no real problem 
for oxen, although perhaps a problem for the Egyptian chariots. But then 
I don't suppose we want to discuss this one on this list.

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