The Science in the Bible

Entry 54 · Section 6: Move

Fuller sample entry

A Corridor on Dry Ground

Israel crosses the sea at night on dry ground between walls of water while the Egyptian force follows.

Scripture: Ex 14:21–29

LogisticsCrowd DynamicsHydrostaticsGeotechnics

Illustrative reconstruction of the Israelites crossing a broad dry-seabed corridor between standing walls of water. The later figures provide the lower-bound American-unit corridor dimensions and procession calculations.
Illustrative reconstruction of the Israelites crossing a broad dry-seabed corridor between standing walls of water. The later figures provide the lower-bound American-unit corridor dimensions and procession calculations.

The question

What minimum corridor width, water displacement, and movement window allow two million people-equivalents to cross in one night?

Why it matters

The geometry measures a minimum physical opening; God's commanded division and return of the water remain the cause of the miracle.

From the opening

Israel reached the sea with Pharaoh's force behind them. At God's command Moses stretched out his hand, the waters divided, and the people crossed through the night on dry ground with water on both sides. The Egyptians followed, and the water returned when Moses acted again. The miracle is the commanded division, crossing, and return; corridor geometry only measures the minimum physical space implied by the account.

This sample stops before the full calculation, sensitivity analysis, and conclusion presented in the book.

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