Logistics of the Exodus
How did Moses
organize the Israelites to cross the Red Sea?
It is likely that there was some sort of tribal
hierarchy in Israel at even that time; since they preserved their genealogies,
it isn’t implausible that there would also be some sort of hierarchy within
tribes and clans. Perhaps Moses and Aaron gave the orders to the heads of the
tribes and clans, who then were responsible for letting the people under them
know. If the populace was contained within a fairly small area, it’s not
implausible that everyone could be notified in time.
Lita Cosner
How
did Moses organize the Israelites for the Exodus on such short notice?
Frank S. from the United States wrote in
response to our article Change is not Evolution; and: Could so many Israelites
have crossed the Red Sea?
The email is reproduced in its entirety:
I’m also in doubt about this story, who told them to
assemble at the midnight hour, and then what about all the wailing mothers who
lost their children, did they have the time to give the Israelites all these
gifts to take out into the desert, and how far is it they travelled, from Rames
to the sea? And then they did detour to pick-up the coffin of Joseph, and what
about the old men with the ox carts, how fast do they travel? To me, it’s just
too amazing, and that they made it all the way to mount Sinai in 3 days, it’s
too much!!!!
Comments from CMI’s Lita Cosner are
interspersed below:
Dear Frank,
I’m
also in doubt about this story, …
While there are some details in the story
that might seem implausible on a surface reading I believe that we can have
full confidence in the historicity of the Exodus account.
Let me address your questions one by one:
… who told them to assemble at the midnight hour, …
It is likely that there was some sort of
tribal hierarchy in Israel at even that time; since they preserved their
genealogies, it isn’t implausible that there would also be some sort of
hierarchy within tribes and clans.
Perhaps Moses and Aaron gave the orders to
the heads of the tribes and clans, who then were responsible for letting the
people under them know.
If the populace was contained within a
fairly small area, it’s not implausible that everyone could be notified in
time.
… and then what about all the wailing mothers who lost
their children, did they have the time to give the Israelites all these gifts
to take out into the desert, …
Here, I don’t think you’ve read the text
carefully enough.
Moses tells the Israelites to ask for
silver and gold before the last plague (Exodus 11:2-3) — Scripture
indicates that they were told to get out very soon after the death of the
firstborn, so there probably wouldn’t have been time after.
In 12:35-36, we’re told that they had
already done it.
A couple of related arguments: As for the
Egyptians being willing to give valuable items to the Israelites, keep in mind
that this is after 9 plagues, which even the average person would know had
something to do with the Israelites, so they would probably be inclined to do
what the Israelites wanted.
As for the ethics of the Israelites
‘stealing’ from the Egyptians, think of it as over 400 years of back payments
for their work while in slavery.
… and how far is it they travelled, from Rames to the
sea? And then they did detour to pick-up the coffin of Joseph, and what about
the old men with the ox carts, how fast do they travel? To me, it’s just too
amazing, and that they made it all the way to mount Sinai in 3 days, it’s too
much!!!!
Indeed, all that with a multitude of that
size would be too much to do to reach Sinai in three days.
That’s not what Scripture said happened.
Here’s the time information we’re given about the Exodus departure:
Ø They wandered
around enough that by the time they got to the Red Sea, Pharaoh was having
second thoughts (Exodus
14:1-12).
Admittedly, this may not have taken long.
Ø For three days
after the crossing of the Red Sea (most likely the three days you’re thinking
of), they wandered around in the Wilderness of Shur (Exodus 15:22).
Ø They took an
un-recorded amount of time to get to Elim, camped there for an unrecorded
amount of time, and came to the Wilderness of Sin 1 month and 15 days after
leaving Egypt (Exodus
16:1).
Ø On the way to Sinai
they were given manna for the first time, and they were on the way to Sinai
long enough for there to be at least one Sabbath (Exodus 16:13-30).
Ø They journeyed ‘by
stages’ to Rephidim where they camped for an undisclosed amount of time (Exodus 17:8).
Ø They didn’t
actually come to Sinai before the third month after they left Egypt (Exodus 19:1).
So the Bible’s account isn’t as implausible
as you make it out to be.
I believe that we should not appeal to
supernatural events without evidence from Scripture that something supernatural
took place.
Some are inclined to also appeal to
supernatural organization and endurance to march for longer periods of time,
etc.
I don’t buy into those, because I believe
that we should not appeal to supernatural events without evidence from
Scripture that something supernatural took place.
Therefore, it is legitimate to say that the
Red Sea parting was a miraculous event that involved the direct influence of
God, but since there is no indication of anything supernatural about the trek
to Sinai, I would be very inclined to try to explain this without appealing to
miracles, which I believe can be very plausibly done.
I hope this is helpful for you, and has
given you more confidence in the historicity of the Bible’s record of the
Exodus.
Sincerely,
Lita
Cosner
Lita Cosner
Information
Officer
Creation
Ministries International
https://creation.com/exodus-logistics
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