The location where Moses and the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, also referred to as "Yam Suph" (meaning "Sea of Reeds"), is debated among scholars and researchers. Main proposed locations include:
- Gulf of Aqaba (eastern side of Sinai Peninsula): Many recent archaeological and scholarly investigations suggest the crossing took place at the Gulf of Aqaba, specifically at Nuweiba Beach, about 40 miles south of Eilat, Israel. This theory argues that the Sinai Peninsula was part of Egypt at the time, so the crossing had to be on the far side of the peninsula to truly leave Egypt. The mountainous terrain on the western shore of the Gulf of Aqaba fits the biblical description of the Israelites being trapped before crossing. Jabal al-Lawz in Saudi Arabia is also proposed as Mount Sinai in this context
- Northern end of the Gulf of Suez (western side of Sinai Peninsula): Traditionally, many believed the crossing occurred here, heading into the Sinai Peninsula. This location was popularized by the 1956 film The Ten Commandments and aligns with the idea of Mount Sinai being at the southern tip of Sinai. However, this has been challenged by the Gulf of Aqaba theory
- Bitter Lakes area and the northern Suez region: Some propose the crossing took place in the shallow tidal salt marshes between the Bitter Lakes and the Gulf of Suez, where reeds grow, consistent with the Hebrew term "Sea of Reeds." This location is closer to Egypt and fits with the idea that "Yam Suph" refers to a reed-filled body of water rather than the Red Sea proper
Summary:
Proposed Location| Description| Supporting Points
---|---|---
Gulf of Aqaba (Nuweiba Beach)| Crossing on the eastern side of Sinai
Peninsula, into modern-day Saudi Arabia| Fits biblical geography, mountainous
terrain, Mount Sinai identification at Jabal al-Lawz, archaeological
evidence136
Gulf of Suez (traditional)| Crossing at northern end of Gulf of Suez, into
Sinai Peninsula| Traditional view, popularized in media, Mount Sinai at
southern Sinai Peninsula
Bitter Lakes / Suez Canal area| Crossing in shallow marshes with reeds north
of Gulf of Suez| Matches "Sea of Reeds" translation, closer to Egypt,
supported by some archaeological studies57
No conclusive archaeological proof definitively settles the debate, but the Gulf of Aqaba crossing is gaining significant scholarly support recently. In biblical narrative, the crossing marks the Israelites' escape from Egypt led by Moses, where the waters parted to allow passage and then closed to drown the pursuing Egyptian army
