Articles

Did God Make The Red Sea Hold Up For The Children Of Israel To Cross?

Introduction

I am not going to look at anything that Moses did, but strictly look at what God did to hold the waters to make the dry land appear. I will not discuss the power of God as it is very obvious that God did it by His might and power.

The Scripture for this study will come from Exodus.

Exodus 15:8 

“And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.” 

Strong’s Greek and Hebrew Dictionary

qapha', kaw-faw'; a primitive root; to shrink, i.e. thicken(as unracked wine, curdled milk, clouded sky, frozen water) :- congeal, curdle, dark, settle.

The phrase, “the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea” means that the waters became like hard walls for them to walk between.

[Life Application Bible c1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189.  All rights reserved.  Notes and Bible helps c1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. New Testament Life Application Notes and Bible Helps c1986 owned by assignment by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Harmony of the Gospels c1986 by James C. Galvin. All rights reserved. Used by permission.  Database c NavPress Software.]

E.M. Zerr

In Zerr’s Commentary in volume 1 page 133:

“God has the abstract power to produce a wind of any desired volume or strength. But in using the figure of His nostrils; which pertains to His person, we should get an impression of the power and effectiveness of Him who is the creator of all things.”

Gesenius Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon of the Old Testament

Gesenius defines this word “congealed” as follows on page 736:

“To contract oneself, to draw oneself together, specially (1) to draw up the feet, to sit with the feet drawn up, Zeph. 1:12 (Compare Jer. 48:11). (2) to curdle to coagulate as milk; poet of the water of the sea; Exodus 15:8 [speaking of a literal miracle]. [niphal, to be contracted, withdrawn, Zech. 14:6] congelation, ice, Zech. 14:6.

Conclusion

We may simply say that God blew with the blast of His nostrils and froze or congealed the waters of the Red Sea. This is why the waters stood up on each side as a wall and the land became dry because God froze the waters. The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.