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Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

RED SEA

Arm of the Indian Ocean, extending to the northwest and lying between the continents of Africa and Asia. It is a long, narrow body of water, some 1,350 miles (2,172.2 kilometers) long and averaging 180 miles (289.6 kilometers) in width. It is flanked on the east by the Arabian Peninsula, while its African shore includes Egypt, the Sudan, Eritrea, and Ethiopia. At the northwest, the peninsula of Sinai juts into the sea, with the Gulf of Suez on the west and the Gulf of Aqaba on the east. At the northwestern end of the Gulf of Suez is the city of Suez and the water connection with the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal. At the tip of the Gulf of Aqaba is the Israeli port of Eilat and the sole Jordanian port, Aqaba. The waters of this sea are extremely rich in aquatic life; the fish and other animal life from the Red Sea could provide much of the food needs for this part of the world. There are few cities, few good roads, and little arable land adjoining the Red Sea.

In the Hebrew OT the Red Sea is called the “Sea of Reeds” or “Sea of Rushes,” but English translations ordinarily give “Red Sea,” following the Septuagint. This body of water could be different from what is known today as the Red Sea. In the NT the only references to the Red Sea by that name are in the defense of Stephen before the council (Acts 7:36) and in the “heroes of faith” chapter (Heb 11:29).

The crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites at the time of the exodus is one of the most celebrated events of Hebrew history and has been memorialized by the Jewish people to the present time. The place of this crossing is much debated, but wherever it occurred, it is evident that the water was too deep to wade across and the distance too far to swim. And it was deep enough to cover all the Egyptian army and wide enough to drown all of their number. Confronted by the sea and closely pursued by the crack troops and skilled chariotry of the best army in the world at that time, the Israelites were delivered by the direct intervention of the Lord, who used an east wind to make a channel for their passage upon the bed of the sea (see Ex 14:10-31).

When the Lord overwhelmed the Egyptian forces in the sea, the deliverance of the Israelites from the Egyptian threat was complete. This victory was celebrated by songs (Ex 15:1-21) and was often recalled in accounts of the Lord’s works in behalf of Israel (see Jos 4:23; 24:6-7; Pss 106:7-9; 136:13-15). Even the people of Jericho heard what God did at the Red Sea and fear fell upon them (Jos 2:9-10).

The route taken by Israel paralleled the eastern shore of the Gulf of Suez for some distance. After they left Elim, they camped beside the sea (Nm 33:9-11). Then they turned inland to head for Mt Sinai.

From Sinai they headed northeast, paralleling the Gulf of Aqaba as closely as possible and certainly touching the Red Sea at Ezion-geber (Nm 33:35). Following their failure to enter Canaan from Kadesh-barnea and their defeat at Hormah, they turned south to the point at which Mt Seir approaches the Gulf of Aqaba (cf. Dt 2:8).

The southernmost border of the Promised Land is indicated as the Red Sea (Ex 23:31). Solomon’s kingdom extended to the Gulf of Aqaba, for at Ezion-geber near Eloth he built a fleet of ships that went to Ophir, from which gold and other precious and exotic commodities were brought (1 Kgs 9:26-28; cf. 2 Chr 8:17-18). Later, Jehoshaphat attempted to do the same, but his ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber (1 Kgs 22:48; 2 Chr 20:36-37).