On the other hand, if, as the position of Ramescs, and the nature of the ground between that point and the head of the gulf seems to indicate, they pursued the direct route thence down the valley of the bitter lakes, we may locate Succoth not far from the ruins of Serapeum, and Etham at a point about half way be- tween that spot and the head of the gulf; for we may suppose that the encimibered multitude made but lit- tle progress the first daj', whereas on the third their march may have been ciuickened by apprehensions of the approaching Egyptians in pursuit. See Etham.
2. At the end of the second day's march, for each camping-place seems to mark the close of a day's jour- ney, the route appears to have been altered from the natural thoroughfare around the head of the gulf. The first passage relating to the journey, after the mention of the encamping at Etham, is this, stating a command given to Moses: "Speak unto the children of Israel that they turn [or ' return'] and encamp [or 'that thej' encamp again,' ^'^Tl^'} ^S'w'"^^] before Pi- hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon" (Exod. xiv, 2). This explanation is added: "And Pharaoh will say of the children of Is- rael, They [arc] entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in"' (ver. 3). The rendering of the A. v., "Tiiat they turn and encamp," seems to us the most probable of those we have given: "return'' is the closer translation, but appears to be difficult to reconcile with the narrative (tf the route ; for the more likely inference is that the direction was changed, not that the people returned: the third rendering does not
appear probable, as it does not explain the entangle* nient. It is most likely that they at once turned, al- though thej' may have done so later in the march. The direction cannot be doubted, for they would have been entangled (ver. 5) only by turning southward, not northward. Thej' encamped for the night by the sea, probably after a full day's journey. Pi-hahiroth (the mouth of the hiding-places) Sicard identifies with Tuarek (small caves), which is the name still given to three or four salt springs of the plain Baideah, on the south side of Mount Attaka, which last Sicard iden- tifies with Baal-zephon, and which is the northern boundarj' of the plain Baideah, while Kulahih (Mig- dol) is its southern limit. But we would prefer to transpose these names, assigning Migdol to Jeljel Atta- ka, and Baal-ze))hon to Jebel Deraj or Kulalah, while Wady Tu warik will remain for Pi-hahiroth. (See each in its order.) The pass wliich leads to Suez, between Attaka and tlie sea, is very narrow, and could easily be stopped bj' the Egj-ptians. In this plain of Baideah Pharaoh had the Israelites hemmed in on all sides. This, then, according to all appearance, is the spot where the passage through the sea was efi'ected. Such is the judgment of Sicard and of Raumer (/)?)• Ziig der hrael'ten, Leipzig, 1837 ; for a description of the Valley of Wandering, see also Ritter, Erdkunde, i, 858). It cannot be denied that this route satisfies all the con- ditions of the case. Equally does the spot correspond with the miraculous narrative furnished hy holy writ. A different route is laid down by Niel)uhr (^Arab. p. 407). Other writers, who, like him, endeavor to ex- plain the facts without the aid of miracle, imitate his example. (See below.)
It is no small corroboration of the view now given from Sicard and Raumer that in substance it has the support of Josephus, of whose account we shall, from its importance, give an abridgment. The Hebrews, he says, took their journey bj^ Latopolis, where Baby- lon was built afterwards when Cambyses laid Egypt waste. As they went in haste, on the third day they came to a place called Baal-zephon, on the Red Sea. Moses led them this way in order that the Egyptians might be punished should they venture in pursuit, and also because the Hebrews had a quarrel with the Phil- istines. When the Egyptians had overtaken the He- brews they prepared to fight them, and by their multi- tude drove them into a narrow place ; for the number that went in pursuit was (iOO chariots, 50,000 horse- men, and 200,000 infantry, all armed. They also seized the passages, shutting the Hebrews up between inaccessible precipices and the sea ; for there was on each side a ridge of mountains that terminated at the sea, which were impassable, and obstructed their flight. Moses, however, praj'cd to God, and smote the sea with his rod, when the waters parted, and gave the Israel- ites free passage. The Egyptians at first supposed them distracted ; but when they saw the Israelites pro- ceed in safety, thej' followed. As soon as the entire Egyptian army was in the channel, the sea closed, and the pursuers perished amid torrents of rain and the most terrific thunder and lightning (^Ant. ii, 15).
III. Passage of the Red Sea. — This was the crisis of the Exode. It was the miracle by which the Israel- ites left Egypt and were delivered from the oppressor. All the particulars relating to this event, and especial- ly those which show its miraculous character, require careful examination.