Nestled within the heart of history, the 'Shirat HaYam' (Song of the Sea) unfolds, where the miracle of our ancestors took center stage. Biblical scholars have ventured into a realm of hypotheses regarding the exact location of the Israelites' crossing of the Red Sea. Dr. Joshuah Meron has meticulously scrutinized these theories, arriving at a compelling conclusion that a miracle unfolded on the shores of Nuweiba Beach in Sinai, a mere 60 kilometers to the south of Eilat

The Northern Mystique of the Red Sea

Northward from this site, the Gulf of Eilat graces the landscape, with the Sinai Desert Mountains dramatically cascading toward its pristine waters. Travelers gazing from the windows of planes bound for Sharm el-Sheikh along the Sinai coastline have borne witness to the inaccessibility of suitable grounds for accommodating a multitude of 2-3 million people. Only on the shores of Nuweiba do we find a vast and level expanse, seemingly tailored for such a grand endeavor

I took this shot while flying a friend's plane at 4,000 feet. Most of the time I fly the low military flight route at 800 feet, from which it is impossible to understand how big and spacious this area is

It is written in the Torah, "And encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal-zephon" (Exodus 14:1). Rashi, the eminent biblical commentator, elucidates, "They are two high and upright rocks, and the valley between them is called the Pi-hahiroth." As Pharaoh uttered, "The wilderness hath shut them in," envisioning the Israelites confined by steep mountains on either side and the sea before them, the stage was set for a momentous chapter in  history. These "upright rocks" can also be seeing in the above photo

The Enigmatic Link to Mount Sinai

Across the Gulf of Eilat, on the shores of Saudi Arabia, we encounter Jabel al-Lawz, believed to be Mount Sinai, the site where the Torah was delivered. It becomes increasingly probable that the Red Sea was crossed at Nuweiba, given this remarkable connection

Nature's Unveiling Secrets

The Gulf of Eilat, with its astonishing depth, plummets to 900 meters (3,000 feet) below sea level, in some places even exceeding 1,850 meters (6,000 feet). Beneath the waters, only opposite Nuweiba, an underwater ridge resembling a mountain, rises to within just 33 meters (110 feet) of the surface. Stretching over 18 kilometers (11 miles) and 600 meters (2,000 feet) in width, this underwater bridge links Nuweiba to the shores of Saudi Arabia, akin to a submerged land passage

This is how it looks on a topographic map

And this is what it looks like in 3D simulation

Divine Timings in Natural Phenomena

The Torah chronicles, "And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all the night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided." Researchers propose that this "strong east wind" may have arisen from a volcanic eruption in the Indian Ocean, generating towering tsunami waves. When water rises in one location, it recedes elsewhere. In this context, the water of the distant tsunami waves converged upon places like the coasts of East Africa and the Red Sea, where water levels dropped significantly. When the peripheral water levels receded by 34 meters or more, the seabed was exposed solely at this "bridge." This phenomenon aligns seamlessly with the verse, "And the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea."      i

The Pulsating Waves

Waves, renowned for their sinusoidal patterns of crests and troughs, eventually ceased their recession after the Israelites reached the opposite shore. As the waters resumed their normal state, Egyptian soldiers found themselves ensnared, their chariots engulfed. Thus, the verse stands fulfilled: "And the waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even all the host of Pharaoh that went in after them into the sea."     i

Some people with little faith argue, "The parting of the Red Sea was a natural phenomenon, not a divine miracle." This claim, however, overlooks the extraordinary alignment of events. It's unnatural that the Israelites arrived at precisely this location in the world, just as a tsunami approached in the distance. Moreover, the Red Sea's water level dropped right below this submerged bridge, and the waters returned immediately after the Israelites crossed to the other side. The true miracle lies in the precise timing and the seemingly "natural" convergence of these phenomena, orchestrated by God for our ancestors

Furthermore, there are heretical archaeologists who assert that biblical stories are mere literary creations penned by an anonymous writer in the 10th century. For decades, these "scholars" propagated the belief that the Exodus and the Red Sea crossing were mere legends and mythologies. However, our generation has witnessed archaeological discoveries that challenge their stance and affirm our faith

In the Torah, it is written, "And the Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. And He took off their chariot wheels, and made them drive heavily." Approximately forty years ago, an American researcher named Ryan Mauro found "chariot wheels" at the bottom of the sea near Nuweiba using a metal detector. About 2.5 km from the shore, they uncovered metal wheels covered in coral, along with wheel axles and carriage cages

Remarkably, some of these wheels were even made of gold, which coral does not adhere to

Mauro presented one of the wheels to the Director of Antiquities in Egypt, who promptly identified them as originating from the 19th dynasty of the pharaohs. During this period, the Egyptians used wheels with eight spokes, which was distinctive. Notably, Pharaoh Ramses II of the 19th dynasty was the ruler who allowed our people to leave Egypt

Mauro presented one of the wheels to the Director of Antiquities in Egypt, who promptly identified them as originating from the 19th dynasty of the pharaohs. During this period, the Egyptians used wheels with eight spokes, which was distinctive. Notably, Pharaoh Ramses II of the 19th dynasty was the ruler who allowed our people to leave Egypt

After the miracle of the parting of the sea, the children of Israel sang the "SHIRAT HAYAM" (song of the sea), with the verse "Horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea". Mauro also found coral-covered bones at the bottom of the sea. He sent some of them for a histological examination at Stockholm University, without specifying where they were found. The researchers in the lab determined that these were human bones and horse bones, all at the age of 3,300 years, aligning with the time of the Exodus

Around twenty years ago, researchers Ron Wyatt and Bill Fry used advanced metal detectors, like the "Excalibur 1000" type, that can detect metals even at a depth of 2 meters inside the bottom of the sea. They found unearth more metal artifacts, including carriage axes resembling those depicted in ancient Egyptian tombs

This is what the axle with the wheels looked like when it was discovered

and this was after the coral was removed from it

Some of "their chariot wheels" are still on display at the Wyatt Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. For those visiting Nashville, it's worth including the Wyatt Museum in your itinerary, alongside the Elvis Presley Museum and the Country Music Museum

King Salomon pillars

Archaeologists have also uncovered two identical granite pillars on both sides of the Gulf of Eilat, near Nuweiba. When the road from Eilat to Sharm Al Sheikh was paved in 1971, it was taken out of the water, and placed on a concrete base that was poured at the side of the road. We should look for it when we travel to Nuweiba

An identical pillar was found on the Saudi side, bearing inscriptions with references to Pharaoh, Moses, water, Egypt, the dead, Edom, Solomon, and God. Regrettably, In the 1980s, the Saudis removed this pillar, restricting access for tourists and researchers

Dr. Yehoshua Meron suggests that King Solomon erected these pillars. It is written in the Bible "Then Solomon went to Etzion Gaver and to Eylot by the seashore of Edom" (Book of Chronicles 8/17)

Apparently, then King Solomon went south from Eylot another 65 km to place these pillars. It is possible that about these pillars it is said in the Bible "In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and He will send them a savior and a defender who will deliver them" (Isaiah 19/19)

These archaeological findings hold tremendous historical and religious significance, far surpassing their geographical context. They validate the authenticity of Moses and his Torah, settling any disputes with those who doubt

In light of this, there's no better place to sing the 'Song of the Sea' than at Nuweiba Beach, where this miraculous event occurred. While the border between Israel and Egypt is currently closed due to the Covid epidemic, in the upcoming years, it's highly recommended to visit Nuweiba during the Passover holiday's Chol HaMoed, carrying the Bible, and reading chapters 14-15 of the Book of Exodus. The mountains and sea before you will bring the Torah to life more vividly than any commentary