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Moses

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › Holy Scripture › Moses

The question

I heard many stories about how Moses crossed the Red Sea. I tried to read the story in the Bible many times and I still cannot understand it. Did Moses strike the sea once to open it and once again to close it? Or did he strike it more than once to open it, then to close it back? I know that in the Midnight Praises during the month of Koiahk, we say that Moses only had to strike the sea two times; once to open it and once to close it.

The answer

Exodus 14 reveals that Moses stretched his hand out over the sea twice: once for the waters to roll back and expose the dry land and the second time for the waters to return and cover over the Egyptians, which caused them to drown. You may be confusing this account with Moses striking the rock to provide water for the people because they thirsted. Obeying God's instructions, Moses struck the rock once according to Exodus 17, and twice at a different time according to Numbers 20. In Numbers 20, the Lord told Moses to speak to the rock, but instead, Moses struck it twice. For his lack of trust, pride, and disobedience, the Lord admonished Moses and prevented him from entering the Promise Land. However, out of God's mercy and love for Moses, He all owed him to see it with his eyes, but from a distance.

Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)

Related questions

Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 2478 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.