Red Sea: The sea so called extends along the west coast of Arabia for about
1,400 miles, and separates Asia from Africa. It is connected with
the Indian Ocean, of which it is an arm, by the Strait of
Bab-el-Mandeb. At a point (Ras Mohammed) about 200 miles from its
nothern extremity it is divided into two arms, that on the east
called the AElanitic Gulf, now the Bahr el-'Akabah, about 100 miles
long by 15 broad, and that on the west the Gulf of Suez, about
150 miles long by about 20 broad. This branch is now connected
with the Mediterranean by the Suez Canal. Between these two arms lies
the Sinaitic Peninsula. The Hebrew name generally given to this sea
is Yam Suph. This word suph means a woolly kind of sea-weed,
which the sea casts up in great abundance on its shores. In these
passages,
(Exodus 10:19; 13:18; 15:4,22; 23:31; Numbers 14:25) etc., the Hebrew
name is always translated "Red Sea," which was the name given to it
by the Greeks. The origin of this name (Red Sea) is uncertain. Some
think it is derived from the red colour of the mountains on the
western shore; others from the red coral found in the sea, or the red
appearance sometimes given to the water by certain zoophytes floating
in it. In the New Testament
(Acts 7:36; Hebrews 11:29) this name is given to
the Gulf of Suez. This sea was also called by the Hebrews
Yam-mitstraim, i.e., "the Egyptian sea"
(Isaiah 11:15) and simply Ha-yam,
"the sea"
(Exodus 14:2,9,16,21,28; Joshua 24:6,7; Isaiah 10:26) etc. The great
historical event connected with the Red Sea is the passage of the
children of Israel, and the overthrow of the Egyptians, to which
there is frequent reference in Scripture
(Exodus 14:1)ff
(Exodus 15:1)ff
(Numbers 33:8; Deuteronomy 11:4; Joshua 2:10; Judges 11:16; 2 Samuel 22:16; Nehemiah 9:9-11; Psalms 66:6)
(Isaiah 10:26; Acts 7:36) etc.
