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History of the Franks

St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927

Book 1, 10. Of the Crossing of the Red Sea

And since much has been written by many writers of the passage of this sea, it has seemed good to me to insert in this book somewhat regarding the place where they went over, and of the manner of their crossing. As well ye know, the Nile flows through Egypt, watering it by its floods, whence the Egyptians are known as dwellers on the Nile. Many travellers relate that now its valley is covered with holy monasteries. Upon its banks is situated Babylon, not the Babylon aforesaid, but another of the same name, wherein Joseph builded granaries of wondrous workmanship with squared stones and mortar, more capacious at the base, but narrow at the top, so that the corn was cast into them through a small hole: these granaries are seen unto this day. From this city the king set forth to pursue the Hebrews, with hosts of chariots and a great force of foot-soldiers. Now the aforesaid river, coming from the east, flows west in the direction of the Red Sea. But a lake or arm proceeds from the Red Sea, running from west to east, and having a length of about fifty miles, with a breadth of eighteen. At the head of this water is builded the city Clysma, not because the place is fertile, since there is nothing more barren, but because of the harbour; for by reason of its convenience, ships coming from India lie here, and the merchandise here collected is distributed through all the land of Egypt. The Hebrews, making their way through the desert to this arm, came to the sea itself, and because they found sweet water, pitched their camp. In this narrow space between the desert and the sea they halted, as it is written: ‘And Pharaoh, hearing that the sea and the desert had shut them in, and that there was no way by which they might go farther, commanded that they should be pursued.’¹ Now when the army was nigh, the people cried to Moses, who by divine command stretched forth his rod over the sea, and it was parted, and they went over on dry land. And as the Scripture says,² a wall of waters protecting them on every side, they passed over, led by Moses, and came wholly unharmed to the shore over against Mount Sinai, while the Egyptians were all drowned. Of this passage of the sea, as I have said, are narrated many things; but it hath been my care to insert in this book only that which I know to be true, hearing it from learned men, and from those who have visited the spot. They say that the ruts made by the chariot-wheels have remained even to this day, and are perceived at the bottom of the sea, as far as the sight of men’s eyes can reach. If by the motion of the sea they are in some measure covered up, they are miraculously restored to their former state when there is calm again. Others say that the Israelites returned to the same bank from which they entered the water after making a small circuit in the sea. Others, again, assert that all went in at one place; yet others, misusing the testimony of the Psalms, ‘Which divided the Red Sea into parts’,³ declare that before each tribe a separate way was opened. But these parts must be understood figuratively, and not according to the letter. For in this world also, which is figuratively called a sea, are many parts, nor can all pass over equally or by one way into life. For some cross at the first hour; these are they who, reborn by baptism, can endure to the end of their earthly life, unspotted from all defilement of the flesh.⁴ And some cross at the third hour, even they who are converted at a greater age. And others pass at the sixth, even they who repress carnal lust. Each at his own hour, as the Evangelist says, they are hired, according to their faith, to work in the Lord’s vineyard. Such are the parts in which this sea is crossed. But in favour of the belief that when they came to the sea they returned along the shore of that water, men quote the word which the Lord spake to Moses: ‘that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon.’⁵ Nor is it to be doubted that the passage of that sea and the pillar of cloud are types of our baptism, as the blessed apostle Paul says: ‘Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant that all our fathers were under the cloud, and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.’⁶ The column of fire typifies the Holy Spirit.

From the birth of Abraham to the departure of the Children of Israel out of Egypt and the passage of the Red Sea, which took place in the eightieth year of Moses, are counted four hundred and sixty-two years.

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