The Bible is one of the oldest books written by humanity. Many givens have a perfectly rational explanation.
10. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
Even those who have not read the Bible are familiar with the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. Debauchery and vice reigned in these cities. God decided to wipe them off the face of the earth by sending sulfur rain and fire from heaven to the inhabitants.
Archaeologists believe that a powerful earthquake occurred in Sodom and Gomorrah. These cities are located on two lithospheric plates, which 5000 years ago diverged in different directions.
In addition, settlements were located in the wrong place. The Dead (Asphalt) Sea was full of blocks of bitumen, and there were many oil and methane deposits nearby.
During an earthquake, all these substances ignited, and bitumen released sulfur and hydrogen sulfide. From here in the Bible came the mention of burning sulfur. In addition, burning hydrogen sulfide is converted to acid. It poured on the inhabitants along with the rain.
9. Manna from heaven
The Prophet Moses led Jews through the desert for 40 years. All this time they ate manna from heaven - the food that God sent them. This is a small white groats, melted by noon. Mention of this food is also found in the Qur'an.
Most likely, the manna from heaven is a product of the vital activity of the tamarisk tree. This plant produces drops of sweet juice that repels aphids.
The frozen juice falls to the ground in the form of small white grains that melt or are eaten by ants by noon.
According to another version, manna was grains of trehalose - a sweet carbohydrate secreted by some bacteria, fungi, plants or beetles. Locals still use trehalose as a sweetener.
8. Conversation of Moses with God
According to a professor of psychology at Hebrew University, the conversation between Moses and God occurred under the influence of the hallucinogen Ayahuasca. Native American tribes used this substance to communicate with their gods.
7. The Burning Cup
According to legend, this is a bush that burns, but does not burn. It was in him on Mount Sinai that God appeared to Moses.
In the past, Mount Sinai was a volcano. Probably an acacia bush grew in his vent. This plant is used for the manufacture of special "fireproof" charcoal. Thus, the bush burned, and its frame remained intact.
Also, a scientist from the Hebrew University claims that in the Sinai region some types of acacia contain psychoactive alkaloids, similar in composition to the aforementioned ayuaska. So the conversation with God took place under the influence of the excreted substance.
6. Water made of stone
In the desert, people really needed water. Moses hit the stone, and fluid spilled from there.
This is because not all stones are monolithic.
In some rocks there are many pores and voids in which moisture accumulates. Moses, having hit with a rod, knocked down the outer layer of stone, and the water that had accumulated in the rock spilled from the inside.
5. Ten executions of the Egyptian
According to the Bible, the pharaoh did not want to let the enslaved Jews go. Then God sent ten executions to Egypt. These include the conversion of water into blood, the invasion of toads, blood-sucking insects, the death of cattle, an epidemic, a "hail of fire" and lightning, Egyptian darkness and, finally, the death of the firstborn of the pharaoh.
Water redness is the flowering of algae that release toxic substances. It causes poisoning of fauna and the flight of toads. Dead toads and fish entail the appearance of flies. Infected glanders disease midges cause cattle death and ulcers in humans. The fiery city is an eruption of a volcano. A volcanic winter followed, during which the sun did not peep through the smoke. Also, reddening of the water often accompanies the explosion of the volcano.
The Jews who kept the cattle themselves did not eat meat, but gave everything to the ruling family. In Egypt, it was decided to feed the firstborn of the pharaoh first, and give him a double portion of food. Since the cattle were infected, the first-born ate this meat and died.
4. The fall of Jericho
Jericho was impregnable. During the siege, 7 pipes were trumpeted simultaneously, and people screamed at the same time. After that, the walls collapsed, and the Israelites took the city.
However, according to studies, in fact, the walls of Jericho were destroyed from the earthquake another 150 years before the coming of the Israelites.
3. The passage of Jews through the Red Sea
Moses led the Jews across the sea. Water parted before him, opening a passage on the ground. The army following the people flooded the sea.
The stretch of water on the shore was shallow, a reef hid below. In 2010, scientists created a computer model in which the “miracle” described in the Bible could be accomplished.
A very strong wind could expose a piece of land under water and open a passage. In addition, at the bottom of the Red Sea, archaeologists found skeletons of half a thousand people and their military equipment. That is, the warriors of the pharaoh could indeed perish in the middle of the sea, when the wind and the sea returned to their "normal" form.
2. Immaculate Conception
The conception of Mary is one of the most controversial and controversial episodes in the Bible. People, unlike some animals, are not capable of parthenogenesis (the birth of a child from an unfertilized egg).
And even if this happened, the born individual (in this case Jesus) should have been completely identical to the mother.
1. Tower of Babel
According to Genesis, after the Great Flood, people were one people. They created the city of Babylon and decided to build a high tower in it in order to exalt themselves. God did not allow them to complete the construction.
In addition, after heavenly punishment, people began to speak different languages. Not understanding each other, nations dispersed around the world to build their cities.
Some scholars see a connection between the story of the Tower of Babel and the construction of ziggurats in ancient Mesopotamia. These are tall towers.
In Babylon was located the highest - Etemenanki ("the house where the heavens converge with the earth"). The building was destroyed several times. Presumably, at a time when the Etemenans rebuilt again, the arriving Jews mistook it for being destroyed.