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by Wayne Blank
It was in the delta region that the Israelites (see Children of Jacob) settled when they first entered Egypt (Genesis 46:28-34) (see The Land Of Goshen), and it was from that area that the Exodus was conducted (Exodus 12:31-42). The delta area would have provided plenty of water for the crops needed to produce sufficient food reserves to overcome the 7-year famine that occurred at the time of Jacob's entry into Egypt (Genesis 41:28-32, 42:1) (see Coat Of Many Colors).
It was into the Nile River that the infant Moses was placed in a waterproof basket by his sister Miriam, and where he was found by the Pharaoh's daughter (Exodus 2:1-6). Moses is indirectly named after the waters of the Nile (Exodus 2:10). A number of The Ten Plagues inflicted upon Pharoah's kingdom (see Egyptian Pharaohs and The Ancient Egyptians) before the Exodus involved the Nile, including turning the waters to blood (Exodus 7:20).
The Nile had no effect upon The Exodus because it was located west of the Israelites' starting point. They were of course headed east, toward The Promised Land, so the Nile would have been behind them right from the start. The body of water that they would be concerned with (but was parted for them) was the Red Sea, 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of the Nile. (see Where Did They Cross The Sea? and Is This How The Red Sea Parted?)
Fact Finder: What was the name of the Nile Delta area that the Israelites settled in Egypt?
(a) Giza (b) Aswan (c) Suez (d) Goshen
Genesis 46:28,34
