In Exodus 34, Moses was with God for 40 days and 40 nights and did not eat or drink. How long can a body go without drinking and how is this humanly possible?
1. Medical/Scientific Perspective
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Without water:
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The human body can usually only survive 3–4 days without fluid intake, especially in hot or active conditions.
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Some rare cases under ideal conditions (cool climate, rest) extend survival to about a week, but after that, dehydration becomes fatal because the body cannot regulate temperature, blood pressure, or kidney function.
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Without food:
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A healthy person can survive 30–40 days or more without food, as long as water is available, by using fat and muscle stores.
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Documented hunger strikes confirm this.
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So, from a purely natural standpoint, 40 days without food is possible, but 40 days without water is not.
2. Biblical/Theological Perspective
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Exodus 34:28 (KJV) says:
“And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water…”
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A similar event occurs with Elijah (1 Kings 19:8) who went “forty days and forty nights” in the strength of the meal God provided.
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Jesus fasted forty days (Matt. 4:2), though the text mentions only food, not water.
These instances are supernatural acts sustained by God, not normal human biology.
3. How This is Humanly Possible
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Moses’ fast was not merely human discipline but a divine miracle.
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God sustained his body beyond natural limits while he was in His presence.
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Just as God preserved the Israelites’ clothes from wearing out in the wilderness (Deut. 29:5), He could preserve Moses’ body from dehydration.
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This points to the fact that God is Lord over creation and natural law. He can suspend or override physical limits when it serves His purposes.
4. Lessons for Us
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Dependence on God – Moses’ fast shows complete reliance on the Lord, not on earthly sustenance (cf. Deut. 8:3, “man doth not live by bread only”).
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Divine Presence Sustains – Being with God is life itself; His power preserved Moses.
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A Unique Case – This isn’t an example for us to imitate literally. Attempting a 40-day total fast without water would be fatal without God’s supernatural intervention.
? Summary:
Medically, a human can only go a few days without water. Moses’ 40-day fast without food or drink in Exodus 34 was a miracle, made possible by God’s sustaining power, not by natural means.
