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Where is Mount Sinai?
Various theories for the location of Mount Sinai have been suggested. One is Jebel Al-Lawz in Saudi Arabia, which was in Moses's time part of Midian. The most popular location is in the south of the peninsula of Sinai at either Jabal Musa or Jabal St Catherine. St Catherine is the higher of these tw...
Various theories for the location of Mount Sinai have been suggested. One is Jebel Al-Lawz in Saudi Arabia, which was in Moses's time part of Midian.
The most popular location is in the south of the peninsula of Sinai at either Jabal Musa or Jabal St Catherine. St Catherine is the higher of these two peaks.
What is the evidence for any of these, or any other, mountain peaks?
Andrew Shanks
(9690 rep)
Mar 3, 2024, 09:50 AM
• Last activity: Jun 30, 2025, 12:33 PM
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Was Mt. Sinai a volcano?
Just watched [this][1] glorious video. In watching it, the similarity of the imagery to the description of God's presence as fire and smoke in the wilderness of Exodus and especially on Mt. Sinai was striking. > Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke...
Just watched this glorious video. In watching it, the similarity of the imagery to the description of God's presence as fire and smoke in the wilderness of Exodus and especially on Mt. Sinai was striking.
> Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. (Exodus 19:18, NIV)
I'm wondering if any research has been done into whether Ancient Israel, and in particular the author of Exodus would have had knowledge, experience, or read descriptions of volcanoes to have influenced his choice of language.
ninthamigo
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Jan 22, 2022, 07:14 PM
• Last activity: Apr 17, 2024, 01:41 PM
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What are critiques of the theory that Mt. Sinai was volcanic?
In his book *[The Miracles of Exodus][1]* (2003), chapter 6, physicist Colin Humphreys argues that the description of Mt. Sinai in the book of Exodus is characteristic of volcanic activity (and identifies Mt. Sinai with contemporary Mt. Bedr, which has a volcanic cone atop a table). In particular, E...
In his book *The Miracles of Exodus * (2003), chapter 6, physicist Colin Humphreys argues that the description of Mt. Sinai in the book of Exodus is characteristic of volcanic activity (and identifies Mt. Sinai with contemporary Mt. Bedr, which has a volcanic cone atop a table).
In particular, Exodus 19:16-19 describes Mount Sinai as follows.
> On the third day, when morning came, there was **thunder and lightning**.
> A **thick cloud** was upon the mountain, and a very **loud blast** of the
> ram’s horn went out, so that all the people in the camp trembled.
> 17 Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and
> they stood at the foot of the mountain.
>
> 18 Mount Sinai was completely **enveloped in smoke**, because the LORD had
> descended on it in **fire**. And the **smoke rose** like the smoke of a
> furnace, and the whole mountain **quaked** violently. 19 And as the sound
> of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered
> him in the **thunder**.
All the elements that are bolded are associated with volcanic activity.
Are there any criticisms in the literature of the idea, as argued for by Humphreys and others, that Mt. Sinai was a volcanic mountain, either scriptural or scientific?
Note: this question is similar.
Only True God
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Feb 27, 2023, 05:42 AM
• Last activity: Feb 28, 2023, 05:49 PM
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According to the Catholic Church, who taught Moses the Law?
Who taught Moses the Law? (Meaning the Law given to him on Sinai, that he would teach to all of Israel.) Judaism says it was angels. What does the Catholic Church say?
Who taught Moses the Law? (Meaning the Law given to him on Sinai, that he would teach to all of Israel.)
Judaism says it was angels. What does the Catholic Church say?
Aigle
(832 rep)
Sep 15, 2016, 10:28 PM
• Last activity: Oct 2, 2019, 11:01 AM
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When was the name of Sinai first applied to the Sinai peninsular?
When was the name of Sinai first applied to what we now know as the 'Sinai peninsular'? Some modern scholars maintain that Mt Sinai = Mt Horeb = 'the Mountain of God' which is located in northwest Saudi Arabia. The volcanic phenomena described in Genesis support this hypothesis. So was the Sinai Pen...
When was the name of Sinai first applied to what we now know as the 'Sinai peninsular'? Some modern scholars maintain that Mt Sinai = Mt Horeb = 'the Mountain of God' which is located in northwest Saudi Arabia. The volcanic phenomena described in Genesis support this hypothesis. So was the Sinai Peninsular so named on the possibly incorrect assumption that this is where the Exodus events took place, or was it already known as Sinai before the Exodus?
Gordon Stanger
(349 rep)
May 29, 2016, 01:07 PM
• Last activity: Jun 1, 2016, 03:07 AM
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