Bible Geography · Northeast Egypt / Wilderness · c. 1450–1400 BC
Sinai Peninsula
Description
The Sinai Peninsula is a roughly triangular landmass between the Red Sea's Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba, connecting Africa and Asia. Its rugged granite mountains in the south gave way to sandy plains in the north, and it served as the wilderness through which Moses led the Israelites for forty years after the Exodus from Egypt.
Significance
Sinai is the mountain of God's self-revelation — the place where the Lord descended in fire, spoke the Ten Commandments, and entered into covenant with Israel. The Sinai covenant established Israel as God's holy nation, and the wilderness journey formed the nation's foundational identity of dependence on God.
Key Events
Moses encountered God in the burning bush at Horeb; after the Exodus the Israelites camped at Sinai for nearly a year; God gave the Ten Commandments and the Mosaic Law; the tabernacle was constructed; Israel made the golden calf; Elijah later fled to Horeb after Jezebel's threat.
Modern Context
The Sinai Peninsula is today part of Egypt and has been a demilitarized buffer zone since the Camp David Accords of 1978. St. Catherine's Monastery, built near the traditional site of the burning bush, is one of the oldest Christian monasteries in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.