THIS IS JABAL AL LAWZ (aka Mt Sinai)
Today, Mt. Sinai still displays the scorched remnants of God's 1300 BC visit to provide Moses with the Ten Commandments. Like other desert archeological sites, Mt. Sinai's relics have been well preserved by the arid climate. "Investigation of the rocks in the scorched area show the granite's natural rock coloration to exist just below the blackened rock surface. Only this mountain peak contains the scorched rock in the entire Saudi Arabian mountain range. The scorching could not occur from a grass or shrub fire"1 as no significant vegetation has ever grown in this desert region. Jabal al Lawz means Mountain of Laws.
THE GOLDEN CALF ALTAR
"... He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf"
Exodus 32:3-5a
Exodus 32:3-5a
At the base of Mt Sinai is an altar-like structure made of large boulders that is 30 feet tall and 30 feet wide. Some of the boulders have "etched ancient drawings of a bull god"4 One of the rocks contains what is "likely the oldest rock inscription of a Menorah in the world having been inscribed by the Israelites as they wandered in the wilderness of Midian."7 This altar is the place where the golden calf was set up and worshiped after the Israelites grew impatient waiting for Moses' return from the mountain. As the below photograph shows, the altar site has been fenced and is protected by the Saudi government as an archeological site.
MT SINAI IS FENCED AND GUARDED BY SAUDI GOVERNMENT
Mt. Sinai is a fenced and guarded archaeological site that is closed to the public. Before it was fenced, multiple individuals gained illegal access to the site by sneaking onto the grounds and even climbing Mt. Sinai. While many of the individuals were caught and their photographs and videos confiscated by the Saudi military, some departed the area with physical evidence of the site. Today, you can find many photographs and videos of Mt. Sinai online. To prevent unwanted "guests", the Saudi government eventually built the current fence and guard house pictured below. NOTE: If you wondering about the "Mt. Sinai" that is a tourist stop on Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, please review the "Location of Mt Sinai" section toward the bottom of this page.
SPLIT ROCK THAT PROVIDED WATER
"I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.”
So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel." Exodus 17:6
So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel." Exodus 17:6
The Bible mentions Moses striking a rock that then poured out water for the Israelites. For upwards of 1 million Israelites to survive in a desert, God's provision of a plentiful water source was welcomed. The Mt. Sinai area features "a massive, prominent, split rock on the west side of Jabal al-Lawz, which showed evidence of gushing water from within--jagged rocks that had been smoothed off by an abundant flow of water."4 This rock is 60 feet high and sits on a 40 foot high rock base. Sitting a total of 100 feet in the air, the Split Rock of Horeb can be seen for miles in the distance. An aerial view of Mt. Sinai reveals the water flow erosion pattern of water flowing from the Split Rock into the valley below Mt Sinai. Forming a freshwater lake, the water was plentiful for humans and livestock alike.
NOTE: The person at bottom right of photo gives the Split Rock of Horeb scale.
MOSES' ALTAR AND 12 PILLARS
"Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel." Exodus 24:4
Also found at the foot of Mt Sinai are remnants of the 12 stone pillars made to represent each of the 12 tribes of Israel. Explorers Larry Williams and Bob Cornuke reported that "At the foot of the mountain, we found a V-shaped altar, with each arm approximately 60 feet long and 20 feet wide. Next to it were several toppled pillars in sections measuring about 22 inches in diameter and 20 inches in length.”4
70 PALMS AND 12 SPRINGS OF ELIM
“Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees;
so they camped there by the waters." Exodus 15:27:
so they camped there by the waters." Exodus 15:27:
The Bible tells the story of Moses and the Israelites traveling to Ms. Sinai. On the way, they came to the area of Elim where they found water in 12 wells and enjoyed the shade of 70 palm trees. This is one of those elements of Moses' story that seems hard to believe. What are the odds of finding 12 fresh water wells and a small forest of palm trees in a desert? But this is exactly what an expedition retracing the Biblical steps of Moses reported, "As we traveled generally toward Jabal al-Lawz (the Saudi Arabian mountain that is held by generations of Bedouins to be the mountain of Moses), we next encountered a group of clear water springs, with a grove of palm trees adjacent to them. We marveled at the description in Exodus 15:27: “Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters.”"4
A present day Google image of the 12 Springs and grove of Palm trees of Elim!
LOCATION OF MT. SINAI
Mt Sinai is located exactly where the Bible, historian Josephus, and philosopher Philo report it to be located. In Galatians 4:24-26, the Apostle Paul indicated Jerusalem and Mt. Sinai are on the same meridian of longitude. Both the Old and New Testament provide additional information regarding Mt. Sinai's location. Moses lived in the area of Mt. Sinai after fleeing Egypt as a young man (Acts 7:29-30). Per God's instruction, Moses returned to this same area after bringing the people out of Egypt (Exodus 3:12). Historian Josephus (ca. 37-100 AD) reports Mt. Sinai to be the highest mountain in the area where Moses lived and philosopher 2,5 "Philo said Mt. Sinai was located east of the Sinai Peninsula and south of Palestine"2
LOCATION FACTS FROM SCRIPTURE AND HISTORY:
"Mt. Sinai" is highest mountain located in the land of Midian in Arabia in a line directly south of Jerusalem
LOCATION FACTS FROM SCRIPTURE AND HISTORY:
"Mt. Sinai" is highest mountain located in the land of Midian in Arabia in a line directly south of Jerusalem
Galatians 4:24-26 "which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar-- for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all." (In the map to the right, you will see that Jerusalem is located approximately 215 miles above Mount Sinai.)3
Acts 7:29-30 "Then, at this saying, Moses fled and became a dweller in the land of Midian, where he had two sons. And when forty years had passed, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai." Exodus 3:12 "So He [God] said, 'I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain'". ("Moses was to bring the children of Israel from Egypt to this same mountain in Midian, near Jethro's home, in a foreign land.")2 Historian Josephus: "observed that Mount Sinai was “the highest of all mountains that are in that country” (Josephus 1960, 70)."3 "Towering above the other ridges comprising the Lawz range, its 8,000+ foot peak makes it the tallest mountain in northwest Saudi Arabia."3 "If Josephus’ information about Mount Sinai is accurate, his description agrees well with the elevations of the Jabal al-Lawz range."3 Philospher Philo: "He describes the Israelites wandering eastward all the way across the Sinai peninsula to the southern edge of Palestine just before the revelation at Sinai. Philo thus places Mt. Sinai somewhere east of the Sinai peninsula and south of Palestine"5 |
What About the Sinai Peninsula?
What's that saying? A lie told often enough becomes the truth.
In the 3rd century, Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, took an interest in locating relics of Judeo-Christian tradition. Depending on which version of the story you belief, Helena either had a dream or was told by a fortuneteller the location of Mt. Sinai. She then "anointed it as the true Mount Sinai." In spite of no archeological evidence showing this to be the site of a large long term encampment, some maps put Mt. Sinai at Helena's declared location. And it does not benefit tourism in Egypt to highlight the lack of historical evidence as Helena made the area famous and even had churches located near the site. |
The Experts4
“Jabal al Lawz is the most likely site for Mount Sinai.”
Hershel Shanks, Editor, Bible Archeology Review “I believe what has been found is quite likely the real Mount Sinai. The circumstantial evidence for Jabal al Lawz as the real Mount Sinai is quite convincing.”
Dr. Robert Stewart, Ph.D., Professor of New Geneva Theological Center |
“The evidence points to northwest Saudi Arabia as the location of the actual Mt. Sinai.”
Dr. Dean McKenzie, Professor Emeritus, University of Oregon “…the visible evidence is quite overwhelming that the location of the true Mount Sinai has been discovered [in] Saudi Arabia.”
Dr. Roy E. Knuteson, Professor of Biblical Archaeology |
“Jabal al Lawz [may also be] the most convincing option for identifying the Mt. Sinai of biblical tradition…Philo provides a probable witness from the Roman period to the Alexandrian tradition of locating Mt. Sinai in northwestern Arabia…Biblical and post-biblical evidence consistently suggests that most Israelite traditions identified Sinai with some location in northwestern Arabia east of the Red Sea rather than anywhere in the Sinai peninsula…Demetrius the Chronographer, who probably lived in Alexandria in the late 3rd Century located Mt. Sinai in northwestern Arabia near the city of Madyan."
Pilgrimage and Holy Space in Late Antique Egypt, by Dr. Allen Kerkeslager |
"You will be pleased to find that you have some good solid evidence for your views –‘Mt. Sinai in Arabia.’ …a Jewish tradition dating to at least 250 BCE that ultimately identified Mt. Sinai with the highest mountain near ancient Madyan, which is the modern town of Al-Bad. The most likely candidate, I have concluded, is Jabal al Lawz. As far as I know, this is currently the most elaborate scholarly treatment of the evidence that would support an identification of Mt. Sinai with Jabal al Lawz.”
Allen Kerkeslager, Ph.D.,Saint Joseph’s, Philadelphia’s Jesuit University. |
“For the past two years, I have been doing intense research regarding the Biblical significance of the Saudi Arabian mountain, Jabal al Lawz. The conclusion of my dissertation it that it is significant because I believe it is the best candidate for the Mt. Sinai/Horab of the Old Testament. I have labored to be objective in my study while considering the arguments of those who oppose this theory. There is an overwhelming amount of historical evidence that favors Saudi Arabia as a viable location for the mountain. I attempt to present a comprehensive study of the issue, researching the views of ancient scholars, geographers, historians, and scientists as well as the latest information coming out of Saudi Arabia on the site. The Saudi Deputy Ministry of Antiquities and Museums published a work late in 2002 called Al-Bid’ History and Archeology, which includes a site survey and excavation of the environs of Jabal al Lawz. My paper addresses these finding also. There is much debate on this issue, as you know; however, there is a growing number in the scholarly community who have begun to see Jabal al Lawz as the best candidate for Mt. Sinai.”
Charles Whittaker-doctoral dissertation
Charles Whittaker-doctoral dissertation
Learn More ...
VIDEO: Mount Sinai (5:04)
See Mt. Sinai Split Rock of Horeb Golden Calf Altar |
VIDEO: Mt Sinai is Jabal al Lawz (8:57)
Short video hosted by TV Show "Law and Order" actor Jerome Orbach. Larry Williams and Bob Cornuke are among those interviewed in this video. |
VIDEO: The Real Mount Sinai Found! (24:07)
This video provides evidence that not only was the mountain in which Mashah/Mosses receive the commandments from YAHUAH real , but also serves as evidence that the stories in the bible and the bible its self are true . |