Bible Lexicons

 סִינַי proper name, of a mountain Sinai; — name of mountain of law-giving in J and especially P (חֹרֵב in E and especially D): Judges 5:5; Psalm 68:9; Deuteronomy 33:2 (poem), also Exodus 16:1 (P); usually הַרסִֿינַי (סִֿינָ֑י Leviticus 7:38 +), rarely J, Exodus 19:20,23and perhaps Exodus 34:2,4, elsewhere mostly P, Exodus 24:16; Exodus 31:18; Exodus 34:29,32; Leviticus 7:38; Leviticus 25:1; Leviticus 27:34; and Leviticus 26:46 (H), Numbers 3:1; Numbers 28:6, also Nehemiah 9:13; מִרְבַּר סִינַי (סִינָ֑י Numbers 1:19 +), Exodus 19:1,2; Leviticus 7:38; Numbers 1:1,19; Numbers 3:4,14; Numbers 9:1,5; Numbers 10:12; Numbers 26:64; Numbers 33:15,16 (all P); — in view of these facts, and of E's use of חֹרֵב (q. v.), it is probably that Exodus 19:11,18 (in E passages) are from R. — ᵐ5 Σ(ε)ινα. Identification dubious; local tradition names Jebel Musa, mountain at southern end of peninsular between the two arms of Red Sea, so Rob ^{BR i. 90 ff., especially 119-122} compare Stanley ^{Sinai and Pal. 42f. and elsewhere}, specifically its northern spur, Ras ‚afƒâfeh; but Lepsius ^{Briefe 345 ff., 416 ff.} Eb ^{GS especially 392ff.} and others advocate Serbal, northwest from Jebel Musa (on tradition, cf Eb ^{ib. 413ff.}); see discussion Di ^{Exodus 19:1}. Against both is the working of Egyptian mines in the peninsula as late as the 19th dynasty (see Eb ^{GS 135,148 ff., 159, etc.}), involving presence of soldiers there. This, and connection with Midian (compare also Judges 5:5), have led to search for Sinai further northeast, near head of Gulf of Akaba, or even in Seir, so Say ^{Monuments 263ff.}, compare GFM ^{Judges 5:5; 6:1} and Yakut, cited by Id^{179n. §}, also see Gall ^{Altisr. Kultst. 12}; on sanctity of the mountain see further RS ^{Sem i. 110f., 2nd ed. 177f.} Sm ^{Rel. Geschichte. 30}.