Gabal Sin Bishar (Har-El's Mount Sinai)
A low peak in western Sinai proposed by an Israeli geographer
Found 1983 — Menashe Har-El (Tel Aviv University), in 'The Sinai Journeys: The Route of the Exodus' (1983)
Where Gabal Sin Bishar, Wadi Sudr, west-central Sinai, about 50 km southeast of Suez (Egypt)
Dates from Proposal 1983; remains undated in detail · Bronze Age surface pottery and stone circles reported · Mount Sinai (proposed)
Now at Site (Sinai Peninsula, Egypt)
How Gabal Sin Bishar (Har-El's Mount Sinai) was found
Har-El argued from geography and travel times that the mountain of the Torah must lie within about three days of Egypt, and identified this peak in the Sudr valley, noting its name (which he read as preserving 'Sinai'), nearby springs, flint and pasture, and stone circles and Bronze Age sherds on its slopes.
What it is
A tooth-shaped limestone peak of 618 m rising about 300 m above the surrounding plateau, with a broad plain at its foot. Surveyors reported circular stone piles and Bronze Age pottery. It is far lower and closer to Egypt than Jebel Musa.
Why it matters for the Bible
Sin Bishar shows that Sinai's location is debated among mainstream scholars, not only between scholars and popular explorers. Har-El's case rests on Exodus 3:18 and 5:3, which speak of a three-day journey into the wilderness, and on the mountain's modest height suiting Moshe's repeated climbs. The proposal appeared in the Zondervan NIV Atlas of the Bible but has drawn few followers; most specialists keep either the southern (Jebel Musa) or northern routes. No excavation has been done.
The Hebrew word: SEEN
סִין
סִין is pronounced SEEN and means Sin, the wilderness between Elim and Sinai; Har-El linked the name to Sin Bishar (Strong's H5512).
People this discovery connects to
- Moses — מֹשֶׁה (moh-SHEH) — drawn out
Places
- Mount Sinai — הַר סִינַי (hahr see-NAI) — mountain of Sinai
- Wilderness of Sin — מִדְבַּר סִין (mid-BAR SEEN) — desert of Sin (uncertain meaning)
Events
The giving of the Torah (proposed location)
Gabal Sin Bishar (Har-El's Mount Sinai) in Scripture
Exodus 3:18 'Three days' journey into the wilderness' to sacrifice; the distance argument behind Har-El's low, nearby mountain.
Exodus 16:1 The wilderness of Sin between Elim and Sinai; the name Har-El connects to Sin Bishar. (First mention of Sinai.)
Questions people ask
What is Gabal Sin Bishar (Har-El's Mount Sinai)?
A tooth-shaped limestone peak of 618 m rising about 300 m above the surrounding plateau, with a broad plain at its foot. Surveyors reported circular stone piles and Bronze Age pottery. It is far lower and closer to Egypt than Jebel Musa.
When was Gabal Sin Bishar (Har-El's Mount Sinai) discovered?
It was found in 1983 by Menashe Har-El (Tel Aviv University), in 'The Sinai Journeys: The Route of the Exodus' (1983), at Gabal Sin Bishar, Wadi Sudr, west-central Sinai, about 50 km southeast of Suez.
Where is Gabal Sin Bishar (Har-El's Mount Sinai) today?
Site (Sinai Peninsula, Egypt).
Which Bible verses does Gabal Sin Bishar (Har-El's Mount Sinai) relate to?
Exodus 3:18, Exodus 16:1.
Is Gabal Sin Bishar (Har-El's Mount Sinai) authentic?
A serious academic proposal with little following; no excavation. Included to show the range of scholarly opinion.
Related discoveries
- עַיִןMaqna 'Springs of Moses' (Arabian Elim and Marah claims)Palm-oasis springs on the Gulf of Aqaba offered as the twelve wells of Elim
- צוּרThe 'Split Rock of Horeb' near Jabal MaqlaA giant cleft boulder in Saudi Arabia claimed as the rock Moshe struck
- מַצֵּבָהThe 'Altar of Moses' and 'Twelve Pillars' at Jabal al-LawzStone structure and column fragments at the mountain's foot, claimed from Exodus 24
- הַר סִינַיJebel Musa (traditional Mount Sinai)The mountain Christian tradition has honored as Sinai since the 4th century
- חֹרֵבJebel al-Lawz (Arabian 'Mount Sinai' claim)A popular candidate in Saudi Arabia that specialists do not support
- גְּבוּלThe 'Boundary Markers' around Jabal al-LawzStone cairns claimed as the fence Moshe set around the mountain
Sources
- Wikipedia: Gabal Sin Bishar
- Har-El, The Sinai Journeys: The Route of the Exodus (1983)
- Franz, 'Mount Sinai Is NOT Jebel al-Lawz in Saudi Arabia' (ABR), which follows Har-El
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