For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.
Were come to the desert of Sinai. The desert has its provinces, or divisions, distinguished by a variety of names; and the 'desert of Sinai' is that wild and desolate region which occupies the very center of the peninsula, comprising the lofty range to which the mount of God belongs. It is a wilderness of shaggy rocks of porphyry and red granite, and of valleys for the most part bare of verdure.
Camped before the mount - Sinai, so called from Seneh, or acacia bush. It is now called Jebel Musa. Their way into the interior of the gigantic cluster was by Wady Feiran, which would lead the bulk of the host, with their flocks and herds, into the high valleys of Jebel Musa, with their abundant springs, especially into the great thoroughfare of the desert-the longest, widest, and most continuous of all the valleys, the Wady es-Shiekh, whilst many would be scattered among the adjacent valleys; so that thus secluded from the world, in a wild and sublime amphitheater of rocks, they "camped before the mount." Of the granite piles that form the central group of this mountainous district, almost each one has been pitched as being the true Sinai. While Serbal, in the northern range, has numerous advocates (see the note at Exodus 18:5); but it is rejected, as it affords no camping ground, and the narrow valley at its base, instead of being a desert, has in all ages been the garden of the peninsula; and whilst some, maintaining that the Israelites never penetrated the granite region at all, have sought for Sinai in some of the border parts of the desert, the vast majority rest in the belief that the encampment of the Israelites was in the heart of the gigantic cluster; but respecting the particular mountain there has been much discussion. Ruppel fixed on Jebel Katerin, Lord Lindsay on Jebel Monejah; but both of these fail to meet the required conditions of the sacred narrative. Opinions greatly preponderate in favour of the old monkish tradition which assigns the honour of being "the mount" to Jebel Musa, with its two summits.
Dr. Wilson clings to the southernmost peak, which has the special name of Moses, as the genuine place; but it is objected to this view that the plain at its foot is too narrow to admit the encampment of such a host. Dr. Robison, feeling the force of this objection, places Sinai at the northern extremity of the ridge, where its bold precipice overlooks the broad plain of Rahah, on which an army even larger than the host of Israel might be comfortably stationed. But Safsafeh is considerably lower than several of the adjacent mountains. Mr. Sandie enlists both summits as being at different times the scene of inaugurating the new dispensation: Jebel Musa, back from the plain about three miles, about 2,000 feet in height;-this is "the top of the mount" (Exodus 19:20), invisible from the plain, and very easily ascended from the valley of the convent;-Safsafeh, which overhangs the plain, is about 1,000 feet in height, and very difficult of ascent. He shows in a very ingenious and interesting manner how all the facts recorded in the sacred narrative are fully verified, on the hypothesis that both these peaks formed stages of action in the progressive development of the great drama. In this valley-a long flat valley-about a quarter of a mile in breadth, winding northwards, Israel would find ample room for their encampment. Of all the wadys in that region, it seems the most suitable for a prolonged sojourn. The "goodly tents" of Israel could spread themselves without limit.