The last ten years has witnessed the proliferation of books,
videos, websites and television programs that have proposed a
new site for Mt. Sinai Jebel al-Lawz in Saudi Arabia. They
also told about underwater searches for Pharaoh's chariots and
weapons from the Egyptian army. This paper examines three aspects
of the identification of Mt. Sinai in Saudi Arabia. First, the
paper questions the credibility of the claims. Second, the paper
disputes the false assumptions by the proponents of Jebel al-Lawz.
Third, the paper examines the archaeological evidence.
This paper discusses the first two aspects briefly because they
have already been dealt with in the Fall 2000 issue of Bible
and Spade (Franz 2000:101-113). That article is posted on
Lambert Dolphin's website. (http://www.ldolphin.org/franz-sinai.html).
A revised form of this paper will appear as an article in Bible
and Spade.
The paper discusses the third aspect, the archaeological evidence,
in more detail. The questions dealt with include, 1) Are the archaeological
remains that were observed by the proponents of Jebel al-Lawz
credible? And 2) Does the remains match the Biblical text? The
final section of this paper deals with the location of the Red
Sea crossing. Was it in the Gulf of Akaba / Eilat or the Gulf
of Suez?
I believe that this paper, along with the Bible and Spade
article, will conclusively demonstrated that there is no credible
historical, geographical, archaeological or Biblical evidence
to support the thesis that Mt. Sinai is at Jebel al-Lawz in Saudi
Arabia.
The Proponents of Jebel al-Lawz as Mt. Sinai
Ron Wyatt first proposed the idea that Mt. Sinai was at Jebel
al-Lawz. Whatever one may think of Ron Wyatt's "discoveries,"
he should be given full credit for this discovery. However, I
would like to call your attention to a recent book examining the
claims of Ron Wyatt. It is entitled Holy Relics or Revelation,
by two SDA researchers, Russell and Colin Standish. (Hartland
Publications, Box 1, Rapidan, VA 22733. 1-800-774-3566). This
book is a careful, meticulous, in-depth study of Ron Wyatt's claims.
These researchers "speak the truth in love" but state
that Ron Wyatt has not been truthful in his claims.
During the course of writing the first article, other proponents
of Jebel al-Lawz requested that I not mention Ron Wyatt. Their
stated concern to me was that my mentioning of him would "dignify
him" and they consider him a "con man." They feared
that mentioning them in the same paragraph as Wyatt would result
in "guilt by associations"! I pointed out to them that
when publishing research results one must begin with a discussion
of the history of research and include a review of the literature
on the subject. Ron Wyatt is the key player in this discovery.
Both sets of proponents of this view used the same archaeological
evidence to prove their points. The only difference between the
views is their proposed route from Egypt to the Red Sea and the
placing of the Red Sea crossing.
Ron Wyatt went to Jebel al-Lawz in Saudi Arabia with his two sons
n 1984. They were arrested for entering Saudi Arabia illegally
and expelled after 78 days. Eleven months later, Wyatt returned
with David Fasold and his "molecular frequency generator"
to look for the "gold of the Exodus." Again they were
expelled and made to promise that they would not return to Saudi
Arabia or talk or write about their findings.
Fasold told Jim Irwin, the Apollo 15 astronaut, of their discoveries.
Irwin, in turn, made contact with Bob Cornuke and Larry Williams
who eventually went to Saudi Arabia at least twice in order to
ascertain whether Mt. Sinai is at Jebel al-Lawz. Both returned
home and wrote books about their adventures. Others have since
gone and taken video footage of the sites that are now in videos
and television programs. The most recent is a video entitled "The
Exodus Revealed" by Lennart Moller. He also has a book entitled
The Exodus Case. He basically uses Ron Wyatt's material
and follows his ideas.
Problems with the Jebel al-Lawz location view
The biggest problem with the identification of Jebel al-Lawz
as Mt. Sinai is that it does not meet the Biblical criteria for
the site. In my Bible and Spade article I point out three
questionable assumptions made by the proponents of Jebel al-Lawz.
The first questionable assumption that the proponents make is
that the Sinai Peninsula was considered part of the "Land
of Egypt" (Franz 2000: 103-105). The Bible says that when
the Israelites left Succoth they were "out of Egypt"
(Ex. 13:8-20). The Land of Goshen was the eastern limits of Egypt.
Apparently the line of fortresses on the eastern frontier canal
was the border between Egypt and Sinai (Hoffmeier 1997: 164-175).
Nadav Na'aman, a professor of Bible geography at Tel Aviv University,
made an important point in an article on the "Brook of Egypt".
He states, "Traditionally, in the eyes of the Egyptians the
Nile or the Isthmus fringes were considered to be their northern
boundary, the Sinai peninsula being regarded as part of Asia.
This view is diametrically opposite to the northern point
of view, according to which the southern limits of Gaza, the southernmost
city along the coast of Philistia, and the edges of the urban
settlements on its eastern side were thought of as the southern
border of Canaan, the intervening desert of Sinai being regarded
by the northerners as part of Egypt. In the Late Bronze Age, as
the Egyptians came into closer contact with the north, they also
became aware of the fact that the Sinai desert was not part of
Canaan. Thus, when their scribes were concerned with the southern
coastal area exclusively, they considered its border to be the
southernmost limits of the urban settlements in this region, Sinai
having the status of a kind of 'no-man's land'." (Italics
his; 1979:74). Moses never arrived in Canaan so he wrote from
an Egyptian, not a Canaanite perspective. Also note that part
of northeastern Sinai was Amalekite territory (Mattingly 1992).
The second inaccurate assumption is the claim that Mt. Sinai is
in the Land of Midian (Franz 2000:105,106). Most scholars would
agree that Midian is in the area of northwest Saudi Arabia, and
even part of southern Jordan. The proponents of Jebel al-Lawz
often point to the interview of Prof. Frank Moore Cross of Harvard
University in Bible Review as their authority on this point
(Shanks 1992: 32). However, they fail to point out that one of
the reasons Cross and "Continental scholars" hold to
this view is their adherence to the Documentary Hypothesis (JEDP).
See Cross 1998:53-70. I also have a letter from Prof. Cross, which
states his rejection of the evidence of the proponents of Jebel
al-Lawz even thought he still believes Mt. Sinai is still in Midian
(Letter from Cross, May 21, 2001).
Two Biblical passages clearly place Mt. Sinai outside the Land
of Midian. In Exodus 18, Moses and the Israelites are camped at
"the Mountain of God" (Mt. Sinai) when Jethro, Moses'
father-in-law, visits them. Verse 27 says, "Then Moses let
his father-in-law depart [from Mt. Sinai], and he went his way
to his own land [Midian]." Jethro departs from Mt. Sinai
to return to the Land of Midian. According to Mandelkern Biblical
Concordance, the phrase "his own land" (third person
singular possessive) is used 30 times in the Hebrew Scriptures
(Ex. 18:27; Num. 21:24,26,34,35; Deut. 2:24,31; 3:2; 4:47; 11:3;
29:1 [29:2 Eng.]; 33:13; 34:11; Josh. 8:1; I Kings 22:36; II Kings
18:33; Isa. 2:7,8; 13:14; 18:2,7; 36:18; 37:7; Jer. 2:15; 27:7;
50:18; Prov. 8:31; Dan. 11:19,28; Neh. 9:10; Mandelkern 1896:153).
In the Pentateuch the phrase is use 13 times. Each time it is
used of a specific geo-political entity, a kingdom, nation or
tribal area. It is used of the Kingdom of the Amorites (Num. 21:24,26;
Deut. 2:24,31; 4:47), with the borders clearly delineated as going
from the Arnon to the Jabbok (Num. 21:24). The Kingdom of Bashan
(Num. 21:34,35; Deut. 3:2; 4:47), which is implied as going from
the Jabbok to Mt. Hermon (Deut. 4:48). The nation of Egypt (Deut.
11:3; 29:1 [29:2 Eng.]; 34:11) as well as the tribal territory
of Joseph (Deut. 33:13). Joshua gives the delineation of the tribal
territory of Ephraim and Manasseh which make up the tribes of
Joseph (Deut. 33:17; Josh. 13:29-33; 16:1-10; 17:1-18). If Moses
is consistent with his use of the word, and I think he is, the
context suggests Jethro returned to the country of Midian, not
to a plot of ground that he controlled as the proponents of Jebel
al-Lawz contend.
Ken Durham, a research assistant for Bob Cornuke and the BASE
Institute, interpret the phrase "his own land" as an
"actual, physical tract of land under the control of a person
mentioned in the text- not to an arbitrary political/geographical
designation" or "land under ones jurisdiction"
(Letter to Bryant Wood, April 12, 2001). There does not appear
to be lexical support or Hebrew dictionary references that support
this use of the term.
The second passage that places Mt. Sinai outside the land of Midian
is Numbers 10:30. It states, "I [Hobab] will not go, but
I will depart [from Mt. Sinai] to my own land [Midian] and to
my kinsmen." Hobab is returning to Midian where his kinsmen
live from Mt. Sinai.
The third questionable assumption made by the proponents of Jebel
al-Lawz is that Galatians 4:25 says that Mt. Sinai is in Saudi
Arabia (Franz 2000: 106,107). One proponent affirms this conclusion
when he writes, "The apostle Paul, under the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit, informs us that Mount Sinai is in Saudi Arabia.
Not Egypt!" (Cornuke and Halbrook 2000: 17). The Bible does
not say Saudi Arabia, it only says Arabia.
One can easily argue that the Apostle Paul used the First Century
AD Roman concept of Arabia in this passage. In the first century
AD, based on the prior use by Herodotus, Pliny and Strabo, Arabia
extended from the Persian Gulf to the Nile Delta, thus including
the Sinai Peninsula in Arabia. Paul would be perfectly correct
in placing Mt. Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula because the Sinai
Peninsula was part of Arabia of his day.
I also interacted in this section with Prof. Cross and Mike Heiser's
suggestion (made at the NEAS meeting in 1998) that Mt. Sinai was
outside the Sinai Peninsula based on three passages from the Bible,
Deut. 33:2; Judges 5:4; and Habakkuk 3:3 (Franz 2000: 107). Cross
(1998) and Heiser suggest that Seir, Mt. Paran and Teman are located
in present day Jordan or even Saudi Arabia. In my article, I suggested
that Teman was at or near Kuntillet 'Ajrud, Mt. Paran is situated
in the area of Kadesh Barnea (Num. 13:26) and Seir (Biblical Edom)
included the area of the Central Negev Highlands, the area to
the west of the Aravah.
When my article came out, I realized that I had not adequately
documented the thesis that Edom is also on the west side of the
Aravah. My assertion initially came 20 years ago from a friend
and fellow student at the Institute of Holy Land Studies in Jerusalem,
Bruce Crew. This assertion was part of his MA thesis. At my request,
Bruce wrote a follow-up article for Bible and Spade on
why Edom was also west of the Aravah. He produced an excellent
article demonstrating the case, which will appear in a forthcoming
issue of Bible and Spade. In the course of his writing,
I was able to supply him with some articles to help update his
material. I was surprised at the number of archaeologists that
had come to this same position based on the Biblical text as well
as the topography and archaeological considerations. Perhaps some
day Biblical scholars might catch up with the archaeological world!
The Archaeological and Geographical Evidence
There are at least eight pieces of archaeological or geographical
evidence that the proponents of Jebel al-Lawz use to support their
idea.
A land bridge that goes across the Strait of Tiran from the southern
tip of Sinai to Saudi Arabia, or the other view has a land bridge
that crosses the Gulf of Akaba / Eilat from Nuweiba.
I examined the archaeological evidence in my article in Bible
and Spade and found that this evidence did not line up with
the Biblical record (Franz 2000:107-111). One Saudi archaeologist
was very helpful in explaining what the archaeological sites actually
were. I stated in my article that Biblical scholarship ought to
wait for an archaeological publication of the material. I am pleased
to announce that an archaeological report of the surveys and excavations
in the al-Bad' area, with a special chapter on Jebel al-Lawz,
is "in press" and will be out "shortly". My
Saudi friend promised me the first copy off the press!
My original article elicited an interesting exchange of letters
with the proponents of Jebel al-Lawz. One proponent considered
the evidence I put forth as the "Muslim position / interpretation"
(Letter from Cornuke, May 30, 2001). Another proponent "discounted
the Saudi archaeologists' objectivity" because they were
Moslems (Letter from Durham, Sept. 7, 2001, p. 20, see also pp.
1-5). These proponents want to take the archaeological evidence
out of the realm of science and scientific investigation and placing
it in the realm of religion. One went so far as to suggest that
if the Saudis found anything that might relate to the wilderness
wanderings of the Israelites they would follow the example of
the Talibans in Afghanistan and destroy the evidence! (Letter
from Durham, Sept. 7, 2001, p. 2). I was shocked and appalled
that he would even suggest such a thing. Saudi Arabia is a member
of ICOMOS, the International Council of Monuments and Sites. This
is an "international non-governmental organization of professionals,
dedicated to the conservation of [the] world's historic monuments
and sites."
Afghanistan is not a member. If the Saudis found anything of interest,
they would do what they have done to over 300 other sites in Saudi
Arabia. They would fence them in to protect them, not destroy
them! A Saudi archaeologist recently took an Australian archaeologist
to the rock art site of Jubbah in northern Saudi Arabia where
they had fenced in the site with 5 km of fence. The Australian
was surprised to see this fence and commented that no other country
has gone to such great length to fence in an area!
While I agree with the stated view of the proponents of Jebel
al-Lawz that the Bible should interpret the archaeological finds,
my conclusion is that in some instances, it is obvious they have
not followed their own principles. For example, the so-called
"altar of the golden calf" is made up of huge boulders.
The Bible clearly states that Aaron built the altar (Ex. 32:5).
Yet the proponents of Jebel al-Lawz reconstruct an elaborate scenario
whereby the Israelites lifted these heavy boulders into place
because they had done heavy manual labor in Egypt. This scenario
goes contrary to the Scriptures; Aaron built the altar, not the
Israelites. These boulders contain petroglyphs of bovine which
the proponents claim is the Egyptian deities Hathor or Apis. Jeff
Harrison reports in the video of the proponents that he saw other
kinds of animals as well (www.totheends.com). If that is the case,
then an explanation for why they are there must be given. An ibex
can be clearly seen in a picture in one of their books (Williams
1990: plate 14). Yet more telling is the fact that Moses destroyed
the golden calf because it was an idol. If this was the altar,
why didn't he remove the petroglyphs as well, after all, they
represent graven images! A Saudi archaeologist who did his doctoral
dissertation on the petroglyphs in Saudi Arabia informed me that
the bovine dated to the Neolithic period, considerably earlier
than the Exodus and Wilderness Wanderings. The archaeological
evidence goes contrary to the Biblical records and must be rejected.
One claim I have heard from people who have heard the proponents
of Jebel al-Lawz is that this "altar" with the bovine
petroglyphs is the only one in the area. I was informed by the
Saudi archaeologist who did the survey of the area that there
were about 300 rock art sites in the northwest Saudi Arabia and
about 50 rock art sites with bovine in the al-Bad' / Jebel al-Lawz
area. If they were drawn by Israelites, then Hebrew graffiti artists
drew them as they roamed the desert drawing what the Lord had
forbidden them to make!
The proponents of Jebel al-Lawz might discount the objectivity
of the Saudi archaeologists, but they must consider the archaeological
remains. The so-called "Cave of Moses" is clearly a
First Century AD Nabatean tomb. A British archaeologist who worked
on the survey of those tombs explained to me how he could date
them so precisely. He said the paleography of an inscription in
an al-Bad' tomb is identical with the paleography of another tomb
at another site nearby. This tomb had an inscription with the
name of the decease as well as a date of his death. It is safe
to say the style of those tombs is Nabatean and not earlier.
The archaeology of the so-called "altar of Moses and the
12 pillars" is also clear. I was informed by a Saudi archaeologist
that the pottery is purely, and only, Nabatean. There is nothing
earlier. One may debate the function of the building, but the
dating is clear. It is considerably later than the Exodus.
The proponents of Jebel al-Lawz rejected a Mt. Sinai in the Sinai
Peninsula because of lack of archaeological evidence. They also
objected to my suggestion that one would not expect to find any
because they were nomadic people dwelling in tents. A leading
American archaeologist, William Dever, said, "we would still
find no remains of their ephemeral camps in the desert."
He goes on to say that any attempts to make maps tracing the route
of the Exodus was "doomed to failure" (1997:72). K.
A. Kitchen, a British Egyptologist, concurs with him on the first
statement when he says, "That we should find no trace of
ever-moving camps in the Sinai desert is entirely correct"
(1998:107). But he goes on to chide Dever about not being able
to trace the route.
The proponents also claim they have other archaeological evidence
(Letter from Durham, Sept. 7, 2001, p. 2), but that their evidence
awaits publication. Hopefully it will appear in a peer-reviewed
archaeological journal.
I have asked a British archaeologist to review the soon to be
released excavation and survey report of the al-Bad' area and
Jebel al-Lawz for Bible and Spade. He is a non-Moslem archaeologist
who has worked on the survey of the area as well as an expert
on Midianite and Nabatean archaeology. His approach to reviewing
the excavation report for the article will include the following
steps. First, he will discuss each of the archaeological sites
cited by the proponents of Jebel al-Lawz. Second, he will deal
with how they interpreted the archaeological data. Third, he will
include what the Saudis excavated or surveyed and how they interpreted
the finds. His final step will be his assessment of the different
interpretations. The archaeologist will be well qualified to bring
the discussion back to an archaeological debate and not
a religious one, as the proponents would like to make it.
Where was the Red Sea Crossing?
The location of the Red Sea Crossing is a hotly debated topic
and I would like to throw my two cents worth into the debate.
There are two studies that I have found to be very helpful and
would highly recommend them. The first is Dr. James Hoffmeier's
book, Israel in Egypt (1997). While I do not agree with
some of his conclusions, it is well documented and sets forth
all the different views. The second study is a ThM thesis by Joel
McQuitty done at Capital Bible Seminary in 1986. It is entitled
"The Location and Nature of the Red Sea Crossing." Ironically,
McQuitty wrote it at the time the proponents of Jebel al-Lawz
were carrying out their adventures in Saudi Arabia! He does not
interact with this view because the proponents' view was not yet
in print.
Is the location of the Red Sea Crossing important for Bible believers?
One commentary on the book of Exodus observes, "The exact
place of Israel's crossing of the Red Sea has no direct theological
importance" (Cole 1973:44). McQuitty points out, "In
the form of the statement Mr. Cole is correct, geography normally
impinges very little upon theology. However, how one determines
the geography of the Bible may speak volumes concerning one's
theology" (1986:2).
In the literature, I have been able to discern five general areas
that have been proposed for the Red Sea Crossing. Within each
area there are several variations. I was intrigued to see in the
book of one of the proponents, and it is also in their advertisement
in BAR, five "proposed traditional Red Sea Crossing
sites". I have not been able to document four of these anywhere
in the literature and he does not have the three usual sites above
the Gulf of Suez marked (Williams 1990: map following page 128).
The five areas that I have been able to discern, from north to
south, are;
Within the debate on the location of the Red Sea crossing there
is a sub-debate on the meaning of the name Yam Suph. The
common interpretation of these words today is "Reed Sea".
The first to suggest Yam Suph means "reedy swamp"
appears to be Rabbi Shelomoh Yetzhaki (Rashi) in the 11th century
AD. Personally I am not comfortable with that etymology. I will
leave that discussion for another paper. I think the meaning of
Yam Suph is Red Sea.
The word Yam Suph is used 24 times in the Hebrew Scriptures
(Ex. 10:19; 13:18; 15:4,22; 23:31; Num. 14:25; 21:4; 33:10,11;
Deut. 1:40; 2:1; 11:4; Josh. 2:10; 4:23; 24:6; Judges 11:16; I
Kings 9:26; Neh. 9:9; Ps. 106:7,9,22; 136:13,15; Jer. 49:21).
The Greek words, Erythra Thalassa, is used two times in
the New Testament (Acts 7:36; Heb. 11:29). These are the Greek
words used to translate the Hebrew Yam Suph in the Greek
Septuagint.
In the Greco-Roman world the term Erythra Thalassa covered
"all eastern waters, including the Indian Ocean; it specifically
referred to the modern Red Sea and Persian Gulf" (Warmington
and Salles 1996:1296,7). Strabo, writing his Geography
at the beginning of the First Century AD, said, "There is
another canal which empties into the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf
near the city Arsinoe, a city which some call Cleopatris [modern
day Suez City GF]. It flows through the Bitter Lakes, as
they are called" (17:25; LCL 8:77). Strabo makes a
distinction between the Red Sea, also called the Arabian Gulf,
and the Bitter Lakes. The Bitter Lakes is never called the Red
Sea.
In the Hebrew Scriptures, the Yam Suph could refers to
either the Gulf of Suez or the Gulf of Akaba / Eilat. The context
determines the location. For example, Exodus 10:19 says, "And
the LORD turned a very strong west wind, which took the locusts
away and blew them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust
in all the territory of Egypt." As J. Rea points out, the
"strong west wind" should be translated "sea wind".
In Egypt, the sea winds are from north-northwest to the south
(1975:1:572). Since the locusts covered "the face of the
whole earth [land of Egypt]" (10:15), there would need to
be a large body of water to destroy the locusts. The Gulf of Suez
is what is in view. Exodus 13:18 and 15:4,22; Num. 33:10 refer
to the Gulf of Suez. On the other hand, I Kings 9:26 says "King
Solomon also built a fleet of ships at Ezion Geber, which is near
Elath on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom."
This is clearly referring to the Gulf of Akaba / Eilat. Judges
11:16 and Jer. 49:20,21 are most likely referring to this gulf
as well.
What are the Biblical criteria for the Red Sea Crossing? There
are three passages that deal with the topography of the Red Sea
crossing. Exodus 14:2 gives Moses perspective. It states, "Speak
to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth,
between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp
before it by the sea." Exodus 14:9 gives Pharaoh's perspective.
It states, "So the Egyptians pursued them, all the horses
and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and overtook
them camping by the sea beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon."
In the itinerary of sites where the Israelites traveled in Numbers
33:7,8 it is stated: "They moved from Etham and turned back
to Pi Hahiroth, which is east of Baal Zephon; and they camped
near Migdol. They departed from before Pi Hahiroth and passed
through the midst of the sea into the wilderness." Three
topographical sites must be identified from these passages. They
are the Pi Hahiroth, the Migdol and Baal Zephon [See Map 1].
Scholars have debated the meaning of Pi Hahiroth but the consensus
seems to be that it is a Hebraized form of Akkadian origin meaning
"mouth of the canal" (Kitchen 1998:78; Hoffmeier 1997:
169-172, 182-183, 188-189, 211, 214; Currid 1997:134; Redford
1992:5:371; Sneh, Weissbrod and Perath 1975: 547; Albright 1948:16;
Skipwith 1913:94,95). If that is the case, what canal is being
referred to? I would like to propose that there was a canal from
the Bitter Lakes to the Gulf of Suez, or at least the remnants
of a canal that was started and abandoned by the time of the Exodus,
but the toponym was still known.
Strabo writes of such a canal. He says, "There is another
canal which empties into the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf near
the city Arsinoe, a city which some call Cleopatris. The canal
was first cut by Sesostris before the Trojan War though
some say by the son of Psammitichus, who only began the work and
then died and later by Dareius the First, who succeeded
to the next work done upon it. But he, too, having been persuaded
by a false notion, abandoned the work when it was already near
completion; for he was persuaded that the Red Sea was higher than
Aegypt, and that if the intervening isthmus were cut all the way
through, Aegypt would be inundated by the sea. The Ptolemaic kings,
however, cut through it" (Geography 17:1:25; LCL
8:77).
Aristotle, in his Meteorologica, states, "One of the
kings tried to dig a canal to it [the Red Sea]. (For it would
be of no little advantage to them if this whole region was accessible
to navigation: Sesostris is said to be the first of the ancient
kings to have attempted the work.) It was, however, found that
the sea was higher than the land: and so Sesostris first and Dareius
after him gave up digging the canal for fear the water of the
river should be ruined by an admixture of sea-water" (1:15:25-30;
LCL 117).
Pliny describes the planned canal between the Nile River and the
Red Sea in these terms, "This project was originally conceived
by Sesostris King of Egypt, and later by the Persian King Darius
and then again by Ptolemy the Second, who did actually carry a
trench 100 ft. broad and 30 ft. deep for a distance of 34 _ miles,
as far as the Bitter Lakes" (Natural History 6:33:165;
LCL 2:461, 463).
Herodotus, writing in the 5th century BC, describes the building
of this canal into the Red Sea. It was begun by the Egyptian Pharaoh
Necho II and finished by the Persian King Darius (The Persian
Wars 2:158; LCL 1:471,473). He does not, however, mention
the attempt by Sesostris.
James Breasted, a noted Egyptologist, believes that Queen Hatsheput's
expedition to Punt went down the Nile River to a canal through
the Wadi Tumilat to a canal connecting to the Red Sea (1912:188,
274-276). If he were correct, that would demonstrate that there
was a canal in existence right before the Exodus from Egypt. However,
several other Egyptologists have disputed this idea (Kitchen 1971:
184-207).
As Dr. Hoffmeier points out, "The possibility remains that
a genuine memory of the canal-excavating accomplishments of one
or more of the Sesotrises or Senuserts from Dynasty 12 may be
preserved in these classical writers. The late George Posener
thought these references might be connected with the work of Senusert
I or III. Currently, no contemporary Egyptian texts support or
deny this tradition" (1997:169).
The classical sources seem to indicate that a canal was started
by Sesostris in the 12th Dynasty [ca. 1900 BC] but not completed.
If that is the case, he might have begun part of the project at
the Red Sea but later abandoned it. This would have been called
the Pi Hahiroth, the "mouth of the canal." The toponym
would have been preserved even at the time of the Exodus. I would
propose that the Pi Hahiroth would be located somewhere near today's
Suez City at the northern end of the Gulf of Suez.
The next toponym to consider is the Migdol. K. A. Kitchen says
that "the term migdol is simply a common noun from
Northwest Semitic, for a fort or watchtower, and we do not know
how many such migdols existed in the East Delta region" (1998:78).
There was a fortress at Clysma-Qolzoum (modern day Suez City)
that dates to the Late Bronze Age (Bruyere 1966). The question
is, was there an occupational level at the time of the Exodus,
or was there another fortress in the area? This fortress would
have guarded the northern end of the Gulf of Suez and the canal,
if it existed, as well as the road coming up from the Sinai.
The next toponym to be considered is Baal-Zephon. The identification
is problematic. Dr. Hoffmeier has pointed out that the "expression
literally means 'lord of the north' and is a deity in the Ugaritic
pantheon associated with Mount Casius just north of Ugarit"
(1997:190). Eissfeldt suggested it was located at Ras Qasrun based
on the account of Herodotus (Persian Wars 2:6, LCL
1:281; 3:5, LCL 2:9). Baal-zephon was worshiped at Memphis
and Tell Defeneh and a cylinder seal depicting Baal-Zephon as
the "protector of sailors" was found at Tell el-Dab'a
(Hoffmeier 1997:190). W. F. Albright states that, "Baal-saphon
was the marine storm-god par excellence, like Greek Poseidon.
As such, he was also the protector of mariners against storms.
In his honour temples were built and ports were named along the
Mediterranean litoral as far as Egypt, where we find Baal-zephon
worshiped at Tahpanhes (Daphne) and Memphis" (1968:127.128).
Quite possibly there would have been a temple on Jebel 'Ataqa
over looking the northern end of the Gulf of Suez. The sailors
could petition him on their way out to sea for a safe trip and
thank him when they arrive safely to port.
More than likely, when the Israelites camped by the sea, it would
have been on the plains at the north shore of the Gulf of Suez
between Suez City and the impressive mountain to the west, Jebel
'Ataqa. Robinson describes this area as a "desert plain composed
for the most part of hard gravel" (1977:70). There is adequate
space for the tribes of Israel.
Where would the crossing have been? Edward Robinson, in 1838,
placed the crossing along the northern shore of the Gulf of Suez.
He seems to favor a somewhat naturalistic explanation for a miraculous
event (1977:81-86).
Topographically, the most suitable site for the crossing is a
natural land bridge that lies 4 miles south of the northern shore
of the Gulf of Suez that averages 6 meters (ca. 20 feet) below
the surface. This land bridge is _ mile wide and four miles across.
With Jebel 'Ataqa on their right and the sea on their left and
the wilderness closing in to a point at Ras el-'Adabiya, Pharaoh's
statement in Exodus 14:3 makes sense. "For Pharaoh will say
of the children of Israel, 'They are bewildered by the land; the
wilderness has closed them in."
When the Israelites saw Pharaoh and his army approaching they
were terrified and complained to Moses. Moses responded, "Do
not be afraid. Stand still and see the salvation of the LORD,
which He will accomplish for you today" (Ex.14:13). Moses
lifted up his rod and the LORD divided the sea with a wall on
one side and on the other as well (Ex. 14:16,21,22,29) and they
went through on dry land. When the made it to the other side,
the waters returned and covered the Egyptians (14:28; 15:4,5,19).
There is no naturalistic explanation for this occurrence; it was
a first class miracle.
This location is also where the early Christian pilgrims place
the Red Sea Crossing (Wilkinson 1981: 100,101,205-207).
Once on the other side, where Birket Nisallat is today, the Israelites
were in no rush to go anywhere. There was nobody chasing them
anymore. The Egyptians had drowned. The Israelites probably spent
the next day worshiping the Lord for His great salvation. We know
that Moses composed a song and Miriam and the women danced and
sang (Ex. 15:1-21).
When they began their journey again, they went into the Wilderness
of Shur (Ex. 15:22). Edward Palmer, a 19th century explorer, best
described this scene. He said, "The word Shur in Hebrew signifies
'a wall;' and as we stand at 'Ayin Musa and glance over the desert
at the Jebels er Rahah and et-Tih which border the gleaming plain,
we at once appreciate the fact that these long wall-like escarpments
are the chief if not the only prominent characteristics of this
portion of the wilderness, and we need not wonder that the Israelites
should have named this memorable spot, after its most salient
feature, the wilderness of Shur or the wall" (1872:44). When
I stayed in Suez City last May, I had dinner in a hotel over looking
the Suez Canal. As the sun was setting, I noticed this prominent
line of escarpment as well.
The waters of Marah are three days journey from the Red Sea (Ex.
15:22). Where these are located, I do not know for sure. The Numbers
account places it in the wilderness of Etham (33:8). The Wilderness
of Etham appears to be the larger area with the Wilderness of
Shur the southern part if this wilderness. The Israelites headed
north to Marah. E. Robinson identifies a "fountain Naba',
three hours distance across the Gulf and so brackish as to be
scarcely drinkable (1977:69). The local Arabs called it el-Ghurkudeh.
This was the source of the drinking water for Suez. Robinson's
Arab guide described it as "a basin eight or ten feet in
diameter and six or eight feet deep, with stone steps to go down
into it. In this basin the water, which is quite brackish, boils
up continually and stands two or three feet deep, without any
outlet; furnishing enough to supply two hundred camel-loads at
once" (1977:89). Moses cast a tree into the bitter water
and it was made sweet (Ex. 15:25).
Apparently after this incident, the Israelites turned south to
Elim with its twelve springs and 70 palm trees (Ex. 15:27; Num.
33:9). A good candidate for this site is one of the most prominent
springs in the Sinai Peninsula, 'Ayun Musa. Two geologists observed
that "there are twelve springs, from two which good drinking
water may be obtained" (Moon and Sadek 1921:2). In their
geological report, they have pictures of this spring with palm
trees in the area. When Robinson visited in 1838 he observed only
seven springs (1977:90).
The Numbers account says that they camped by the Red Sea after
their time in Elim (Num. 33:10,11). Somewhere at the entrance
to the Wadi Sudr would be a good candidate for this campsite.
After, they headed up Wadi Sudr to Jebel Sin Bishar, the Biblical
(and real) Mt. Sinai (Har-el 1983; Faiman 2000:115-118).
Menashe Har-el makes a solid case for Jebel Sin Bishar being the
real Mt. Sinai. He points out that Jebel Sin Bishar is the only
mountain in the Sinai Peninsula that preserves the toponym "Sinai"
in the word "Sin" (Har-el 1983:421). He states that
"the meaning of Sin Bisher is the reporting of the Law, or
Laws of man. This name hints at the Giving of the Law" (ibid).
Josephus says that Mt. Sinai is the highest mountain in that area
(Antiquities 2:264, 3:75,76; LCL 4:279, 355). While
"Jebel sin Bishar is only 618 meters above sea level, it
is the most prominent of its surrounding" (ibid). Remember,
Moses at 80 years old, had to climb that mountain several times!
The Chronology from Rameses to the Red Sea
Bible geographers who deal with the Exodus take the three
encampments from Rameses to the Red Sea, i.e. Succoth, Etham and
Migdol, to refer to three days of travel. The Bible does not explicitly
say this.
Joel McQuitty made an interesting suggestion back in 1986. He
suggested that the seven day Feast of Unleavened Bread commemorates
the seven days it took to go from Rameses to the Red Sea (1986:103-105;
Ex. 13:3,4; 12:33f.; Deut. 16:3; Lev. 23:42-43). Ironically, one
of the proponents of Jebel al Lawz does as well. However, he goes
one step further and says that the Israelites rested on the Sabbath
(Letter from Durham, Sept. 7, 2001, p. 14).
If McQuitty is correct, and I believe he is, then this would fit
very nicely with a crossing at the northern end of the Gulf of
Suez. As K. A. Kitchen has pointed out, Rameses is located in
the area of Khataana / Qantar (1998:77). Others place Rameses
at Tell el-Dab'a, another site in the area (Shea 1990:98-111).
Kitchen goes on to locate Succoth at Tell el-Maskhuta and Pithom
at Tell er-Retaba (1998:78). From the Qantar area to Suez City
is approximately 100 miles. If we take that number and divide
it by seven days it comes out to about 15 miles per day. Considering
the Israelites left Egypt in "haste" (Ex. 12:33; Deut.
16:3) and in "orderly ranks", a military term for battle
array (Ex, 13:18), 15 miles a day would be very reasonable. Robinson
observed that "the usual day's march of the best appointed
armies, both in ancient and modern times, is not estimated higher
than fourteen English, or twelve geographical miles, and it cannot
be supposed that the Israelites with women and children and flocks,
would be able to accomplish more" (1977:75).
A near contemporary event to the Exodus would be Thutmose III's
first campaign against the land of Canaan. Aharoni describes the
march by Thutmose III and his army to Megiddo this way: "From
Sile, the chief frontier post on the Egyptian border, the army
covered the 150 miles to Gaza in nine or ten days, a very rapid
pace" (1979:153). In this march across the northern Sinai
they encountered very sandy conditions, but they would have averaged
15 miles per day. Once they got to Canaan, they slowed down because
of resistance along the way by the Canaanites (Aharoni 1979:153).
Problems with the Gulf of Akaba / Eilat Crossings
The proponents of Jebel al-Lawz do not agree on the crossing
site of the Red Sea in the Gulf of Akaba / Eilat. One group, consisting
of R. Wyatt, J. Pinkoski and L. Moller suggests that the Israelites
crossed at Nuweiba. The other group, consisting of J. Irwin, R.
Cornuke, L. Williams, R. Knuteson, K. Kluetz, and K. Durham argues
for the Strait of Tiran.
Regarding the Nuweiba crossing, there are several problems. The
first problem is the distance it takes to go from Rameses to Nuweiba.
Moller, in his video, said their route through the Sinai would
take three weeks. This does not meet the Biblical requirements
of seven days. The second problem is the topography of the underwater
land bridge. From Nuweiba the land bridge slopes down to 850 meters
(2,790 feet) but then comes up sharply on the east side as it
gets to the shore of Saudi Arabia. This sharp incline would make
the ascent extremely difficult, if not impossible for the Israelites
to cross in one night. Dr. Roy Knuteson, a retired pastor who
has done a considerable amount of research on the Red Sea crossing
also points out, "The wadi they claim the Israelites traveled
on [to Nuweiba] is much to small for those millions of people"
(Letter from Knuteson, June 8, 2001). He goes on to say in the
same letter, "the coral encrusted chariot wheels are interesting,
but not convincing. The so-called 'golden wheel' is a fabrication."
Russell and Colin Standish have also examined the other claims
of Wyatt regarding the so-called chariot wheels that were discovered
(1999:164-194).
The second crossing site at the Strait of Tiran has serious problems
as well. The first problem is the distance from Rameses to their
Red Sea crossing. From Tell el-Dab'a to Ras Nasrani at the southern
end of the Sinai Peninsula is approximately 350 miles. The "Geological
Photo map of Israel and the Adjacent Areas" shows that most
of the way down the west side of the Sinai Peninsula is sand,
alluvium, clay, marl and sandstone. Robinson observed and wrote
about the sand and gravel as he traveled south to Jebel Musa (1977:89-96).
This terrain would be difficult to travel on foot or with carts,
especially when making a hasty exodus out of Egypt! This trip
would be impossible to do in seven days unless they averaged 50
miles per day for seven days or 58 miles a day if they took Shabbat
off. One should remember Thutmose III's army averaged only 15
miles per day across the sandy northern Sinai. The conditions
would be very similar.
The second problem is the topography of their land bridge across
the Strait of Tiran. One of the proponents claims that "the
distance shore to shore at the Strait of Tiran is no more than
two miles by far the narrowest channel on both sides of
the gulf" (Cornuke and Halbrrok 2000:215). If one measures
on the nautical maps, the distance from Sinai to Saudi Arabia
is eleven miles, not two.
The proponents also seem to imply that the land bridge is relatively
flat and can be crossed very quickly. One proponent says, "Due
north sat an oddity of Ripley's Believe it or Not: a five-hundred-yard-wide
coral reef, invisible on the surface yet spanning the entire straits
like a stealth aircraft carrier" (Cornuke and Halbrook 2000:212).
He goes on to say, "The coral reef we inspected is sturdy
and broad enough and situated in water shallow enough
to meet this 'dry land' criteria. Two million Israelites, columns
of cattle, flocks, fleets of carts and wagons even Egyptian
troops and chariots would have been able to pass quickly
over the tightly compacted coral without getting their feet wet"
(Cornuke and Halbrook 2000:214-215).
The British Admiralty map 801 and the American NOAA map 62222
show that these statements are not accurate. The shallow reefs
do not go all the way across and the land bridge is not flat.
In the midst of the Strait of Tiran is the Enterprise Passage
[See Map 2, taken from the NOAA map 62222]. This is an underwater
passage / channel that goes north south through the Strait. It
is approximately _ of a mile wide with a depth of 700 feet. The
eastern side has a slope with at least a 60% incline. To put this
incline number in perspective, in Bergen County, NJ, where I live,
roads can not have an incline of more than 10%. The 60% would
be an extremely difficult, if not impossible, obstacle for travel.
One of the proponents acknowledges this depth, but does not seem
to grasp the significance of the problem (Cornuke and Halbrook
2000:214). It would be a near impossible process for 2 million
people to go down and up these slopes, along with their carts
and wagons. It would be next to impossible for the Egyptian chariots
to go down and up unless they were SUV chariots with traction
tires! Also, if any of them stumbled going down the slopes they
would be cut very badly on the coral. This passage would be next
to impossible, if not an impossible obstacle, because it would
slow the pace of the Israelites down considerably or even stop
it, as well as cause serious problems for the Egyptian chariots.
To illustrate the impossibility of the Strait of Tiran crossing,
I would like to issue the following challenge to the proponents
of this view.
The Exodus Challenge
Bob Cornuke and Larry Williams are self-proclaimed "Adventurers of History." This challenge will be the ultimate adventure to validate their claims that Mt. Sinai is in Saudi Arabia.
The Challenge
Two of the three BASE participants (Bob Cornuke, Larry Williams and/or Ken Durham) are to walk from Tel el-Dab'a (Biblical Rameses) to their Red Sea Crossing, northeast of Sharm el-Sheik, in seven days with one day of rest for the Sabbath (either Saturday or Sunday).
The Conditions
They are to wear sandals and walk on the sandy ground, not on the paved road.
They are to take two ten-year-old children. (Please get a parental consent form signed by both parents. I do not want you to be hauled into court for child abuse). Also bring along two sheep and two goats.
They will be permitted to buy bottled water along the way. I do not want to be responsible for their death by dehydration!
In the event that the pillar of cloud/fire does not reappear, they will be permitted to use road maps and their good judgments as to the timing so as to cover the 350 miles, averaging 58 miles per day, in the allotted time.
The Concessions
They will not have to take 2 million men, women or children with them, nor a herd of cattle, a flock of sheep and herd of goats.
They will not have to bring along any nursing mothers with newborn children.
They will not need to bring along senior citizens. Remember, Moses, Aaron and Miriam were all more than 80 years old.
The Promise
In the unlikely event the challengers are successful, after being observed by a neutral party and documented on video, I (Gordon Franz) will publicly and in print, renounce my articles against the idea that Mt. Sinai is at Jebel al-Lawz and will wholeheartedly endorse their views. I will also donate $1,000 to the BASE Institute.
In the likely event of failure, I will let them decide what their course of action will be.
Ken Durham called this an "intentionally frivolous challenge"!
(Letter from Durham, Sept. 7, 2001, p. 7). With all due respect,
I am very serious about this challenge because if they walk it,
they will abandon the idea because they will know (experientially)
that it is impossible. He also objected to placing Rameses at
Tell el-Dab'a and would prefer to see it in eastern Goshen. As
they say at Burger King, "Have it your way!" I am willing
to let you start from the eastern end of the Wadi Tumilat and
go the 250 miles you think was the distance.
Durham says, "A steady walking rate of 3.5 miles per hour
sustained for 12 hours of navigable daylight results in a 'days
journey' optimal linear distance of 42 miles. Therefore, as odd
as it may sound to our ears to reckon a 'day's journey' as 42
to 43 miles, it is probably very close to the optimum of the Exodus
Hebrews" (Letter from Ken Durham, September 7, 2001, p. 14).
He then sets forth his scenario for the distance traveled each
day (pp. 13-15). On the first day they traveled 36 miles. The
second, 36 miles and camped at Etham, but he does not identify
where Etham was located. On the third day they pick up the pace
to 16-18 hours per day and travel 45-48 miles. The fourth day
they cover 48 miles. The fifth day they cover 40-45 miles, and
the sixth day another 45-50 miles. On Shabbat they rested. If
they can walk those distances each day, I would be impressed.
What really stretches the imagination is his reckoning of the
Egyptian forces. Pharaoh had spies following the Israelites for
three days. On the third day when they realize the Israelites
are not stopping, they return to Pharaoh by the fourth day so
he can muster his chariot force and foot soldiers in order to
pursue the Israelites. Those spies would have to run back overnight
to Pharaoh covering a distance of approximately 120 miles in less
than 12-16 hours (running a steady 10 miles per hour!). If Pharaoh
were successful in mustering his troops in one day, they would
have three days to catch up to the Israelites. They would have
to average 83 miles per day, on foot and in chariots, in order
to cover the 250 miles in three days! Anybody want to join them?
J
Other Problems With This View
It has been said, "The devil is always in the details."
There are other problems with this view. For example, the Israelites
camped at Etham at the edge of the wilderness (Ex. 13:20; Num.
33:6). The wilderness that is implied is the Wilderness of Etham.
After they cross the Red Sea, they journey in the Wilderness of
Etham again (Num. 33:8), also called the Wilderness of Shur (Ex.
15:22; Robinson 1977:80). If the proponents of Jebel al-Lawz were
consistent with their views, the Wilderness of Etham would be
somewhere on the west side of the Sinai, yet it would also be
across the Straits of Tiran in Saudi Arabia. It does not make
geographical sense to have one wilderness on the west side of
Sinai and the same wilderness across the Gulf of Akaba / Eilat
in Saudi Arabia.
Another problem is the Israelites second camp at the Red Sea.
According to the Number's itinerary, the Children of Israel cross
the Red Sea, stop at Marah, then moved on to Elim and camped by
the Red Sea (Num. 33:8-11). According to the proponents of Jebel
al-Lawz, Elim is located at al-Bad' (Williams 1990:178; Cornuke
and Halbrook 2000:96,97, plate 13,14). If their view were consistent,
they would have to give a reasonable explanation as to why the
Israelites backtracked to the Red Sea before they proceeded to
Jebel al-Lawz. On the other hand, a stop at the Red Sea, at the
mouth of Wadi Sudr, on the way to Jebel Sin Bishar makes perfect
geographical sense.
A third problem is the motivations of the Amalekites to attack
Israel at Rephidim (Ex. 17:8-16). The Biblical records place the
territory of the Amalekites around the area of Kadesh Barnea (Gen.
14:7) and the Negev (Num. 13:29). For a discussion of the archaeology
and geography of the Amalekites, see Mattingly 1992:1:169-171.
If Mt. Sinai is at Jebel Sin Bishar than the motive is clear.
The Israelites are heading to the Land of Canaan and the most
direct route is through Kadesh Barnea and the Negev. The Amalekites
were also protecting the abundant water source at Kadesh Barnea.
If Mt. Sinai is at Jebel al-Lawz, then there is no motive for
the Amalekites to travel all the way down to the site to attack
the Israelites. If the Israelites were going to the Land of Canaan,
they could go up the Transjordanian Highway and avoid Kadesh Barnea
and the Negev all together. Some proponents of Mt. Sinai in Midian
place Kadesh Barnea in the area of Petra. I have repeatedly asked
the proponents of Jebel al-Lawz where they place Kadesh Barnea
and they have yet to give me an answer.
The Conclusion of the Matter
As popular as this idea may be in certain evangelical (and even
Jewish) circles, there is no credible historical, geographical,
archaeological or Biblical evidence for the thesis that Mt. Sinai
is at Jebel al-Lawz in Saudi Arabia.
There are several unsubstantiated claims that the proponents of
this site need to substantiate or abandon. First, the Sinai Peninsula
was not part of Egypt proper, but "out of Egypt." Second,
Biblically, Mt. Sinai is not in the Land of Midian, yet Jebel
al-Lawz is in Midian territory (northwest Saudi Arabia). Third,
the Sinai Peninsula was part of "Arabia" in the First
Century AD. Paul would be perfectly correct in stating Mt. Sinai
is in Arabia if Mt. Sinai was at Jebel Sin Bishar.
The proponents also need to face up to the archaeological evidence
at their site. The petroglyphs of bovine existed long before Moses
ever lived. The so-called "Cave of Moses" at el-Bad'
were not hewn until long after Moses lived. The so-called "altar
of Moses and the 12 columns" dates to the Nabatean period
and has nothing to do with the Wilderness Wanderings.
The Red Sea crossings at the Gulf of Akaba / Eilat have serious
topographical and Biblical / geographical difficulties that the
proponents of the view need to consider.
A more plausible location for Mt. Sinai is at Jebel Sin Bishar
in the west central Sinai. If that is the case, the Red Sea crossing
would best be located at a natural land bridge that goes east-west
across the northern Gulf of Suez to the east of Jebel 'Ataqa.
The Pi Hahiroth, the "mouth of the canal", would be
the remnant of an unfinished canal near the modern day Suez City.
The Migdol, "fortress", would be at or near Clysma.
Baal-Zephon would be a temple to the mariner storm god Baal somewhere
on Jebel 'Ataqa.
Had the proponents of Jebel al-Lawz examined the evidence in the
libraries in the United States carefully and visited the Egyptian
Museum in Cairo, they would have come to a different conclusion.
First of all, they would have discovered that they were looking
in the wrong place for the Red Sea Crossing and Mt. Sinai. Second,
in the Cairo Museum they would have noticed the chariots of Pharaoh
Tutankhamen. With the exception of Pharaoh's gold plated chariot,
all the other chariots were made of wood and rawhide (leather)
with a few copper components. The first two items that would have
disintegrated quickly underwater (Littauer and Crouwel 1992:1:888.889).
Thus there would be nothing left of the chariots to discover with
the exception of a few pieces of copper.
Finally, the proponents would have considered the words of Josephus.
"On the morrow, the arms of the Egyptians having been carried
up to the Hebrews' camp by the tide and the force of the wind
setting in that directions, Moses, surmising that this too was
due to the providence of God, to ensure that even in weapons they
should not be wanting, collected them and, having accoutered [equipped]
the Hebrews therein, led them forward for Mount Sinai, with intent
there to sacrifice to God and to render to Him the thanks-offerings
of the people for their deliverance, even as he had received commandment"
(Antiquities 2:349; LCL 4:317,319). Why look for
things that had disintegrated long ago and weapons that were providentially
given to the Israelites? It would be better to follow the example
of Moses and go and worship the Lord for His great salvation!
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Addenda:
An Open Letter to Bob Cornucke, from Gordon Franz, February 28, 2002Did Edom's Original Boundaries Extend West of 'Wadi Arabah? by Bruce Crew
Monday, December 17, 2001. March 14, 2003.