WHEEE IS MOUNT SINAI ? 47 



vegetation for the food of the flocks and herds accompanying- 

 the host. At the present day the valleys in this district 

 are very far from being deserts. When seen from the summit 

 of the mountain, even at the end of the summer or autumn, 

 their surfaces show a green tinge contrasting vvdth the 

 colours of the naked rocks forming the fl.anks of the moun- 

 tains themselves ; and, as a matter of fact, there is generally 

 a covering of vegetation over their surftices, consisting of 

 small plants and herbs upon which the camels mainly depend 

 for their food when traversing the mountain passes. The 

 Zi/gopJiiUum is generally iibundant even in dry localities ; 

 and, where there are springs, willows, broom with Avliite 

 hlossoms, tamarisks and palm trees flourish ; but there is some 

 reason for believing that, 3,000 years ago, the vegetation was 

 more abundant than at the pjcsent da3^* As regards water, 

 there is no mountain in the whole peninsula better supplied 

 than Jebel Musa. I have already referred to the fine spring 

 which descends from the pool immediately under the summit 

 of the mountain, but there are several others, especially that 

 which gives origin to the brook of the W. el Leja on the 

 flanks of J . Katharina ; without doubt there was no want of 

 water for the necessities of the host of Israel during their 

 encampment. 



5. Conclusion. — I have thus endeavoured to show that, 

 both as regards geographical position and the physical 

 details to be gathered from a careful survey of Jebel Musa 

 and its surroundings, this mountain sustains its claim to be 

 regarded as the Mount Sinai of the Bible, from the summit 

 of which Jehovah gave the Law to the Children of Israel. 

 The fact that there is a mountain which in the minuter details 

 of the narrative can be found to meet tliese requirements, is 

 a strong corr^'boration of the truth and reality of the events 

 recorded ; but only those who have visited personally this 

 wonderful region can realize to their full extent the harmony 

 between the narrative and the physical conditions presented 

 to his view.f 



* Mem. Physical Geology of Arabia Fetra;a, cbc, chap. 2, part v (1886). 



t I believe Prof. Sayce attaches some importance to the passages ia 

 Deut. xxxiii, 2, and .Judges v, 4, in Avhich there is an appearance of 

 identifying Seir or Edom with Sinai. This appearance of identification 

 seems to me very questionable ; but in any case the language of Hebrew 

 poetry can scarcely be admitted as of greater force than a nar]'ative of 

 events. 



