10 
Here a remarkable line of precipitous mountains forms the 
northern boundary of a district called El Jibal by the Arabs. 
This district comprises the high central group of mountains 
which cluster round Jebel Musa ; and which I believe to have 
borne at the time of the Exodus the name of Horeb. It seems 
very probable that the Amalekites should have retired before 
the advancing hosts of Israel to this natural fortress, and that 
they should have determined to concentrate all their forces 
in making one great stand against their invaders at this spot. 
El Watiyeh affords the only possible pass by which waggons 
could enter this district ; and being only about 40 yards broad 
and 400 long, and flanked on either side by precipitous 
cliffs, it would form a strong point of defence. It is, more- 
over, only one day's march from Jebel Musa, which agrees 
better with the Bible narrative than the proposed site in Wady 
Feiran, which is three days distant. The rock at Rephidim, 
which, when stricken by Moses, supplied the Israelites with 
water, is described as being in Horeb, and this would be strictly 
true if El Watiyeh be Rephidim, and the district of El Jibal 
be Horeb. 
I have spoken of Jebel Musa as Mount Sinai, and the Ord- 
nance Survey of the country has, I believe, proved this without 
a doubt. There is no other mountain in the Peninsula that 
answers all the requirements of the sacred history ; in this we 
find a mountain standing apart from others, so that bounds 
could be placed round it ; rising abruptly from its base, so that 
people might come near and stand beneath it, and might even 
touch it, if permitted ; and having before it a large open space, 
the Wady er Rahar, on which the whole congregation of 
Israel might assemble and come near, or move afar off’, without 
losing sight of its northern peak, the Ras Sufsafeh, which 
must have been that from which the Law was given. There 
is also a larger supply of water and pasturage in the neigh- 
bourhood of Jebel Musa than in any other part of the 
Peninsula. 
I have not time to say much about the route of the Israelites 
from Mount Sinai to Kadesk. I am convinced that they did 
not follow that usually laid down for them to the Gulf of Akaba 
by Ain el Huthera. The wadies along that route are confined 
and winding, and impassable for waggons, six of which, we are 
told, had been presented by the princes at Mount Sinai for 
the service of the tabernacle. 
I spent some weeks last spring in tracing out and exploring 
all the available roads and passes, and have come to the con- 
clusion that they probably marched direct northwards from 
Jebel Musa, and ascended to the Tih plateau by Wady Zelleger 
