Page 4 - BV17

4 Is Mt. Sinai the Mountain of YEHOVAH?

mountain appropriately named after Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses. This route rises gradually
along the eastern slopes until it connects with the last 750 steps of the first path. It was at that inter-
section, according to the tradition of the monks, that Elijah encountered YEHOVAH.

A Christian chapel and a Muslim shrine, both small and crudely built mark the spot where
the Tablets of the Law were supposedly given to Moses. A cave nearby is revered as the “cleft in the
rock” wherein YEHOVAH placed Moses as His Shekinah Glory passed by him, as related in Exo-
dus 33:22. A well along the descent route is identified as the well from which Moses watered the
flock of his father-in-law. Every possible event relating to the Mountain of God is thus assigned by
the monks’ traditions a definite spot on the peak of Jebel Musa and its surroundings.

St. Katherine’s Monastery

From Jebel Musa one can clearly see some of the other peaks which make up the granite
heartland, of which this mount is a member. Surprisingly, it appears to be quite lower than many of
its neighbors!

Indeed, in support of the Saint Katherine legend, the monks have put up a sign in the main
building which proclaims:

Altitude 5, 012 ft.
Moses Mount 7,560 ft.
Sta. Katherine Mount 8,576 ft.

Since it is evident that Mt. Katherine is indeed the higher one -- in fact, the highest in the
peninsula -- one is disappointed that, contrary to long-held beliefs, YEHOVAH God brought the

The Berean Voice September-October 2002