which this ridge lies is well watered by several streams. In front of the northern peak (Ras es-Safsaf) lies the plain of er-Raha, having an approximate length of two miles (3 kilometers) and extending from one-third to two-thirds of a mile (.5 to 1 kilometer) in width.

Based on his observations at the site in the nineteenth century, A. P. Stanley writes: “That such a plain should exist at all in front of such a cliff is so remarkable a coincidence with the sacred narrative, as to furnish a strong internal argument, not merely of its identity with the scene, but of the scene itself having been described by an eyewitness.” Commenting on the descent of Moses and Joshua from Mount Sinai, he states: “Any one coming down from one of the secluded basins behind the Ras Sasafeh, through the oblique gullies which flank it on the north and south, would hear the sounds borne through the silence from the plain, but would not see the plain itself till he emerged from the Wady El-Deir or the Wady Leja; and when he did so, he would be immediately under the precipitous cliff of Sasafeh.” Stanley further observes that Moses’ throwing the dust of the golden calf into the “torrent that was descending from the mountain” would also fit this area, saying: “This would be perfectly possible in the Wady Er-Raheh, into which issues the brook of the Wady Leja, descending, it is true, from Mount St. Catherine, but still in sufficiently close connection with the Gebel Mousa to justify the expression, ‘coming down out of the mount.’”—Sinai and Palestine, 1885, pp. 107-109.

The traditional view is that Mount Sinai may be identified with the loftier southern peak (Jebel Musa, meaning “mountain of Moses”). However, numerous scholars concur with Stanley’s view that the northern peak, Ras es-Safsaf, is more likely, there being no extensive plain in front of Jebel Musa.

EVENTS

Near Mount Sinai or Horeb, Jehovah’s angel appeared to Moses in the burning thornbush and commissioned him to lead the enslaved Israelites out of Egypt. (Ex. 3:1-10; Acts 7:30) Probably about a year later the liberated nation arrived at Mount Sinai. (Ex. 19:2) Here Moses ascended the mountain, evidently to receive further instruction from Jehovah, since it had already been revealed to him at the burning thornbush that ‘on this mountain they would serve the true God.’—Ex. 3:12; 19:3.

Moses was then directed to tell the people that their strict obedience to Jehovah’s word and covenant would result in their becoming a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. (Ex. 19:5, 6) The older men, as representatives of the entire nation, agreed to do this. Jehovah then instructed Moses to sanctify the people so that they might meet him on the third day thereafter. Bounds were set round about the mountain, for anyone touching it, whether man or beast, was to die.—Ex. 19:10-15.

On the morning of the third day, “thunders and lightnings began occurring, and a heavy cloud upon the mountain and a very loud sound of a horn.” The people in the camp trembled. Moses then brought them from the camp to the base of the mountain to meet the true God. Mount Sinai rocked and smoked all over. (Ex. 19:16-19; Ps. 68:8) At God’s invitation Moses went up the mountain and again was instructed to impress upon the people that they must not try to ascend. Even the “priests” (not the Levites, but apparently Israelite males who, like the patriarchs, served in priestly capacity for their households according to natural right and custom) could not go beyond the set bounds.—Ex. 19:20-24.

After Moses descended from Mount Sinai, the Israelites heard the “Ten Words” from the midst of the fire and the cloud. (Ex. 19:19–20:18; Deut. 5:6-22) Jehovah here spoke to them through an angelic representative, as is made clear at Acts 7:38, Hebrews 2:2 and Galatians 3:19. Frightened by the awesome display of lightning and smoke, and the sound of the horn and thunders, the people, through their representatives, requested that God no longer speak with them in this manner, but that he do so through Moses. Jehovah then instructed Moses to tell them to return to their tents. The spectacle at Mount Sinai was intended to instill in the Israelites a wholesome fear for God so that they might continue observing his commandments. (Ex. 20:19, 20; Deut. 5:23-30) After this, Moses, perhaps accompanied by Aaron (compare Exodus 19:24), went near the dark cloud mass on Mount Sinai to hear Jehovah’s further commands and judicial decisions.—Ex. 20:21; 21:1.

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai he related Jehovah’s words to the people and they again expressed their willingness to be obedient. Thereafter he wrote down the words of God and early the next morning built an altar and erected twelve pillars at the foot of the mountain. Burnt sacrifices and communion sacrifices were offered, and with the blood of the sacrificial victims the Law covenant was inaugurated.—Ex. 24:3-8; Heb. 9:16-22.

Having come into a covenant relationship with Jehovah, the Israelites, through their representatives, were able to draw near to Mount Sinai. Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and seventy of the older men of Israel approached the mountain and saw a magnificent vision of God’s glory. (Ex. 24:9-11) Afterward Moses, accompanied by Joshua, ascended the mountain, this time to receive further commands and the stone tablets containing the “Ten Words.” Not until the seventh day, however, was Moses invited to enter the cloud. It seems that Joshua continued to wait for Moses on the mountain, at a point where he could neither see nor hear anything that occurred in the Israelite camp. (Ex. 24:12-18) However, whether Joshua, like Moses, did not eat nor drink for the entire forty-day period is not stated. As Moses and Joshua at the end of this period descended Mount Sinai, they could hear the festive singing in the Israelite camp. From the foot of Mount Sinai Moses caught sight of the golden calf and the festivities. Immediately he threw down the two stone tablets, shattering them at the foot of the mountain.—Ex. 32:15-19; Heb. 12:18-21.

Later, Moses was instructed to make two stone tablets like those he had shattered and again ascend Mount Sinai, in order to have the “Ten Words” recorded thereon. (Ex. 34:1-3; Deut. 10:1-4) Moses spent another forty days on the mountain without eating or drinking. (Ex. 34:28; apparently this is the same forty-day period as that mentioned at Deuteronomy 9:18; compare Exodus 34:4, 5, 8; Deuteronomy 10:10.) From the time that the tabernacle or tent of meeting was erected and the cloud began to cover it, divine communication no longer came directly from Mount Sinai but from the tent of meeting set up in its vicinity.—Ex. 40:34, 35; Lev. 1:1; 25:1; Num. 1:1; 9:1.

Centuries later the prophet Elijah spent forty days at Horeb or Sinai, “the mountain of the true God.”—1 Ki. 19:8.

2. “Sinai” also designates the wilderness adjacent to the mountain by the same name. (Lev. 7:38) The exact geographical limits of the wilderness of Sinai cannot be determined from the Bible record. It was apparently located near Rephidim. (Ex. 19:2; compare Exodus 17:1-6.) To the wilderness of Sinai Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought Moses’ wife Zipporah and his two sons Gershom and Eliezer, to be reunited with Moses. (Ex. 18:1-7) Among other noteworthy events occurring in the wilderness of Sinai were: Israel’s succumbing to calf worship during Moses’ absence (Ex. 32:1-8); the execution of 3,000 men who undoubtedly had a major part in calf worship (Ex. 32:26-28); Israel’s outward expression of repentance by stripping themselves of their ornaments (Ex. 33:6); the construction of the tabernacle and its furnishings and the making of the priestly garments (Ex. 36:8–39:43); the installation of the priesthood and the beginning of its services at the tabernacle (Lev. 8:4–9:24; Num. 28:6); the execution of Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu by fire from Jehovah for offering illegitimate fire (Lev. 10:1-3); the first registration of Israelite males for the army (Num. 1:1-3), and the initial celebration of the Passover outside of Egypt.—Num. 9:1-5.

SINEW

A tendon of the body. Man is said to be woven together with bones and sinews. (Job 10:11; see also Job 40:15-18; BEHEMOTH.) In a figurative sense the Israelites were said to have a neck as “an iron sinew,” meaning that they were rigid, stubborn, stiff-necked. (Isa. 48:4; compare Exodus 32:9.) God’s spiritual revival of his people was pictured by the bringing together of bones and the putting of flesh and sinews upon them.—Ezek. 37:6-8.

During Jacob’s grappling with an angel, the angel touched the socket of Jacob’s thigh joint, causing it to get out of place. The account written later by Moses says: “That is why the sons of Israel are not accustomed to eat the sinew of the thigh nerve, which is on the socket of the thigh joint, down to this [Moses’] day, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s thigh joint by the sinew of the thigh nerve.” (Gen. 32:32) Many Jews still adhere to this custom, removing the sciatic nerve together with arteries and tendons before eating the animal. This precept is considered by some Jewish commentators to be a reminder of God’s providence to Israel as exemplified in the experience of the patriarch Jacob, father of the twelve tribes.

SINGERS, SINGING

See Music.

SINGLENESS

The state of being unmarried. In the beginning, after creating the man Adam, “Jehovah God went on to say: ‘It is not good for the man to continue by himself. I am going to make a helper for him, as a complement of him.’” (Gen. 2:18, 21-24) Thereafter, marriage was the normal way of life among mankind and exceptions were rare and for special reasons.—See MARRIAGE.

One such special case was that of Jeremiah. He was under divine command to remain single and not to father children, since there were desperate circumstances coming on that nation in which children would be ruthlessly slaughtered by a cruel conqueror. (Jer. 16:1-4) Jephthah’s daughter was another exception. Out of respect for her father’s vow she willingly remained single in full-time service at Jehovah’s house.—Judg. 11:34-40.

The apostle Paul discussed the benefits of singleness, provided one is not under excessive pressure, not “inflamed with passion” and therefore in danger of committing fornication or adultery. The course of singleness is “better” in that it allows one to serve God “without distraction.” (1 Cor. 7:1, 2, 8, 9, 29-38; 9:5) Whether the four daughters of Philip the evangelizer married later in life is not stated, but at the time Luke wrote his account they were mentioned as “virgins, that prophesied.”—Acts 21:8, 9.

Christ Jesus, like Jeremiah, remained unmarried. In conversation with his disciples about the question of whether singleness was to be preferred over the state of marriage, Jesus said, “Not all men make room for the saying, but only those who have the gift . . . and there are eunuchs that have made themselves eunuchs on account of the kingdom of the heavens. Let him that can make room for it make room for it.”—Matt. 19:10-12.

Singleness, then, is a gift having as its basic advantage the freedom afforded the possessor. Jesus here used figurative language. Men “make room for it,” not by literal self-emasculation, but in their hearts, by willingly resolving to keep themselves physically in the unmarried state, whether for a lifetime or for a more limited period of time, maintaining this status by self-control.

The teaching and practice of compulsory celibacy by certain religious sects, however, finds no support in Scripture. To the contrary, it is written, “In later periods of time some will fall away from the faith, . . . forbidding to marry.” (1 Tim. 4:1-3) Notably, many or most of the apostles were married men. (1 Cor. 9:5) What keeps those with the gift of singleness from marrying need not be a vow of celibacy but their desire and ability to apply themselves to the service of God in the single state.

SINIM, LAND OF

(Siʹnim),

A country from which, it was foretold, scattered Israelites would come, to dwell in and rehabilitate their homeland. (Isa. 49:12) Reference to the N and W in the same verse suggests that Sinim was S or E of Palestine. Instead of “Sinim,” the Septuagint reads “land of the Persians” (Bagster), which could include Elam, called Si-nim in Old Akkadian. (Compare Isaiah 11:11.) The Targums and the Vulgate, on the other hand, read “[land] to the south.” Certain scholars have suggested identification with the wilderness of Sin or the cities of Syene or Sin (Pelusium?), all generally S of the Promised Land. (Ex. 16:1; Ezek. 30:6, 15) Some have even suggested distant Sinae (China), but the presence of Israelites there is said to date only from a later time, the third century B.C.E. Hence, there is uncertainty as to Sinim’s location.

SINITE

(Siʹnite).

A branch of Canaan’s descendants, and one of the seventy post-Flood families. (Gen. 10:15, 17; 1 Chron. 1:15) Several Lebanese locations of similar name are noted in various ancient writings, but the exact place where the Sinites settled remains uncertain.

SIN OFFERING

See OFFERINGS.

SION

(Siʹon) [elevated, towering].

Another, perhaps older, name for Mount Hermon. (Deut. 4:48) Sion (not Zion), like the Amorite name Senir, may have designated a particular part of Mount Hermon.—Compare Deuteronomy 3:9; 1 Chronicles 5:23; The Song of Solomon 4:8; see HERMON.

SIPHMOTH

(Siphʹmoth) [possibly, fruitful].

A Judean city to which David sent a “gift blessing” of the spoils of his victory over the Amalekites. While a fugitive, he and his men had free access to the city. (1 Sam. 30:26-31) Its location is today unknown.—Compare 1 Chronicles 27:27; SHIPHMITE.

SIPPAI

(Sipʹpai).

Equivalent name of Saph, a man among those born of the Rephaim. He was struck down by Sibbecai.—1 Chron. 20:4; 2 Sam. 21:18.

SIRAH, CISTERN OF

(Siʹrah),

Abner was at the cistern of Sirah when Joab’s messengers had him return to Hebron (where he was subsequently murdered). (2 Sam. 3:26, 27) Sirah may correspond to ʽAin Sarah, a spring or well about a mile and a half (2.4 kilometers) NW of Hebron. Josephus claims that Sirah (which he calls Besira) was twenty furlongs (or less than two and a half statute miles [c. 4 kilometers]) from Hebron.—Antiquities of the Jews, Book VII, chap. I, par. 5.

SIRION

(Sirʹi·on) [cuirass, coat of mail].

The old Sidonian name for Mount Hermon, called Senir by the Amorites. (Deut. 3:9) The names “Sirion” and “Senir” appear in the Ugaritic texts found at Ras Shamra in northern Syria, and in the documents from the Turkish village Boghazkevi, thus corroborating the Bible’s exactness. Like Senir, Sirion perhaps