Exodus 19:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The period of fifty days is documented not only within the Gospel but also throughout the Scriptures, particularly as it relates to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:14) and in the texts of the Old Testament. Following the observance of the Passover, marked by the sacrifice of the lamb, this fifty-day interval leads to the moment when the Law, inscribed by the very hand of God, was bestowed upon Moses on Mount Sinai. The Gospel makes it clear that the reference to the finger of God alludes to the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:20).

In the sixteenth chapter, we summarize the findings from recent explorations in the Sinai Peninsula. These studies have led to the identification of Raz-Sufsafeh as the peak from which the law was proclaimed. Raz-Sufsafeh, a granite elevation on the western side of Mount Horeb, stands as the place the Israelites approached from the east, where a life-giving spring erupted. North of the granite slope of Raz-Sufsafeh lies the expansive plain of Er-Rahah, recognized as the desert of Sinai, which could have accommodated the entire Israelite camp. Additionally, to the northeast, a notable gorge, Wadi ed-Deir, extends toward the sacred peak of Sinai, enveloping the entire eastern slope of the Sinai range.