# A covenant at the mountain Exodus & Wilderness · Reviewed · BSB Content revision: 24fcd2440e6d8029 · Editorial review: 2026-09-23 [Citation / readable page](https://wilderness-scripture-atlas.pages.dev/reference/events/sinai/) [Open interactive map](https://wilderness-scripture-atlas.pages.dev/?event=sinai) [Markdown](https://wilderness-scripture-atlas.pages.dev/reference/events/sinai/index.md) [JSON](https://wilderness-scripture-atlas.pages.dev/reference/events/sinai/index.json) Date: c. 1446–1445 BC · Year 1, month 3 → Year 2, month 2. Dated from 1 Kings 6:1, which places the Exodus 480 years before Solomon began the temple (c. 966 BC). Many scholars instead date the Exodus to about 1260 BC. Israel camps at the mountain, receives the covenant, and sets up the tabernacle. In Deuteronomy, Moses recalls this encounter at Horeb as the foundation of their life together. Arrival is dated in Exodus 19:1, the tabernacle is erected in Exodus 40:17, and departure is dated in Numbers 10:11. This stop summarizes an extended stay, not a single day. ## Primary Scripture [Exodus 19:1–8 (BSB)](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2019%3A1%E2%80%938&version=BSB) 19:1 In the third month, on the same day of the month that the Israelites had left the land of Egypt, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. 19:2 After they had set out from Rephidim, they entered the Wilderness of Sinai, and Israel camped there in front of the mountain. 19:3 Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, “This is what you are to tell the house of Jacob and explain to the sons of Israel: 19:4 ‘You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. 19:5 Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine. 19:6 And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.” 19:7 So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him. 19:8 And all the people answered together, “We will do everything that the LORD has spoken.” So Moses brought their words back to the LORD. [Exodus 20:1–21 (BSB)](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2020%3A1%E2%80%9321&version=BSB) 20:1 And God spoke all these words: 20:2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 20:3 You shall have no other gods before Me. 20:4 You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. 20:5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 20:6 but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments. 20:7 You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain. 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 20:9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 20:10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant or livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates. 20:11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, but on the seventh day He rested. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. 20:12 Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. 20:13 You shall not murder. 20:14 You shall not commit adultery. 20:15 You shall not steal. 20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 20:17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, or his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” 20:18 When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sounding of the ram’s horn, and the mountain enveloped in smoke, they trembled and stood at a distance. 20:19 “Speak to us yourself and we will listen,” they said to Moses. “But do not let God speak to us, or we will die.” 20:20 “Do not be afraid,” Moses replied. “For God has come to test you, so that the fear of Him may be before you, to keep you from sinning.” 20:21 And the people stood at a distance as Moses approached the thick darkness where God was. [Exodus 40:17–38 (BSB)](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2040%3A17%E2%80%9338&version=BSB) 40:17 So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year. 40:18 When Moses set up the tabernacle, he laid its bases, positioned its frames, inserted its crossbars, and set up its posts. 40:19 Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering over the tent, just as the LORD had commanded him. 40:20 Moses took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attaching the poles to the ark; and he set the mercy seat atop the ark. 40:21 Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle, put up the veil for the screen, and shielded off the ark of the Testimony, just as the LORD had commanded him. 40:22 Moses placed the table in the Tent of Meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil. 40:23 He arranged the bread on it before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him. 40:24 He also placed the lampstand in the Tent of Meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle 40:25 and set up the lamps before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him. 40:26 Moses placed the gold altar in the Tent of Meeting, in front of the veil, 40:27 and he burned fragrant incense on it, just as the LORD had commanded him. 40:28 Then he put up the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle. 40:29 He placed the altar of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, just as the LORD had commanded him. 40:30 He placed the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing; 40:31 and from it Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and feet. 40:32 They washed whenever they entered the Tent of Meeting or approached the altar, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. 40:33 And Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar, and he hung the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard. So Moses finished the work. 40:34 Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 40:35 Moses was unable to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 40:36 Whenever the cloud was lifted from above the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out through all the stages of their journey. 40:37 If the cloud was not lifted, they would not set out until the day it was taken up. 40:38 For the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel through all their journeys. [Numbers 10:11–13 (BSB)](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2010%3A11%E2%80%9313&version=BSB) 10:11 On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the cloud was lifted from above the tabernacle of the Testimony, 10:12 and the Israelites set out from the Wilderness of Sinai, traveling from place to place until the cloud settled in the Wilderness of Paran. 10:13 They set out this first time according to the LORD’s command through Moses. ## Related Scripture Direct recollection: Deuteronomy 4–5 explicitly recalls the covenant encounter at Horeb. Moses is speaking later in Moab, not taking the people back to the mountain. [Deuteronomy 4:9–14 · recollection](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%204%3A9%E2%80%9314&version=BSB) [Deuteronomy 5:1–22 · recollection](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%205%3A1%E2%80%9322&version=BSB) ## Location evidence The map uses the traditional Jebel Musa identification. The location of biblical Sinai/Horeb is disputed; alternative proposals are not plotted in this first edition. Event map marker: Proposed site; \[longitude, latitude\] = \[33.973333, 28.539722\]. This is a teaching marker, not an exact event venue. Mount Sinai / Horeb: Proposed site. Coordinates \[longitude, latitude\]: \[33.973333, 28.539722\]. Classification source: editorial. [OpenBible · site identifications](https://www.openbible.info/geo/ancient/abfba2a/mount-sinai) [OpenBible · site identifications](https://www.openbible.info/geo/ancient/abfba2a/mount-sinai) ## For the class How does the covenant shape the kind of people Israel is called to become? ## Interpretation and reuse Narrative order is a reading arrangement, not a proven chronology. Dates retain their stated uncertainty. An identified locality does not establish the exact venue or prove an event. Region extents and routes are illustrative, not surveyed boundaries or ancient roads. Draft material has not completed editorial review. Record source: editorial (src/data/journey.ts) Place coordinates from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding Data, CC BY 4.0. Teaching stops, summaries and regional extents are original editorial content of this atlas. Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain. https://berean.bible/licensing.htm [Use this atlas with AI / data documentation](https://wilderness-scripture-atlas.pages.dev/reference/ai/)