시내 산의 위치에 대한 논쟁: 문제와 과제

Abstract

Mt. Sinai was a primary destination on the Exodus route, and was the place where Israel met with God and entered into covenant with His laws. The special status of Mt. Sinai is reflected in the name “Yahweh’s mount” (Num 10:33) or “God’s mount” (Exo 4:27; 18:5; 24:13). However, it is difficult to find the locations of the Exodus stations because ancient toponyms are not found in the Sinai Peninsula. Jews, Christians, and Muslims have tried to find the holy mountain since ancient times. A recent book published in Korea argues that Mt. Sinai is not in the Sinai Peninsula, but rather in the Saudi Arabian Peninsula, the land of Midian. This book has provoked not only substantial public concern, but also scholarly disputes. This study seeks to define a proper method to identify the biblical sites and to discuss future tasks related to our recent arguments for the identification of Mt. Sinai. Research from the early and late nineteenth century was not considered in our recent arguments about Mt. Sinai. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to define the questions and to delineate remaining assignments for its identification by examining past studies and the focus of research methods. We should depend on ancient traditions and diaries of pilgrimages in order to find the location of Mt. Sinai since the Old Testament does not identify the site. However, Jewish and Christian traditional materials from ancient times do not specify the location, so we cannot use them as decisive sources for its identification. Although many explorations and archaeological excavations have been conducted in the Sinai Peninsula from the nineteenth century to the late twentieth century, the historic path of the Exodus and the location of Mt. Sinai are not definitively known. Until even recently since modern times, explorations raised as essential methodology for the identification on Exodus itinerary have largely depended on the local citizenrys oral traditions, whose methods turn out to be problematic. In that case, what are the remaining tasks to identify Mt. Sinai? First, this study suggests a hermeneutic task that could analyze different traditions among the texts dealing with the Exodus route in Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. It is necessary to study the stations list in Numbers 33 as a principal text, which has been neglected recently as compound text. In addition, the relationship between the Exodus stations and the wildernesses merits close attention. Also needed is an extensive environmental survey including geography, geology, ecology, climatic, and water resources in the Saudi Arabian Peninsula as well as the Sinai Peninsula. Finally, an archaeological mission is needed including archaeological studies and excavations in the Saudi Arabian Peninsula, which have relatively been ignored. The importance of identifying Mt. Sinai makes it necessary to use careful and consistent methods.