Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:
(bushy). The peninsula of Sinai lies between the two great arms of the Red Sea, Gulf of Araba on the east, and Gulf of Suez on the west. This region contains the mountain system of Horeb or Sinai, on one of whose mounts, or peaks, God appeared to Moses in the burning bush (Ex. 3:1-5), amid whose surrounding wilderness the wandering Israelites encamped, (Ex. 19:1-2), and from whose cloud-obscured heights the law was delivered to Moses (Ex. 19:3-25; 20-40 Lev.). The numbering also took place there (Num. 1:1-10:1-12). The peninsula is a triangle whose base extends from the head of Suez to Akaba. This base is pierced by the plateau of Tih, the “desert of wandering,” south of which are those tumultuous mountain clusters above mentioned, central among which is Mount Sinai. The coast ranges along Akaba and Suez are systematic and elevated. The region was a dependency of Egypt from earliest times, but became subject to Rome.
Concise Bible Dictionary:
Mountain and Plain of Sinai.
This name is applied to both a mountain and to a wilderness. They lie between the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Akaba. The mountain is really a range of high hills and is sometimes called HOREB, which may be a more general name for the whole of the range. Mount Sinai is especially connected with the giving of the law. Moses and the elders went up into the mountain, and Moses there received the Ten Commandments written on two stones. The Israelites were located in the wilderness of Sinai, which must have been a large place capable of holding two million people. By comparing Exodus 19:1 with Numbers 10:11, it will be seen that they continued there nearly a year.
The mountains in the locality have been surveyed in modern days, and a plain has been found, about two miles long and half a mile wide, affording ample room for the people to assemble, and where they could hear the thunder, and see the fire and smoke issuing from the mount. The plain is now called er Rahah. Adjoining this is a precipitous granite rock called Jebel Musa (Ras Sufsafeh) which is so formed that the elders who accompanied Moses part of the way up, could remain there while Moses proceeded to the summit, which cannot be seen from the plain (Exod. 19:1-23; Psa. 68:8,17; Neh. 9:13; Acts 7:30, 38).
The term Sinai is frequently employed as representing “the law,” and is used by Paul as a symbol of “bondage,” for law and bondage cannot be separated, and stand in strong contrast to the “liberty” wherewith Christ makes the believer free (Gal. 4:24-25), compare with Galatians 5:1. See map under WANDERINGS OF THE ISRAELITES.
Jackson’s Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names:
Greek for Sinai