The Sinai peninsula was only mentioned in the Old Testament, mostly during the Exodus. In addition to the desert areas, Mount Sinai and Mount Paran existed as part of the country of Egypt. After Hagar and Ishmael were sent away from Abraham and Sarah, Ishmael lived in the Desert of Paran and took an Egyptian wife (according to Genesis 21). God gave Moses & the Israelites the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai during the Exodus from Egypt.
Generic verses related to Sinai: Exodus 16:1, Deuteronomy 33:2, Judges 5:5 and Psalms 68 verses 8 and 18.
"The most prominent location in the region was Mount Sinai which was most likely towards the southern-most point.
Exodus 19:10-11,18-23:
10. And the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes
11. and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
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18. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire.
The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently,
19. and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.
20. The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up
21. and the LORD said to him, "Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the LORD and many of them perish.
22. Even the priests, who approach the LORD, must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them."
23. Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us,
`Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.'"
Exodus 24:15-16:
15. When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it,
16. and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain,
and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud.
Exodus 31:18: When the LORD finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.
Exodus 34:1-4,29-32:
1. The LORD said to Moses, "Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.
2. Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai. Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain.
3. No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain."
4. So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the LORD had commanded him;
and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands.
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29. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands,
he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD.
30. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.
31. But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them.
32. Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai.
Additional occurrences of Mount Sinai: Leviticus 25:1, 26:46, 27:34; Numbers 3:1 and 28:6; Nehemiah 9:13-14; Galatians 4:24-25
Several other towns were stated in the Exodus passages: Marah, Elim, Rephidim, Hazeroth, Ezion Geber and Kadesh-Barnea.
(See the Exodus, Canaan, the Hebrew Kingdoms timespan for an alternate map of the Exodus route.)
Occurrences of Marah: Exodus 15:23; Numbers 33:8-9
Occurrences of Elim: Exodus 15:27; 16:1; Numbers 33:9-10
Occurrences of Rephidim: Exodus 17:1,8; 19:2; Numbers 33:14-15
Occurrences of Hazeroth: Deuteronomy 1:1; Numbers 11:35; 12:16; 33:17-18
Paran was a region including the northern and possibly central portions of the Sinai peninsula and may have included what is now known as the nation of Israel. According to the image, the deserts in that region were the Deserts of Sinai, Zin, Sin, Shur and Paran. The Bible didn't mention the Desert of Sin; but, the Desert of Shur had a cameo in Exodus 15:22.
The only reference to Mount Paran was found in Habukkuk 3:3.
Desert of Sinai - Exodus 19:1-2; Leviticus 7:37-38;
Numbers 1:1,19; 3:4,14; 9:1,5;
10:12; 26:64; 33:15-16
Desert of Zin - Numbers 13:21; 20:1; 27:14;
33:36; 34:3; Deuteronomy 32:51;
Joshua 15:1
Desert of Paran - Genesis 21:21; Numbers 10:12; 12:16;
13:3,26
