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Bible Q

Why is Horeb called the mountain of God?

Answered by . May 15, 2011 - 10:36 pm

The complete question is:

In Exodus 3:1 Moses led his flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. Why is the mountain called the mountain of God?

If the mountain where the transfiguration occured (Matt 17:1-9) could be referred to as “the holy mountain” by Peter (2 Pet 1:17-18), it is not surprising that the mountain where:

  • the LORD spoke to Moses in the burning bush
  • the LORD met with the people of Israel (Exodus 19:9-20)
  • the Law was given
  • the Ten Commandments were inscribed by God on the tablets of stone
  • the plans for the Tabernacle were given

was called the mountain of God.

4 Replies to “Why is Horeb called the mountain of God?”

  1. This is in response to your answer. You pointed out 5 issues as examples to support your answer.
    1.The LORD met Moses at Mount Horeb Exo 3:1.See also (Exodus 18:5)(Exodus 24:13-16)
    2.The LORD met with the people at of Israel on Mount Sinai ( Exodus 19:11,20,23.
    3.The Law was given from Mount Sinai ( EXodus 19:23-Chapter 20).
    4.The 10 commandments were inscribed by God on the tablets of stone upon Mount Sinai( Exodus 24:12-16) and (Exodus31:18.)
    5.The plans for the Tabernacle were given on Mount Sinai. Exodus Chapters 26-31.
    From these, is Mount Horeb the same as Mount Sinai?

    • Mount Horeb and Mount Sinai were the same area. The mountain – Mount Sinai – may have been situated at a locality known as Horeb which was in the wilderness of Sinai. The mountain is nearly always called Mount Sinai. The only time it is specifically referred to as “Mount Horeb” is Exo 33:6 ” Therefore the people of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward.”

      • Exodus 3:1 (Moses at the burning bush) and 1 Kings 19:8 (Elijah running from Jezebel) both seem to refer to Horeb as “the mount of God”. However, I agree that the majority of the remaining verses seem to alternate between “at Horeb” and “in Horeb”, both of which could apply to a locality rather than a mountain.

  2. Yes, those passages could give that impression Jonathan. It’s hard to know if Ex 3:1 is referring to Horeb as the mountain or the locality. Different Bible versions give different impressions. Eg. The LITV:
    “And Moses was feeding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock behind the wilderness and came to the mountain of God, to Horeb.”
    It could be taken either way.
    1 Kings 19:8 gives more of an impression that it is the mountain not the locality referred to, I admit.