The Exodus Route: From the Red Sea to Mt. Sinai

The Exodus Route: The Route from the Red Sea to Mount Sinai

Overview map
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Satellite map
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The 10 stops to Mt. Sinai

Introduction:

After crossing the Red Sea at the Straits of Tiran, Israel entered the Wilderness of Shur.
The Wilderness of Shur is the home turf of both the Ishmaelites and the Midianites and is one of the few places of the 50 exodus locations we know for sure. This also places Mt. Sinai in modern Saudi Arabia.

A. Overview of distances and travel times:

After crossing the Red Sea, the daily rate of travel slowed down a bit. We would expect this, since they did not fear Egypt any more.
They traveled each day, except for 8 days in the Wilderness of Sin to be introduced for the first time to the weekly Sabbath and the first giving of Manna. The only other place they stopped was four days at Rephidim (Meribah) when the Amalekites attacked one stop before reaching Mt. Sinai.
More details: Travel times, distances, days of the week

Trip	Distance	Total days	Camp days	Travel days	Daily rate of travel
Double back distance from the camp by the Red Sea at the crossing point to Etham and back again (30 km x 2)	60 km	-	-	-	-
Goshen to Sinai (including Etham double back)	750 km	47	18	29	26 km/day
Goshen to Red Sea (including Etham double back) (8 days camped at red sea)	490 km	24	7	17	29 km/day
Red Sea to Sinai (Camp days: 7 days in wilderness of Sin, 3 days at Rephidim, 1 sabbath)	260 km	22	11	11	23 km/day
On day 15 a message from Pharaoh's military "Migdol" to Egypt by homing pigeon at 80 km/hour (average speed is 100 km/hour): "They are moving aimlessly and the wilderness at Etham has shut them in."	400 km	5 hours 4 hours	-	-	80 km/hr. 100 km/hr.
Day 16 Pharaoh's army begin pursued Israel with horses and 600 choice chariots (and other standard chariots for a total perhaps of 1000-2000) from Egypt to where the pillar of fire stopped them at the Migdol. (Exodus 14:6-9)	435 km	7	0	7	62 km/day
Herodotus (450 BC): Mediterranean to Gulf of Suez	150 km	4	-	-	38 km/day

B. Calculating the days of the week between the Red Sea and Mt. Sinai:

We believe with some level of confidence, that we have enough information to actually calculate the days of the week for the journey between the Red Sea and Mt. Sinai.
Jewish tradition (recent, not ancient) states that the giving of the Law on Mt. Sinai was given on Pentecost. We know they departed Goshen on passover (Nisan 14) and the Bible says they arrived at Sinai in 44 days. They were then told to prepare themselves for three days when God would "dawn from Edom upon Sinai". Although we cannot trace this Jewish tradition very far back in history, it is very likely correct. So using this time table, we can reverse the journey and decipher the days of the week until we reach the crossing at the Red Sea. Pentecost always falls on a Sunday.
Three days in wilderness of Shur after crossing the Red Sea, (Exodus 15:22) and two more days for Elim and the camp at the sea. (Num 33:10-11).
More details: Travel times, distances, days of the week

C. Calculating distances between stops: Red Sea to Sinai

	Bible texts	Day # from Red Sea	weekday	distance from last stop
Crossing Red sea: Day 25		0	Sunday	19 km
Wilderness of Shur Marah Day 25-28	bitter waters: Exodus 15:22-23; Num 33:8; Luke 13:32	3	Sun – Tues	67 km
Elim Day 29	12 springs, 70 palms	4	Wednesday	15 km
Red Sea Camp Day 30		5	Friday	18 km
Wilderness of Sin Day 31-39	Exodus 16:1 tells us they arrived on the 15th day of 2^nd month.	6-14	Saturday - Sunday (8 days) Manna came first on Sunday, day 7	20 km
Dophkah Day 40	Journeyed in stages between Sin and Rephidim: Ex 17:1	15	Monday	24 km
Alush Day 41	Journeyed in stages between Sin and Rephidim: Ex 17:1	16	Tuesday	17 km difficult terrain
Rephidim (Meribah) Fought Amalekites, Jethro's council) Day 42-44	Exodus 17:1-9; 18:27	17-19	Wednesday- Friday	30 km
Sabbath in Rephidim Day 45		20	Saturday	0
Wilderness of Sinai Day 47	Exodus 19	22	Monday	38 km