Places in the Bible Today:

Sin

Data

Translated NamesDesert of Sin, Sin, Wilderness of Sin
Typeregion
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

3 Possible Identifications

  1. Debbet er Ramleh (modern): 35% confidence

    1. panorama of Debbet er RamlehDebbet er Ramleh

  2. El Marka (modern): 30% confidence

    1. streetscape in El MarkaEl Marka

  3. El Qaa (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. panorama of part of El QaaEl Qaa

Verses (4)

  1. Exod 16:1, 17:1
  2. Num 33:11, 33:12

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Biblemapper.com872
Logos FactbookWilderness of Sin
OpenBible.info (2007)Sin
OpenBible.infoa0f54e4 (Sin)
TIPNRSin@Exo.16.1
UBS Names Databaseot ID_2045
WikidataQ2549347

Sources

  1. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Sin, Wilderness of (place)
  2. ESV Bible Atlas (2010)
  3. Expositor’s Bible Commentary (1984): Exod 16:1-3
  4. Grollenberg, Atlas of the Bible (1957): Sin
  5. New Bible Dictionary (1996): Sin, Wilderness of
  6. New Interpreter’s Bible Dictionary (2009)
  7. New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (1988)
  8. Oxford Bible Atlas, Fourth Edition (2007)
  9. Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1956): Sin, Wilderness of
  10. Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia (1975): Sin, Wilderness of
  11. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010)
  12. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (2009): Num 33:1-56 Cycle 2

Confidence Trends over Time

This chart indicates how confidence in the identifications is changing over time. Each dot (connected by a dotted line) reflects the confidence of an identification over the preceding ten years (e.g., the 2009 dot reflects scholarship from 2000 to 2009), and the corresponding solid line reflects a best-fit line for the identification. Confidences that cluster near or below 0% indicate low confidence. Because of the small dataset, it's best to use this chart for general trends; if one identification is trending much higher than the others, for example, then you can probably have higher confidence in the identification. This chart only reflects the sources I consulted (listed above), not an exhaustive review of the literature.

Thumbnail Image Credits

Einsamer Schütze, Jaddoo66, Staselnik

About

This page attempts to identify all the possible locations where this biblical place could be. The confidence levels add up to less than 100%, indicating that the modern location is uncertain. It's best to think about the confidences in relative rather than absolute terms. Often they reflect different schools of thought, each confident in their identifications.