Paran, also called El-paran in one passage, was a broad desert region between Sinai, the Arabah, Palestine, and the wilderness of Shur. Israel wandered through this region, and Mount Paran is mentioned in poetic passages.
Definition
Paran, also called El-paran in one passage, was a very large desert or wilderness region. It was bounded by Palestine on the north, the Arabah on the east, the Sinai desert on the south, and the wilderness of Etham on the west. Because Paran designated a wide region, the individual stations of Israel’s journey through it are recorded rather than the region itself as one station.
Biblical Usage
Paran is associated with the invasion of the confederate kings and with Israel’s extended wilderness journey. “Mount Paran” appears in two poetic passages, where it is associated with the Sinaitic mountain region.
Historical Background
The region is identified with Bedu et-Tih, “the wilderness of wandering.” It extended between the southern boundary of the Promised Land and the Sinai area, and its broad pasturelands allowed travel from one grazing place to another.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Smith's Bible Dictionary
(peace of caverns), a desert or wilderness, bounded on the north by Palestine, on the east by the valley of Arabah, on the south by the desert of Sinai, and on the west by the wilderness of Etham, which separated it from the Gulf of Suez and Egypt. The first notice of Paran is in connection with the invasion of the confederate kings. (Genesis 14:6) The detailed itinerary of the children of Israel in (Numbers 33:1) ... does not mention Paran because it was the name of a wide region; but the many stations in Paran are recorded, chs. 17-36. and probably all the eighteen stations were mentioned between Hazeroth and Kadesh were in Paran. Through this very wide wilderness, from pasture to pasture as do modern Arab tribes, the Israelites wandered in irregular lines of march. This region through which the Israelites journeyed so long is now called by the name it has borne for ages—Bedu et-Tih, “the wilderness of wandering.” (“Bible Geography,” Whitney.) “Mount” Paran occurs only in two poetic passages, (33:2); Habb 3:3 It probably denotes the northwestern member of the Sinaitic mountain group which lies adjacent to the Wady Teiran . (It is probably the ridge or series of ridges lying on the northeastern part of the desert of Paran, not far from Kadesh.—ED.)
