Bible Cities: Paran
Ancient Paran

Paran in Easton's Bible Dictionary
abounding in foliage, or abounding in caverns, (Gen. 21:21),
a
desert tract forming the north-eastern division of the
peninsula
of Sinai, lying between the 'Arabah on the east and
the
wilderness of Shur on the west. It is intersected in a
north-western direction by the Wady el-'Arish. It
bears the
modern name of Badiet et-Tih, i.e., "the desert of the
wanderings." This district, through which the children
of Israel
wandered, lay three days' march from Sinai (Num.
10:12, 33).
From Kadesh, in this wilderness, spies (q.v.) were
sent to spy
the land (13:3, 26). Here, long afterwards, David
found refuge
from Saul (1 Sam. 25:1, 4).
https://www.bible-history.com/eastons/P/Paran/
Paran in Fausset's Bible Dictionary
EL PARAN. The Et Tih ("the wanderings") desert, N. of the
wilderness of Sinai. Israel passed from the latter into
Paran on their way N. toward Kadesh. frontKADESH.) (Numbers
10:12; Numbers 13:26). Paran comprises one third of the
peninsula which lies between Egypt and Canaan, the eastern
half of the limestone plateau which forms the center of the
peninsula. Bounded on the N. by southern Canaan; on the W.
by the brook or river of Egypt, parting it from Shur
wilderness, the other half of the plateau; on the S. by the
great sand belt sweeping across the peninsula in a concave
northward line from gulf to gulf, and forming the
demarcation between it and Sinai; on the E. by the northern
part of the Elanitic gulf, and the Arabah dividing it from
the Edom mountains. The Zin (not Sin) wilderness, Canaan's
(Numbers 34:3) immediate boundary, was its N.E. extremity,
from whence Kadesh is spoken of as in Zin wilderness or in
Paran (Numbers 13:26; Numbers 20:1.) In 1 Samuel 25:1-2 the
southern parts of Canaan are called Paran.
The beautiful wady Feiran is probably distinct
(Speaker's Commentary, Numbers 10:12). Phara, a Roman
station between the heads of the two gulfs, takes its name
from Paran. Paran is a dreary waste of chalk covered with
coarse gravel, black flint, and drifting sand, crossed by
watercourses and low horizontal hills. Not so wild looking
as the Arabah, nor yet relieved by such fertile valleys as
lie amidst the granite mountains of Sinai. Vegetation would
probably cover the level plains, which have red clay soil in
parts, but for the reckless destruction of trees for
charcoal, so that the winter rains run at once to waste.
Ishmael's dwelling (Genesis 21:21; Genesis 21:14; compare
Genesis 14:6). "Mount Paran" in Deuteronomy 33:2 is the
range forming the northern boundary of the desert of Sinai.
In Deuteronomy 1:1 Paran is either Mount Paran or a city
mentioned, by Eusebius and Jerome near the mountain. The
Paran of Hadad the Edomite (1 Kings 11:18) lay to N.W. or
the Egyptian side of Horeb, between Midian and Egypt. Capt.
Burton has found extensive mineral districts in Midian, the
northern Being little worked, the southern with many traces
of ancient labor, shafting and tunneling.
Silver and copper abound in northern, gold in
southern, and turquoise in northern southern, and central
Midian. How strikingly accurate are Scripture details! We
should never have guessed that a nomadic people like the
Midianites would have wrought mines; but research confirms
fully the truth of Scripture, which represents them as
having ornaments and tablets of gold, and chains for their
camels' necks. The spoils from Midian (Numbers 31:50-53)
included gold (of which was offered to Jehovah 16,750
shekels!), silver, brass, iron, tin, and lead. The gold
taken by Gideon from them was so enormous as to suffice for
making a golden ephod (Judges 8:24-27). The Haj route from
Egypt by Elath to Mecca still runs through the Paran desert.
Hadad would take that road to Egypt, "taking men with them
out of Paran" as guides through the desert. Seir (Edom and
Teman), Sinai, and Paran are comparatively adjacent, and
therefore are associated together in God's giving the law
(Habakkuk 3:3), as in Deuteronomy 33:2.
https://www.bible-history.com/faussets/P/Paran/
Paran in Hitchcock's Bible Names
beauty; glory; ornament
https://www.bible-history.com/hitchcock/P/Paran/
Paran in Naves Topical Bible
Desert or wilderness of
Ge 21:21; Nu 10:12; 12:16; 13:3,26; De 1:1
-Mountains of
De 33:2; Hab 3:3
-Israelites encamp in
Nu 12:16
-David takes refuge in
1Sa 25:1
-Hadad flees to
1Ki 11:17,18
https://www.bible-history.com/naves/P/PARAN/
Paran in Smiths Bible Dictionary
(peace of caverns), a desert or wilderness, bounded on the
north by Israel, 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. Ge 14:6 The
detailed itinerary of the children of Israel in Nu 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,
De 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.)
https://www.bible-history.com/smiths/P/Paran,+El-paran/
Paran in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE
pa'-ran, (pa'ran, 'el-pa'ran; Pharan):
(1) El-paran (Gen 14:6) was the point farthest South reached
by the kings. Septuagint renders 'el by terebinthos, and
reads, "unto the terebinth of Paran." The evidence is
slender, but it is not unreasonable to suppose that this is
the place elsewhere (Dt 2:8; 1 Ki 9:26, etc.) called Elath
or Eloth ('el with feminine termination), a seaport town
which gave its name to the Aelanitic Gulf (modern Gulf of
`Aqaba), not far from the wilderness of Paran (2).
(2) Many places named in the narrative of the wanderings lay
within the Wilderness of Paran (Nu 10:12; 13:21; 27:14;
compare 13:3,16, etc.). It is identified with the high
limestone plateau of Ettih, stretching from the Southwest of
the Dead Sea to Sinai along the west side of the Arabah.
This wilderness offered hospitality to Ishmael when driven
from his father's tent (Gen 21:21). Hither also came David
when bereaved of Samuel's protection (1 Sam 25:1).
(3) Mount Paran (Dt 33:2; Hab 3:3) may be either Jebel
Maqrah, 29 miles South of `Ain Kadis (Kadesh-barnea), and
130 miles North of Sinai (Palmer, Desert of the Exodus,
510); or the higher and more imposing range of mountains
West of the Gulf of `Aqaba. This is the more probable if El-
paran is rightly identified with Elath.
(4) Some place named Paran would seem to be referred to in
Dt 1:1; but no trace of such a city has yet been found.
Paran in 1 Ki 11:18 doubtless refers to the district West of
the Arabah.
https://www.bible-history.com/isbe/P/PARAN,+EL-PARAN/
Paran Scripture - 1 Kings 11:18
And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran: and they took
men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, unto
Pharaoh king of Egypt; which gave him an house, and appointed
him victuals, and gave him land.
https://www.bible-history.com/kjv/1+Kings/11/
Paran Scripture - 1 Samuel 25:1
And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered
together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at
Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of
Paran.
https://www.bible-history.com/kjv/1+Samuel/25/
Paran Scripture - Deuteronomy 1:1
These [be] the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this
side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the
Red [sea], between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth,
and Dizahab.
https://www.bible-history.com/kjv/Deuteronomy/1/
Paran Scripture - Deuteronomy 33:2
And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir
unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with
ten thousands of saints: from his right hand [went] a fiery
law for them.
https://www.bible-history.com/kjv/Deuteronomy/33/
Paran Scripture - Genesis 21:21
And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took
him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
https://www.bible-history.com/kjv/Genesis/21/
Paran Scripture - Habakkuk 3:3
God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah.
His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his
praise.
https://www.bible-history.com/kjv/Habakkuk/3/
Paran Scripture - Numbers 10:12
And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the
wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of
Paran.
https://www.bible-history.com/kjv/Numbers/10/
Paran Scripture - Numbers 12:16
And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in
the wilderness of Paran.
https://www.bible-history.com/kjv/Numbers/12/
Paran Scripture - Numbers 13:26
And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the
congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of
Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto
all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
https://www.bible-history.com/kjv/Numbers/13/
Paran Scripture - Numbers 13:3
And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the
wilderness of Paran: all those men [were] heads of the
children of Israel.
https://www.bible-history.com/kjv/Numbers/13/
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