Bible Dictionaries

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Paran

Abounding in foliage, or abounding in caverns, (Genesis 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 (Numbers 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 Samuel 25:1,4 ).