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Bible Dictionaries
Paran
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
or PARAN. El Pârân , ‘the oak or terebinth (LXX [Note: Septuagint.] ) of Paran’ ( Genesis 14:6 ), is probably identical with Elath, the ancient seaport on the Gulf of Akabah. Perhaps in this region should be sought ‘Paran’ of Deuteronomy 33:2 , Habakkuk 3:3 (Driver, ‘Deut.’ [ ICC [Note: CC International Critical Commentary.] ], 392). Palmer ( Desert of the Exodus , p. 510) identifies it with Jebel Magrah , c [Note: circa, about.] . 29 miles S. of ‘Ain Kadîs . If Deuteronomy 2:8 refers to a place in Moab, no trace of it has yet been found. A city may be intended in 1 Kings 11:13 , lying between Edom and Egypt, which cannot now be identified. The exiled Ishmael settled in the ‘ Wilderness of Paran ,’ evidently S. of Beersheba ( Genesis 21:21 ). Israel’s first march from Sinai brought them to this wilderness ( Numbers 10:12 ). Within it lay Taberah, Kibroth-hattaavah, Mazeroth, Kadesh, and what is called the ‘ Wilderness of Zin. ’ The spies went from the ‘Wilderness of Zin’ ( Numbers 13:21 ), in which lay Kadesh ( Numbers 20:1 , Numbers 27:14 , cf. Numbers 33:36 ), and this again is identified with the ‘Wilderness of Paran’ ( Numbers 13:26 ). It corresponds to the great limestone plateau of et-Tîh , stretching from the S. of Judah to the mountains of Sinai, having the Arabah on the E. and the desert of Shur on the W. Hither David fled after Samuel’s death ( 1 Samuel 25:1 . LXX [Note: Septuagint.] B here gives Maan = Heb. Ma‘ôn . See Smith, ‘Samuel’ [ ICC [Note: CC International Critical Commentary.] ], 220 f.).
W. Ewing.
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Hastings, James. Entry for 'Paran'. Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hdb/p/paran.html. 1909.
