Wilderness of Paran

The Bible uses “Paran” in two senses: one referring to the Gentile prophet Balaam, and the other to the Wilderness of Paran. In Deuteronomy 1:1, “These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab,” the “Paran” mentioned refers to the Wilderness of Paran. The Wilderness of Paran is simply called “Paran,” and its name originally means “region of caves” or “ornamentation.”

The Wilderness of Paran was the dwelling place of Ishmael, the son born to Abraham and Hagar (Genesis 21:14-21). It was also where the Israelites encamped in the wilderness, and where the people stayed when the twelve spies went to explore the land of Canaan (Numbers 10, 12-13). It was the place where Moses, the man of God, blessed the Israelites before his death: He said, “The LORD came from Sinai and dawned over them from Seir; he shone forth from Mount Paran. He came with myriads of holy ones from his right hand a fiery law for them” (Deuteronomy 33:1-2).

The Wilderness of Paran is a relatively high and expansive region. Due to the difficulty in defining boundaries between wilderness areas and the challenge of definitively locating ancient place names over long periods, there are slight discrepancies among scholars regarding the exact boundaries of the Wilderness of Paran. However, based on biblical accounts and geographical knowledge, it can be inferred that the Wilderness of Paran bordered Mount Seir to the east (Deuteronomy 33:2), the Wilderness of Sinai and Hazeroth to the south (Numbers 10:12, 12:16), the Wilderness of Shur to the west (Genesis 25:17-18), and the Wilderness of Beersheba to the north (Genesis 21:14-21). The Wilderness of Paran is approximately the central eastern region of the Sinai Peninsula, with the Arabah and the Gulf of Aqaba as its eastern boundary. It was located at the southernmost tip of the land of Canaan (Numbers 13:3), far from Saul’s sphere of influence.

When David first began his flight, he initially sought out Samuel to complain about his troubles. Later, when Samuel died, David could no longer follow or rely on him. Perhaps fearing that Saul would not keep his promises, David immediately set out for the Wilderness of Paran, seemingly to find greater safety there. God disciplined David, revealing the hidden weaknesses within his flesh, and teaching him not to rely solely on human beings, but to look only to God and follow Him.