Lexical Definition

‎פָּארָן‎ Pâʼrân (paw-rawn') Paran ^N:N--L
from ‎פָּאַר‎; ornamental

Paran.

• § Paran = "place of caverns"
• Paran, a desert of Arabia

1) wilderness area bounded on the north by Palestine, on the west by the wilderness of Etham, on the south by the desert of Sinai, and on the east by the valley of Arabah; the exodus was through this area and probably all 18 stops were in this area

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎פָּארָן‎ proper name, of a location Paran, Φαραν (compare proper name ‎פארן‎ Sinaitic Inscription); — usually ‎׳‎‎מִדְבַּר פ‎ home of Ishmael Gen 21:21 (E), traversed by Israel in Exodus Num 12:16 (E), Num 10:12; Num 13:2; Num 13:26 (all P); it lay northeast from (the traditional) Sinai, with Gulf of Akaba and the ± Arabah as its east border; in the same region was ‎׳‎‎הַר פ‎ Deut 33:2; Hab 3:3, — perhaps coast-range of mountains along west shore of Gulf of Akaba; ‎׳‎‎פ‎ alone 1Kgs 11:18 (twice in verse) (between Midian and Egypt); Deut 1:1 (location dubious). — 1Sam 25:1 see II. ‎מָעוֺן‎ below ‎עון‎. — See Rob^{BR i, 177 f.} Palmer^{Desert of Exodus, 284 ff.}, Di Dr^Dt.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Paran • A desert region in the Sinai Peninsula

Paran was a desert region in the Sinai Peninsula, associated with the Israelites' wanderings and the early life of Ishmael.

• A location first mentioned at Gen.21.21;
• only referred to as Paran פָּארָן.
  

Paran was a desert region located in the Sinai Peninsula, south of Canaan. It is mentioned several times in the Old Testament, particularly in connection with the Israelites' wanderings after the Exodus from Egypt. Ishmael, the son of Abraham and Hagar, grew up in the wilderness of Paran after being sent away with his mother (Gen. 21:21). During the Israelites' journey from Egypt to Canaan, they camped in the wilderness of Paran after leaving the wilderness of Sinai (Num. 10:12; 12:16). It was from Paran that Moses sent the twelve spies to explore the land of Canaan (Num. 13:3, 26).

The wilderness of Paran was also associated with King David. After the death of Samuel, David went down to the wilderness of Paran (1 Sam. 25:1). Later, when Hadad the Edomite fled from King Solomon, he passed through Paran on his way to Egypt (1 Kgs. 11:18).

The exact boundaries of the wilderness of Paran are not clearly defined in the Bible, but it appears to have been a vast desert region in the central and northeastern parts of the Sinai Peninsula, bordered by the wilderness of Zin to the north and the Gulf of Aqaba to the south.

All entries for Paran: פָּארָן