Lexical Definition

‎שׁוּר‎ Shûwr (shoor) Shur ^N:N--L
the same as ‎שׁוּר‎

Shur.

• § Shur = "wall"
• Shur, a region of the Desert

1) a place southwest of Palestine on the eastern border or within the border of Egypt; the Israelites passed through the wilderness of Shur after crossing the Red Sea
1a) also 'wilderness of Etham'

Extended Information

• also 'wilderness of Etham'

Brown-Driver-Briggs

III. ‎שׁוּר‎ proper name, of a location southwest of Palestine, on east border of Egypt; — Gen 16:7 (J; ‎׳‎‎דֶּרֶךְ שׁ‎), Gen 20:1 (E), towards Egypt Gen 25:18 (J), 1Sam 15:7, ‎שׁ֫וּרָה‎ 1Sam 27:8 ‎׳‎‎מִדְּבַּרשֿׁ‎ Exod 15:22 (J). — Often supposed to denote properly the 'wall' or line of fortresses, built by Egyptian kings across isthmus of Suez; but dubious: compare Dr^{Hast. DB SHUR}.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Shur • Wilderness area between Canaan and Egypt

Shur was a wilderness area between Canaan and Egypt, mentioned in connection with Hagar (Gen. 16:7), Abraham (Gen. 20:1; 25:18), the Israelites' wanderings (Exod. 15:22), and Saul's battles (1 Sam. 15:7; 27:8).

• A location first mentioned at Gen.16.7;
• only referred to as Shur שׁוּר.
  

Shur is a wilderness region located between Canaan and Egypt, often mentioned in the context of travels and events in the patriarchal narratives and the early history of Israel. It first appears in the story of Hagar, who fled from Sarah and encountered the angel of the Lord near a spring on the way to Shur (Gen. 16:7). Later, Abraham settled between Kadesh and Shur, sojourning in Gerar (Gen. 20:1). The descendants of Ishmael, Abraham's son with Hagar, are described as dwelling from Havilah to Shur, east of Egypt (Gen. 25:18).

During the Exodus, after crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites went three days into the wilderness of Shur before reaching Marah, where God miraculously provided drinkable water (Exod. 15:22). In the time of King Saul, he defeated the Amalekites from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt (1 Sam. 15:7). Later, when David was fleeing from Saul, he and his men raided the Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites, who inhabited the land from Telam as far as Shur and Egypt (1 Sam. 27:8).

The exact boundaries of the wilderness of Shur are not specified in the Bible, but it appears to have been a desert region stretching from the eastern border of Egypt toward Canaan. Its location along the route between these two regions made it a significant area for travel, trade, and military campaigns in biblical times.

All entries for Shur: שׁוּר