Hebrew word · H6290

פָּארָן

paran

Paran

A large wilderness region south of Judah, between the Negev and Sinai. It was the wilderness of Israel's wandering (Num 10:12; 12:16; 13:3, 26) and is linked with Ishmael (Gen 21:21) and with God's coming from the south (Deut 33:2; Hab 3:3).

Appears 11 times in 10 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

§ Paran = "place of caverns"

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

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 1 Samuel 25:1

Range of meaning

A large wilderness region south of Judah, between the Negev and Sinai. It was the wilderness of Israel's wandering (Num 10:12; 12:16; 13:3, 26) and is linked with Ishmael (Gen 21:21) and with God's coming from the south (Deut 33:2; Hab 3:3).

Against the English

English versions mostly keep 'Paran' from the Hebrew; some follow the Greek 'Maon'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Masoretic Text: Paran. The major Greek (Septuagint) manuscripts: Maan, that is Maon. The Latin Vulgate: Pharan. Maon is the Judean district just south of Hebron where David had already hidden (23:24–25) and where Nabal lived (25:2).

Where it appears

Genesis · 1

  1. Genesis 21:21 פָּארָ֑ן Paran

    And while he was dwelling in the Wilderness of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Numbers · 4

  1. Numbers 10:12 פָּארָֽן׃ Paran

    and the Israelites set out from the Wilderness of Sinai, traveling from place to place until the cloud settled in the Wilderness of Paran.

  2. Numbers 12:16 פָּארָֽן׃ פ Paran

    After that, the people set out from Hazeroth and camped in the Wilderness of Paran.

  3. Numbers 13:3 פָּארָ֖ן Paran

    So at the command of the LORD, Moses sent them out from the Wilderness of Paran. All the men were leaders of the Israelites,

  4. Numbers 13:26 פָּארָ֖ן Paran

    and they went back to Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran at Kadesh. They brought back a report for the whole congregation and showed them the fruit of the land.

    Here: A large dry region south of Canaan, where the camp had moved (10:12; 12:16) and from where the scouts were sent (13:3).

Deuteronomy · 2

  1. Deuteronomy 1:1 פָּארָ֧ן Paran

    These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel in the wilderness east of the Jordan—in the Arabah opposite Suph—between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab.

  2. Deuteronomy 33:2 פָּארָ֔ן Paran

    He said: “The LORD came from Sinai and dawned upon us from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran and came with myriads of holy ones, with flaming fire at His right hand.

    Here: The wilderness region between Sinai and Kadesh, where Israel camped (Num 10:12; 12:16; 13:26). It is the third name on the southern horizon.

1 Samuel · 1

  1. 1 Samuel 25:1 פָּארָֽן׃ ס Paran

    When Samuel died, all Israel gathered to mourn for him; and they buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David set out and went down to the Wilderness of Paran.

    Here: 'Paran.' In the Pentateuch this is the large wilderness south of Judah, toward Sinai, where Israel wandered (Numbers 10:12; 13:3). The Greek reads 'Maon' instead, the district named in the next verse. See textual notes.

1 Kings · 2

  1. 1 Kings 11:18 פָּארָ֑ן מִפָּארָ֗ן Paran, from Paran

    Hadad and his men set out from Midian and went to Paran. They took men from Paran with them and went to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave Hadad a house and land and provided him with food.

Habakkuk · 1

  1. Habakkuk 3:3 פָּארָ֖ן Paran

    God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His glory covered the heavens, and His praise filled the earth.

    Here: Paran is the wilderness between Sinai and Kadesh where Israel camped (Numbers 10:12; 12:16). 'Mount Paran' appears only here and in Deuteronomy 33:2, where the LORD 'shone forth from Mount Paran.' Habakkuk is quoting a known tradition.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.