PARAN (parran), (Heb. r87,fiaw-rawn' ; Sept. (pointy, filta-ran').
A name which seems to be applied in Scripture to the whole of the desert region extending from the frontiers of Judah to the borders of Sinai. At least, as we find it in thc south of this region, bordering Sinai (Num. x:i2; xii :16), and in the north bordering on Kadcsh (Num. xiii:3. 26; xx :I), it seems easier to suppose that Paran was the name of the whole region marked by these limits than that there were two opposite districts bearing the same name.
The name is still preserved in that of Wady Feiran, a valley of the lower Sinai, through which lay the road which appears to have been taken by the Israelites in their march to the upper re gion. In this valley there are ruins of a town, and indeed of more than one, with towers, aque ducts, and sepulchral excavations; and here Rup pel found the remains of a church, which he as signs to the fifth century (Reise in Nubien, p. 263; Burckhardt, Syria, p. 616). This was the Pharan or Faran which had a Christian popula tion, and was the seat of a bishopric so early as A. D. 400 (Oriens Christ., col. 735; Reland.
Palcrst. pp. 219, 220, 228).
Paran is first mentioned in connection with the conquest of the confederate kings, when it ap pears to have been the home of the Ho rites (Gen. xiv :6). Hagar and Ishmael, after being driven away by Abraham, went into the wilderness of Paran (Gen. xxi:2I) ; the Israel ites entered it soon after leaving Sinai (Num. X :I2, 33; xi :3, 34, 35; xii:16); the spies were sent up to Canaan and returned from this region ; and eighteen stations of the Israelites' journey are noted in this wilderness (Num. xiii :3, 26; xxxiii:I7-36; comp. Deut. :I). Probably, during their thirty-eight years of sojourn in thc wilder ness, the people were scattered over a wide ex tent of territory, like the modern Bedouin tribcs. David found refuge in this wilderness (I Sam. xxv :1 ), and Hadad passed through it when es caping to Egypt (1 Kings xi:18).