Bible Location

Shur (Bible)

Also known as: Shur (Bible), also Sur (wilderness)

The Wilderness of Shur was a desert region lying along the northeastern approaches to Egypt and the northwestern Sinai region. It appears in biblical narratives involving Hagar, Abraham's descendants, and Israel's journey after crossing the sea during the Exodus.

After the deliverance at the sea, Moses led Israel into the Wilderness of Shur, where the people traveled for three days without finding water before reaching Marah.

Shur was a broad wilderness region rather than a single settlement, and its precise boundaries cannot be reconstructed with certainty.

Biblical Significance

Hagar encountered the angel of the Lord at a spring on the way to Shur after fleeing from Sarah. The region therefore appears very early in the patriarchal narratives as territory toward Egypt.

Genesis later describes Abraham dwelling between Kadesh and Shur and identifies the territory of Ishmael's descendants as extending toward Shur in the direction of Egypt.

Following Israel's deliverance at the sea, Moses led the people into the Wilderness of Shur. They traveled three days without water before reaching Marah.

First Samuel describes Saul campaigning against the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which lay east of Egypt.

Historical Background

The name Shur appears consistently in biblical descriptions of territory near the eastern frontier of Egypt.

The Hebrew word shur can mean "wall," leading some interpreters to connect the name with Egyptian frontier defenses, although the origin of the geographical name remains uncertain.

The region probably encompassed portions of the northwestern Sinai and desert approaches between Egypt and southern Canaan.

Its exact extent likely varied according to the geographical perspective of individual biblical passages.

Modern Identification

The Wilderness of Shur is generally placed east of Egypt in the northwestern portion of the Sinai Peninsula and adjoining desert regions.

Because Shur denotes a wilderness region rather than a known city, it should not be assigned to one archaeological site.

AVWJ should map the Wilderness of Shur approximately and distinguish the broad region from individual locations within the Exodus itinerary such as Marah.

Scripture References

Genesis 16:7 Genesis 20:1 Genesis 25:18 Exodus 15:22 1 Samuel 15:7

Related Resources

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Sources

Bible: Genesis 16:7, Genesis 20:1, Genesis 25:18, Exodus 15:22, 1 Samuel 15:7, 1 Samuel 27:8; historical geography of Sinai and Egypt's northeastern frontier; biblical geographical studies concerning Shur and the Exodus itinerary