Zin, Wilderness of

The N.E. portion of the wilderness of Paran. (See PARAN.) The spring of Kadesh lay in it (Num 20:1; Num 27:14; Deu 32:51). (See KADESH.) It probably stretched from the Arabah on the E. to Kadesh on the W. The wilderness of Zin formed the immediate boundary of Canaan (Num 13:21; Num 34:3), and comprised also the whole rugged mountain region S. of wady el Murrah, and wady el Fikrah as far E. as the Arabah, and as far W. as Ain Kadeis (fountain of Kadesh) and wady el Arish ("the river of Egypt".) The Arabah separated it from the mountains of Edom. On the declivity of a commanding hill within Edom’s territory stands the village Dhana which may correspond to Zin.

Though the wilderness of Zin does not strictly belong to Edom, yet it was connected with Edom; hence Judah’s cities are said to lie "toward the coast of Edom" (Jos 15:21). The wilderness of Kadesh is identical with the western part of the wilderness of Zin (Num 33:36). Kadesh was "in the uttermost border of Edom," i.e. in the uttermost W. of the wilderness of Zin which borders Edom (Num 20:16). The name Zin, i.e. coldness, however may be given from some cold fountain at the head of wady el Murrah. Do not confound it with "the wilderness of Sin."

A district far south of Judah, lying between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Akaba, in which Kadesh was situated, and in which a great part of the wanderings of the Israelites occurred. Num 13:21; Num 20:1; Num 27:14; Num 33:36; Num 34:3-4; Deu 32:51; Jos 15:1; Jos 15:3. It must not be confounded with the Wilderness of Sin (which lies along the south-east coast of the Red Sea).