Location
Overview
The wilderness of Shur lay on the north-eastern frontier of Egypt, the first stretch of desert a traveller met crossing out of the Nile delta toward Canaan.
Hagar at the spring
When Sarai dealt harshly with her, Hagar fled toward her homeland, and "the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur" (Genesis 16:7). There she received the promise concerning Ishmael and called the LORD "Thou God seest me."
A frontier of the patriarchs
Abraham later "dwelled between Kadesh and Shur" and sojourned in Gerar (Genesis 20:1). Ishmael's descendants settled "from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt" (Genesis 25:18).
Israel's first desert
After the Red Sea crossing, "Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur" — three days without water — before the bitter springs of Marah (Exodus 15:22).
Events Here
The angel of the LORD finds Hagar by a spring on the way to Shur
Scripture References
6 versesGenesis3 verses
Genesis 16:7
And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
Genesis 20:1
And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.
Genesis 25:18
And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his brethren. died: Heb. fell
Exodus1 verse
Exodus 15:22
So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
1 Samuel2 verses
1 Samuel 15:7
And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.
1 Samuel 27:8
And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. Gezrites: or, Gerzites
Archaeology & History
Shur — its name possibly meaning "wall," perhaps after Egypt's line of frontier fortifications — denotes the desert belt of the north-western Sinai bordering Egypt. It marked the threshold between the settled Nile and the open wilderness for patriarchs and the Exodus generation alike.
People who appear here
Frequently asked about Wilderness of Shur
Where is Wilderness of Shur today?
Today, Wilderness of Shur corresponds to North-west Sinai, toward Egypt.
What does the name Wilderness of Shur mean?
The name Wilderness of Shur means “Wall”.
What happened at Wilderness of Shur in the Bible?
Key biblical events at Wilderness of Shur include the angel of the lord finds hagar by a spring on the way to shur.
Where is Wilderness of Shur first mentioned in the Bible?
Wilderness of Shur is first mentioned in Genesis 16:7.
How often is Wilderness of Shur mentioned in the Bible?
Wilderness of Shur is mentioned in 6 verses across 3 books: Genesis, Exodus, 1 Samuel.
What happened in the wilderness of Shur?
The angel of the LORD found the fleeing Hagar at a spring on the way to Shur and gave her the promise about Ishmael. Israel also entered the wilderness of Shur right after crossing the Red Sea.
Where was the wilderness of Shur?
On the north-western edge of the Sinai, bordering Egypt — the first desert region east of the Nile delta.