Place Old Testament
Zin
The Wilderness of Zin was a desert region south of Judah where the Israelites encamped during their wilderness wanderings . Mentioned in 9 verses across 3 books, first at Numbers 13:21.
Why it matters. A desert and wilderness region south of Judah
- Primary passages
- Location
- 30.688, 34.495 (approximate, within about 2 km)
Coordinates from STEPBible TIPNR (palopenmaps.org link). Approximate; not independently verified.
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Zin
Zin refers to a desert and wilderness region located south of Judah, east of the Arabah, and west of Edom. During the Israelites' wilderness wanderings, they encamped in the Wilderness of Zin on the border of Edom (Num.20.1; 33:36). It was from here that Moses sent spies to explore the land of Canaan (Num.13.21). Later, Moses and Aaron rebelled against God's command to speak to the rock to bring forth water, instead striking it twice (Num.27.14). As a result, they were not allowed to enter the Promised Land. The Wilderness of Zin formed part of the southern border of the land allotted to Judah (Jos.15.1,3). It marked the extreme southern limit of the Promised Land (Num.34.3-4). The Wilderness of Zin is also associated with Kadesh (Num.33.36), a significant site during Israel's wilderness journey. The name "Zin" may be related to a Hebrew term meaning "flat" or "low," possibly referring to its lower elevation compared to the surrounding regions.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
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Appears in Scripture
Named in 9 verses across 3 books. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.