The wilderness of Paran - This could not be the same Paran with that mentioned Deuteronomy 1:1, for that was on the borders of the promised land, see the note on Deuteronomy 1:1, Deuteronomy 1:2; they were long near the borders of Canaan, and might have speedily entered into it, had it not been for their provocations and iniquities. They spent thirty-eight years in a journey which might have been accomplished in a few weeks! How many through their unfaithfulness have been many years in gaining that for which, in the ordinary procedure of Divine grace, a few days had been sufficient! How much ground may a man lose in the Divine life by one act of unfaithfulness or transgression! Israel wandered in the wilderness because Israel despised the pleasant land, and did not give credence to the word of the Lord. They would have a golden calf, and they had nothing but tribulation and woe in return.

afterward

Numbers 11:35 And the people journeyed from Kibrothhattaavah to Hazeroth; and stayed at Hazeroth.

Numbers 33:18 And they departed from Hazeroth, and pitched in Rithmah.

Hazeroth. The exact situation of this place is unknown. Dr. Shaw computes it to be three days' journey, i.e. thirty miles from Sinai. From this passage, it appears that the wilderness of Paran commenced immediately upon their leaving this station. Calmet observes, that there is a town called Hazor in Arabia Petraea, in all probability the same as Hazerim, the ancient habitation of the Hivites; and likewise, according to all appearances, the Hazeroth, where the Hebrews encamped. the wilderness

Numbers 10:12 And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.

Numbers 13:3,26 And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel...

Genesis 21:21 And he dwelled in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.

1 Samuel 25:1 And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose...

Habakkuk 3:3 God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.

Moses the Type of Christ.
"The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye shall hearken."--Deut. xviii. 15. The history of Moses is valuable to Christians, not only as giving us a pattern of fidelity towards God, of great firmness, and great meekness, but also as affording us a type or figure of our Saviour Christ. No prophet arose in Israel like Moses, till Christ came, when the promise in the text was fulfilled--"The Lord thy God," says Moses, "shall …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII