A region passed through by the Israelites in their journeyings. The most exact indication of its position is given in Nu 34 and Jos 15. In Nu 13:21 'the wilderness of Zin' is named as the southern limit from which the spies began to search the land. In Nu 33:36 it is given as one of the stations in the journeyings. The brief note, 'the same is Kadesh,' serves to explain the following verse ('And they journeyed from Kadesh'
And they went up and searched out the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men go to Hamath,
And the whole multitude of the children of Israel, came into the desert of Zin in the first month, and the people dwelt at Kadesh. And there died Miriam, and was buried there. Moreover, there was no water for the multitude, wherefore they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. read more. And the people chode with Moses and spake, saying, "Would God that we had perished when our brethren perished before the LORD. Why have ye brought the congregation of the LORD unto this wilderness, that both we and our cattle should die here? Wherefore brought ye us out of Egypt, to bring us into this ungracious place, which is no place of seed nor of figs nor vines nor of pomegranates, neither is there any water to drink?" And Moses and Aaron went from the congregation unto the door of the tabernacle of witness, and fell upon their faces. And the glory of the LORD appeared unto them. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, "Take the staff and gather, thou and thy brother Aaron, the congregation together; and say unto the rock, before their eyes, that he give forth his water. And thou shalt bring them water out of the rock and shalt give the company drink, and their beasts also." And Moses took the staff from before the LORD, as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, "Hear, ye rebellious, must we fetch you water out of this rock?" And Moses lift up his hand with his staff and smote the rock two times, and the water came out abundantly, and the multitude drank and their beasts also. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, "Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them." This is the water of strife, because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified upon them.