1 Kings 11:18

And they arose out of Midian [a name of wide and somewhat varied significance. Midian embraces the eastern portion of the peninsula of Sinai ( Exodus 2:15 , Exodus 2:21 ; Exodus 3:1 ), and stretches along the eastern border of Palestine. The term has been compared with our "Arabia." And the indefiniteness arises in both instances from the same cause, viz; that the country was almost entirely desert . Midian would thus extend along the back or east of Edom. There is no need, consequently (with Thenius), to read מָעוֹן i.e; their dwelling. It is noticeable, however, that the LXX . reads ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ΄αδμὶμ , and some of the geographers do mention a city of that name on the eastern shore of the Elanitic gulf], and came to Paran [Elsewhere Mount Paran, Habakkuk 3:3 ; Deuteronomy 33:2 ; a desert and mountainous tract lying between Arabia Petraea, Palestine, and Idumaea (see Numbers 10:12 ; Numbers 13:3 , Numbers 13:27 ; 1 Samuel 25:1 ; Deuteronomy 1:1 ), and comprehending the desert of Et Tih. It is difficult to identify it with greater precision, but it has been connected with the beautiful Wady Feiran, near Mount Serbal, in the Sinaitic range, which would agree fairly well with our narrative]: and they took men with them out of Pavan [as guides through the desert, and possibly as a protection also], and came to Egypt [The direct route from Edom to Egypt would be across the desert of Et Tih—practically the route of the caravan of pilgrims from Mecca. But this does not settle the position of Paran, as the text seems to hint that the fugitives did not proceed direct from Edom. They may have taken refuge in the first instance amongst the tribes of Midian; or they may have diverged from the straight course through fear] , unto Pharaoh king of Egypt [This cannot have been the Pharaoh who was Solomon's father-in-law, for in the first place, the flight was in the time of David, and secondly, a prince who had aided and abetted these fugitives would hardly be likely to form an alliance with their great enemy. It may have been Psusennes II .]; which gave him an house, and appointed him victuals [ i.e; certain cities or officers were charged with his maintenance, though, as his relations with the royal family were so extremely intimate ( Deuteronomy 33:19-22 ), he may have been fed from the royal table], and gave him land.