Shur

Shur (meaning wall or enclosure) was a region of desert and semi-desert on the northeastern border of Egypt, where the wilderness of Sinai meets the approaches to Canaan. It gave its name to the Wilderness of Shur, which the Israelites entered immediately after crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 15:22), traveling three days without water before reaching Marah. Hagar fled toward Shur when she ran from Sarah, and the angel of the LORD found her by a spring on the road to Shur (Genesis 16:7).

Abraham sojourned between Kadesh and Shur (Genesis 20:1). The Ishmaelites dwelt from Havilah to Shur, east of Egypt (Genesis 25:18). Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah to Shur (1 Samuel 15:7), and David raided the same region (1 Samuel 27:8). The term likely refers to the Egyptian frontier fortification system (Egyptian tjaru) running along the eastern edge of the Nile Delta — a line of walls and watchtowers meant to control access into Egypt from Sinai.