Lexical Summary Punon: Punon Original Word: פוּנֹן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Punon From puwn; perplexity; Punon, a place in the Desert -- Punon. see HEBREW puwn NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originperhaps from pun Definition a place where Isr. camped NASB Translation Punon (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs מּוּנֹן proper name, of a location 2nd station of Israel from Hor Numbers 33:42,43, Φ(ε)ινω; between Petra and Zoar, famous for mines, Greek Φινων, Φαινων EusebOnom. ed. Lag. 299, 85, see also RitterErdkunde, Asien. xiv, 125 ff. Seetzen:Reise iii, 17 (Kálaét Phenân); perhaps = Edomite proper name, masculine מִּינֹן q. v. Topical Lexicon Biblical References Punon is named twice in the itinerary of Israel’s wilderness journey: “They set out from Zalmonah and camped at Punon” (Numbers 33:42), and the next verse records their departure from Punon toward Oboth (Numbers 33:43). No other canonical passages mention the site, but these two notices fix its importance as one of the encampments on the way from Mount Sinai to the Plains of Moab. Geographic Setting Most scholars locate ancient Punon at modern Khirbet Feynan (also spelled Faynan) in southern Jordan, about fifty kilometers south of the Dead Sea. The region lies on the eastern edge of the Arabah and commands access to copper‐rich highlands. Roman and Byzantine sources later refer to the site as Phaino, a center of extensive copper mining. Its strategic position between Edom’s highlands and the Arabah plain explains why an itinerant nation would pause here: the location offered water from seasonal streams, pasture, and a natural staging ground before turning northeast toward the King’s Highway. Historical Context Punon fell within or near Edomite territory. Moses was forbidden to wage battle against the descendants of Esau (Deuteronomy 2:4–5), so the Israelite approach through southern Edom required careful navigation of accepted routes. The brief stay at Punon reflects this avoidance strategy, occurring after the judgment episodes at Kadesh and before the serpents of Numbers 21, events that unfolded in the wider region. Role in Israel’s Wilderness Journey The itinerary of Numbers 33 underscores God’s faithful guidance, naming each stop to memorialize His provision. Punon stands between Zalmonah (“shady place”) and Oboth (“waterskins”), linking images of shade, mining cliffs, and water in a narrative that traces Israel’s reliance on the LORD for shelter, resources, and refreshment. Though the text records no miracle at Punon, its inclusion reminds readers that seemingly ordinary camps were still stages on the divinely planned route to the Promised Land. Archaeological and Geographical Considerations Excavations at Khirbet Feynan have uncovered large slag heaps, smelting installations, and administrative buildings dating from the Late Bronze Age through the Byzantine period. Copper extraction here reached industrial scale under Egyptian oversight in the fourteenth–thirteenth centuries B.C. and intensified under Edomite control in the Iron Age. If Punon is rightly identified with this locale, Israel’s camp would have been set among abandoned or active mining works, illustrating the contrast between oppressive labor under foreign masters and the freedom of pilgrims traveling under God’s cloud and fire. Typological and Theological Significance 1. God Guides through Barren Places: Punon symbolizes the believer’s passage through dry and difficult stretches where no dramatic miracle occurs, yet divine direction remains sure (Psalm 32:8). Lessons for Ministry and Discipleship • Ordinary Stops Matter: Leaders should help God’s people value routine seasons—staff meetings, weekly worship, quiet service—no less than conferences and revivals. Summary Punon, though mentioned only twice, occupies a pivotal point in Israel’s journey, bridging the desolation of the Arabah and the ascent toward the Promised Land. Its probable identification with modern Feynan adds archaeological depth, while its biblical placement invites reflection on God’s unfailing direction through seasons that seem mundane. By acknowledging Punon, believers today affirm that every campsite on the journey of faith testifies to the LORD who “goes before you and will be with you” (Deuteronomy 31:8). Forms and Transliterations בְּפוּנֹֽן׃ בפונן׃ מִפּוּנֹ֑ן מפונן bə·p̄ū·nōn befuNon bəp̄ūnōn mip·pū·nōn mippuNon mippūnōnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 33:42 HEB: מִצַּלְמֹנָ֑ה וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בְּפוּנֹֽן׃ NAS: from Zalmonah and camped at Punon. KJV: from Zalmonah, and pitched in Punon. INT: Zalmonah and camped Punon Numbers 33:43 2 Occurrences |
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