THE WILDERNESS OF ZIN

The Wilderness of Zin (Hebrew: Mid'Bar T-Zin) is a geographical area mentioned by the Torah and the  Christian Bible as containing Ka'desh-Barn'ea within it. Most traditional sources identify this wilderness as being part of the Ar-Abah.
The Ar-Abah (Hebrew: Desolate area) is a geographical name used with 2 different meanings in antiquity and in modern times. The old meaning, which was in use up to the early 20th century, covered almost the entire length North to South of what is today called the Jordan Rift Valley, between the Southern end of the Sea of Galilee and Northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba at Aqaba/Eilat. This included the Jordan River Valley between the Sea of Galilee and Dead Sea, and the Dead Sea itself, and what is commonly called today the Ar-Abah Valley. The modern use of the term is restricted to this Southern section alone. In both cases, it forms part of the border between Israel and Palestine to the West, and Jordan to the East.
Wilderness, literally, is understood as a place not inhabited by human beings. As such in the spiritual realm it is the natural habitation of demons (Matt.12:43;Luke8:29). The word does not necessarily imply a bleak, desert area, only one not inhabited by human beings. Concerning Spiritual Provision, God is said to have found "Jacob"(the spiritual House of Jacob) in a howling waste of a Wilderness and to have cared for him. (Deuteronomy 32:10; Hosea 9:10). Israel is repeatedly exhorted to remember how God led her in the Wilderness. (Deuteronomy 8:2; 29:5; Amos 2:10).
At least 3 significant ideas became associated with Wilderness: -Covenant, Spiritual Provision, and Judgment.
The "Wilderness of Sin"is mentioned by the Bible as being adjacent to Mount Sinai, the Mountain at which the 10 Commandments were given to Moses by God. In the Book of Deutoronomy, these events are described as having transpired at Mount Horeb.
The Protestant reformer John Calvin took the view that Sinai and Horeb were the same Mountain, with the Eastern side of the mountain being called Sinai and the Western side being called Horeb. Similar it was with the Wilderness of Sin, and the Wilderness of Zin, referring to the same place.
The main significance is not in the name of the place, rather, it is the spiritual significance of the Widerness of Zin as the location in which Israel received the Law of God and became the Covenant People of God.
Zin  in the Bible is referred to as the spiritual journey in a Wilderness through which the Israelites traveled en route to Canaan, but not synonymous with the Wilderness of Sin.
Geographically speaking, it was a desert area in Northern Sinai which included Ka-Desh Barn-Ea. The Negeb is to the North, the Ar-Abah and Edom to the East, and the Wilderness of Paran to the South. The Wilderness of Zin constituted part of the Southern border of Canaan, and was the Southern extent of the land spied out by the Israelites during the Exodus.
In the 2nd year after Israel's leaving Egypt, 12 spies reconnoitered the Promised Land, starting out from the Wilderness of Zin. At that time the Israelites were encamped at Ka-Desh. Later, after having wandered in the wilderness for years, the Israelites arrived at Ka-Desh again, in the Wilderness of Zin, for the 2nd time. This area was desolate, unsown, lacking figs, vines, pomegranates, and water. It was in connection with the Waters of Mer-Ibah at Ka-Desh in the Wilderness of Zin that Moses and Aaron sinned against God because they failed to sanctify God before the people forfeiting their right to enter the Promised Land. In this Wilderness of Zin, also, Miriam died while the Israelites were camped at Ka-Desh Barn-Ea.
More common than references to God's Covenant or Provision in the Wilderness are passages referring to God's Judgment. Most frequently mentioned is the Death of the Original Generation that came out of Egypt (except Joshua and Caleb) because of their lack of Faith.
It was this region that the British adventurer T.E. Lawrence was exploring in a military survey for the British army when he was drafted into service. His work, funded by Palestine Exploration Fund, included a survey of the entire Negev Desert.