“God himself proceeded to come from Teman, even a Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His dignity covered the heavens; and with his praise the earth became filled.

Hab. 3:3-5.

²⁶ Habakkuk here names two historical places in the Middle East, namely, Teman and Mount Paran. Teman was associated with the land of Edom. Edom (meaning “Red”) was the nickname that was given to Abraham’s grandson Esau after he sold his Abrahamic birthright to his twin brother Jacob for some red pottage to satisfy his raging hunger. (Gen. 25:27-34) Paran was a mountainous wilderness region that lay north of Mount Sinai. In this wilderness region the migrant nation of Israel wandered about for some thirty-eight years prior to their invading the Promised Land. (Num. 10:11, 12; Deut. 2:14) The land of Edom lay to the northeast of this, between the Gulf of Aqabah and the Dead Sea. The “King’s Highway” passed through Edom. As for Teman (meaning “southern”), there was a descendant of Edom (Esau) named Teman, and the place named for Teman may have been an Edomite city. But Jewish authorities locate it to the northeast of Edom. But it was from Teman that “God himself proceeded to come” when leading his chosen people to the Promised Land.