שִׁטִּים
Shittim, a place East of the Jordan
Definition
Shittim is a proper noun referring to a significant location east of the Jordan River, in the plains of Moab, where the Israelites camped before crossing into the Promised Land. It is most famously the site where the Israelites engaged in idolatry and sexual immorality with Moabite women, leading to God's judgment (Numbers 25:1). The name also appears as the final staging ground before the Jordan crossing (Joshua 2:1, 3:1) and, in a prophetic sense, is used in Joel 3:18 as a symbol for a future transformation from a place of wilderness (acacia trees) to a lush, watered valley.
Biblical Usage
The word is used exclusively as a place name in the Old Testament. It appears in historical narratives in Numbers and Joshua, detailing Israel's final encampment and the sinful events at Baal-peor (Numbers 25:1) and the dispatch of the spies from there (Joshua 2:1). It is used prophetically in Joel 3:18 and Micah 6:5, where it serves as a geographical reference point for God's past acts of deliverance and future restoration.
Etymology
The name 'Shittim' is the plural form of the Hebrew word 'shittah' (H7848), meaning 'acacia tree.' It literally means 'Acacias,' indicating the location was characterized by these hardy desert trees. The name is descriptive of the arid environment of the plains of Moab.
Semantic Range
Shittim holds theological significance as a place of both profound failure and divine preparation. It represents the last instance of major covenant unfaithfulness before entering Canaan (Numbers 25), contrasted with being the launch point for God's fulfillment of the promise (Joshua 3). In prophecy (Joel 3:18), its transformation from dryness to abundance symbolizes God's ultimate redemption and renewal of creation. Understanding it as 'Acacias' enriches the imagery of God leading his people from a place of wilderness testing into his promised provision.
As a place name meaning 'Acacias,' it immediately conveyed to an ancient Israelite listener a specific, known geographical area east of the Jordan, likely a flatland dotted with these resilient trees common in arid regions. The acacia wood was also culturally significant as the primary material used in constructing the Tabernacle's sacred furniture (Exodus 25-27), adding a layer of symbolic connection between the place of failure (Shittim) and the place of God's presence (the Tabernacle).
Abel-Shittim (H63) — An alternate, extended name for the same location, meaning 'Meadow of the Acacias' (Numbers 33:49).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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