Bible Dictionary

Abel-shittim

Places & Geography • Old Testament

Abel-shittim, also called Shittim, was Israel’s final encampment east of the Jordan in the plains of Moab, opposite Jericho. From there Joshua sent spies, and Israel prepared to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land.

Definition

Abel-shittim means “the meadow of the acacias” and was Israel’s final headquarters before crossing the Jordan. It was in the plains of Moab, east of the Jordan and opposite Jericho, and is often called simply Shittim. The encampment region extended for many miles along the Jordan valley.

Biblical Usage

At Abel-shittim occurred the events involving Balaam, Israel’s unfaithfulness with Moab and Midian, and the war with Midian. Joshua sent the spies from there, and Israel moved from the Acacias to the Jordan for the crossing into the land.

Historical Background

The camping region lay north of the Dead Sea, with Beth-jeshimoth toward its southern limit and Abel-shittim as its northern headquarters. The site is commonly located at Kefrein, near the wady of that name. In Josephus’s time the name survived as Abila.

Scripture References

Numbers 25:1 Joshua 2:1 Micah 6:5 Numbers 33:49 Numbers 22:1 Numbers 26:3 Numbers 31:12

Related Figures

Historical Bible Dictionaries

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Meadow of the acacias, frequently called simply “Shittim” (Num. 25:1; Josh. 2:1; Micah 6:5), a place on the east of Jordan, in the plain of Moab, nearly opposite Jericho. It was the forty-second encampment of the Israelites, their last resting-place before they crossed the Jordan (Num. 33:49; 22:1; 26:3; 31:12; comp. 25:1; 31:16).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)

a'-bel-shit'-tim ('abhel ha-shiTTim, "the meadow of the Acacias"): The name appears only in Nu 33:49; but the name Shittim is used to denote the same locality (Nu 25:1; Jos 2:1; 3:1; Mic 6:5). The name always has the article, and the best expression of it in English would be "the Acacias." `The valley of the Acacias' (Joe 3:18 (4:18)) is, apparently, a different locality.For many weeks before crossing the Jordan, Israel was encamped in the vicinity of the Jordan valley, North of the Dead Sea, East of the river. The notices in the Bible, supplemented by those in Josephus and Eusebius and Jerome, indicate that the camping region was many miles in extent, the southern limit being Beth-jeshimoth, toward the Dead Sea, while Abel of the Acacias was the northern limit and the headquarters. The headquarters are often spoken of as East of the Jordan at Jericho (e.g. Nu 22:1; 26:3,63). During the stay there occurred the Balaam incident (Nu 22-24), and the harlotry with Moab and Midian (Nu 25) and the war with Midian (Nu 31), in both of which Phinehas distinguished himself. It was from the Acacias that Joshua sent out the spies, and that Israel afterward moved down to the river for the crossing. Micah aptly calls upon Yahweh's people to remember all that happened to them from the time when they reached the Acacias to the time when Yahweh had brought them safely across the river to Gilgal.Josephus is correct in saying that Abel of the Acacias is the place from which the Deuteronomic law purports to have been given. In his time the name survived as Abila, a not very important town situated there. He says that it was "sixty furlongs from Abila to the Jordan," that is a little more than seven English miles (Ant., IV, viii, 1 and V, i, 1; BJ, IV, vii, 6). There seems to be a consensus for locating the site at Kefrein, near where the wady of that name comes down into the Jordan valley.Willis J. Beecher

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