Shittim* (Place) — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Site on the plains of Moab where the Israelites made their final Transjordan encampment after defeating Sihon and Og (Nm 21:21-35) and prior to their crossing of the Jordan (25:1). According to Numbers 33:49, this camp was near the Jordan, spreading from Beth-jeshimoth as far as Abel-shittim. Here Abel-shittim appears to be the full name of the place, while Shittim is the more common abbreviated toponym.

Show passage in OET: NUM 25:1

OET-RV NUM 25:1

25 Meanwhile, the Israelis settled down at Shitim, and their men started sleeping with women from Moav (Moab)

OET-LV NUM 25:1

25 And_ Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) _he/it _sat _down//remained//lived in_Shiţţīm and_ the_people _it _began to_commit _fornication into the _daughters _of Mōʼāⱱ.

Show passage in OET: NUM 33:49

OET-RV NUM 33:49

49 They camped beside the river from Beyt -Hayeshimot to Avel -Hashitim there on the Moav plains.

OET-LV NUM 33:49

49 And_they _encamped at the_Yardēn from_Bēyt- hayshimōt/(jeshimoth) to Abel- shittim in_the _plains _of Mōʼāⱱ.

Jump to OET NUM 25:1 section.

Jump to OET NUM 33:49 section.

At Shittim, Balak of Moab attempted to thwart the Israelite penetration of Canaan by hiring Balaam to curse the people of God (Nm 22–24 OET NUM 22:1–41 · OET NUM 23:1–30 · OET NUM 24:1–25), and later, apparently incited by Balaam’s counsel, Israel “played the harlot” with women from Midian and Moab (25:1-5; cf. 31:15-16). Israel’s apostasy, participating in idolatrous rites and engaging in ritual prostitution, was punished by Yahweh with the plague at Peor (Nm 25:1-18; cf. 1 Cor 10:6-8). Moses and Eleazar organized a census of the tribes while encamped at Shittim, and here Joshua was publicly proclaimed as Moses’ successor (Nm 27:18-22). Joshua dispatched two spies from Shittim to reconnoiter Jericho (Jos 2:1); later the Israelites prepared for the river crossing by breaking camp at Shittim and traveling to the Jordan (3:1).

Show passage in OET: NUM 25:1–5

OET-RV NUM 25:1

25 Meanwhile, the Israelis settled down at Shitim, and their men started sleeping with women from Moav (Moab)

OET-RV NUM 25:2

2 who then invited them to sacrifices to their idols. So the Israelis bowed down to the idols and ate at the feasts,

OET-RV NUM 25:3

3 and when Yisrael (Israel) consecrated themselves to Ba’al -Pe’or, Yahweh’s anger burnt towards them.

OET-RV NUM 25:4

4 Then Yahweh told Mosheh (Moses), “Execute all the people’s leaders and display their bodies in broad daylight, and then Yahweh’s anger might turn back away from Yisrael.”

OET-RV NUM 25:5

5 So Mosheh to Yisrael’s judges, “Each of you must execute your men who have joined others to serve Ba’al -Pe’or.”

OET-LV NUM 25:1

25 And_ Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) _he/it _sat _down//remained//lived in_Shiţţīm and_ the_people _it _began to_commit _fornication into the _daughters _of Mōʼāⱱ.

OET-LV NUM 25:2

2 And_they _invited (to)_people to_the _sacrifices _of their _gods _of_their and_ the_people _it _ate and_they _bowed _down to_gods _of_their.

OET-LV NUM 25:3

3 And_ Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) _it _joined _itself to_Baˊal _of Pəˊōr and_ the _anger of_YHWH _it _glowed/burnt on_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

OET-LV NUM 25:4

4 And_ YHWH _he/it _said to Mosheh take DOM all _of the _chiefs _of the _people and_impale them to/for_YHWH before the_sun so_ the _burning _of the _anger of_YHWH _that _it _may _turn _away from_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

OET-LV NUM 25:5

5 And_ Mosheh _he/it _said to the _judges _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) kill everyone men _of_his who_have_joined _themselves to_Baˊal _of Pəˊōr.

Show passage in OET: NUM 31:15–16

OET-RV NUM 31:15

15 “Why did you allow all the women to live?” he asked them.

OET-RV NUM 31:16

16 “They’re the very ones who did what Bil’am (Balaam) suggested to urge the people to be unfaithful to Yahweh at Pe’or, leading to the deadly disease that struck Yahweh’s people.

OET-LV NUM 31:15

15 And_he/it _said to_them Mosheh have_you(pl)_let _live every _of female.

OET-LV NUM 31:16

16 THERE they they _were to_the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) by_the _message _of Bilˊām to_offer unfaithfulness in_YHWH on the _matter _of Pəˊōr and_ the_plague _it _became among_the _congregation _of YHWH.

Show passage in OET: CO1 10:6–8

OET-RV CO1 10:6

6 Those things back then became examples for us, so that we wouldn’t be desiring evil things like they did.

OET-RV CO1 10:7

7 Don’t worship idols like some of them did, as it’s written: ‘The people sat down to eat and drink and then stood up to dance to the golden calf.’

OET-RV CO1 10:8

8 Nor should we commit sexual immorality like many of them did, and 23,000 people died in one day.

OET-LV CO1 10:6

6 And these things examples for _us were _become, in _order that not to _be us coveters of _evil, as also _those they _desired.

OET-LV CO1 10:7

7 Not idolaters be _becoming, as some of _them, as it _has _been _written:
Sat _down the people to _eat and to _drink, and they _stood _up to _be _playing.

OET-LV CO1 10:8

8 Not we _may _be _committing _sexual _immorality, as some of _them committed _sexual _immorality, and fell in _one day three twenty thousands.

Show passage in OET: NUM 27:18–22

OET-RV NUM 27:18

18 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “Get Nun’s son Yehoshua (Joshua), a man who has my spirit in him, and place your hands on him to indicate the transfer of leadership.

OET-RV NUM 27:19

19 Stand him in front of the priest Eleazar and all the assembly, and commission him as they watch.

OET-RV NUM 27:20

20 Give him some of your authority so that all the Israeli people can hear it.

OET-RV NUM 27:21

21 When he needs guidance, he must stand in front of the priest Eleazar and ask for Yahweh’s decision to be given via the Urim. Then Yehoshua and all the people will go in or come out as per Yahweh’s instructions.”

OET-RV NUM 27:22

22 So Mosheh did what Yahweh had ordered him to, and he presented Yehoshua to the priest Eleazar and to the entire community.

OET-LV NUM 27:18

18 And_ YHWH _he/it _said to Mosheh take to/for_yourself(m) DOM Yəhōshūˊa/(Joshua) the _son _of Nūn a _man whom a _spirit in/on/over_him/it and_you _will _lay DOM hand _of_your on/upon/above_him/it.

OET-LV NUM 27:19

19 And_you _will _make _stand DOM_him/it to_(the)_face _of/in _front _of/before ʼElˊāzār the_priest/officer and_before _of all _of the_congregation and_you _will _commission DOM_him/it to_eyes _of_their.

OET-LV NUM 27:20

20 And_you(ms)_will _give some_of_your _majesty on/upon/above_him/it so _that all _of the _congregation _of the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) they _may _hear.

OET-LV NUM 27:21

21 And_before _of ʼElˊāzār the_priest/officer he _will _stand and_he _will _enquire to_him/it by_the _judgement _of the _Urim to_(the)_face _of/in _front _of/before YHWH on mouth _of_his they _will _go _out and_on mouth _of_his he and_all the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) with_him/it and_all the_congregation they _will _come.

OET-LV NUM 27:22

22 And_ Mosheh _he/it _made just_as YHWH he _had _commanded DOM_him/it and_he/it _took DOM Yəhōshūˊa and_he_made _him _stand to_(the)_face _of/in _front _of/before ʼElˊāzār the_priest/officer and_before _of all _of the_congregation.

Show passage in OET: JOS 2:1

OET-RV JOS 2:1

2 Then from there at Acacia Grove, Yehoshua (Joshua) (Nun’s son) secretly sent off two spies, saying, “Go and learn about the land over there, especially around Yeriho (Jericho) City.” So they went off, and over there, they entered the house of a woman—a prostitute named Rahav—and they lay down there.

OET-LV JOS 2:1

2 And_ Yəhōshūˊa the _son _of Nūn _he _sent from (the)_Shiţţīm two men spies secretly to_say go see DOM the_earth/land and_DOM Yərīḩō/(Jericho) and_they _went and_they _came the_house _of a _woman a _prostitute and_name _of_her was_Rāḩāⱱ and_they _lay _down there_(to).

Show passage in OET: JOS 3:1

OET-RV JOS 3:1

3 Early the next morning, Yehoshua (Joshua) and the people got up early and set off from Acacia Grove and went as far as the Yarden (Jordan) River and camped there without crossing over.

OET-LV JOS 3:1

3 And_ Yəhōshūˊa _he _rose _early in_morning and_they _set _out from_(the)_Shiţţīm and_they _came to the_Yardēn/(Jordan) he and_all the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) and_they _stayed there before they _passed _over.

Jump to OET NUM 25:1–5 section.

Jump to OET NUM 31:15–16 section.

Jump to OET CO1 10:6–8 section.

Jump to OET NUM 27:18–22 section.

Jump to OET JOS 2:1 section.

Jump to OET JOS 3:1 section.

Outside the Hexateuch the place-name Shittim occurs only in Joel 3:18 and Micah 6:5. The reference in Joel to the “valley of Shittim” or “wadi of the acacias” seems to be a symbol of barren aridity transformed into well-watered land when Yahweh restores his people in the eschaton, not a literal geographical location. Micah charges the people to remember “what happened from Shittim to Gilgal,” no doubt a reference to the crossing of the Jordan and the covenant promise of a land ultimately realized, as he recites the “saving acts” of Yahweh on Israel’s behalf.