ACACIA
“acacias.”
(a) Important Israelite camp in the fields of Moab, east of the Jordan, opposite Jericho (Num. 22:1; 25:1). After the defeat of Sihon and Og, the Israelites transported the camp from Pisgah to the Abarim mountains.
They pitched their tents in Shittim (Num. 21:20; 22:1; 33:47, 48), on a plateau, among the acacia forests, in the highest place of the three terraces that border the valley of the Jordan.
The camp extended from Bet-jesimot to Abel-sitim (Num. 33:49; cf. 23:28), over more than 5 km. It was arranged in an orderly manner, following the plan established for each tribe (Num. 24 :2, 5, 6). (See CAMP.)
Important events happened during the stay in Sitim. Balaam tried to curse the people, but failed (Num. 22-24). However, he caused the people to sin by going on a rampage with the daughters of Moab and Midian in Baal-peor.
A plague fell on the guilty (Num. 25). The second census took place there (Num. 26). There Moses promulgated the laws regarding the inheritance of daughters (Num. 27:1-11).
It was also in Shittim that he publicly designated Joshua as his successor (Num. 27:12-23) and promulgated regulations regarding sacrifices and vows (Num. 28-30).
At this place, God commanded the Israelites to attack the five neighboring Midianite tribes who had seduced the people into idolatrous orgies, at Baal-peor (Num. 31).
Reuben and Gad received in Shittim the territory they desired to possess east of the Jordan (Num. 32). It was there that Moses again exhorted the Israelites to drive the Canaanites out of the land, to tear down their altars and their idols.
He determined the borders, and appointed the chiefs in charge of dividing the country among the tribes. He ordered to assign cities to the Levites and to choose among them six cities of refuge for unintentional murderers (Num. 33: 50-35).
Additionally, Moses stipulated that female heirs must marry a man from their own tribe (Num. 36). The great legislator said goodbye to the people here (see DEUTERONOMY).
Joshua was solemnly invested with his duties, and then Moses ascended Mount Nebo, where he died. After the leader’s death, Joshua sent two spies out of Shittim to explore the situation in Jericho (Josh. 2).
Once their mission was completed, he ordered the breaking of camp and directed the crossing of the Jordan (Joshua 3).
(b) Arid valley where only acacia trees grow (shittim, Jl. 3:18). If the prophet has a specific valley in sight, it could be the wadi Kidron. Under the name of wadi el-Jõz, it begins slightly northwest of Jerusalem, turns towards the east of the city, separating it from the Mount of Olives, then constituting a deep rocky gorge (wadi en-Nãr), heading southeast towards the Dead Sea, where it empties about 16 km from its northern end.
If it is not the wadi Kidron, the Shittim of Jl. 3:18 would be an allusion to the Arabah around the Dead Sea (cf. Ez. 47:1-12).