רִתְמָה (rit.mah)
rit.mah
Rithmah
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The noun rithmah refers to a specific location where the Israelites camped during their journey through the wilderness. Its primary meaning is "heath" or "broom plant," likely describing the sparse, scrubby vegetation characteristic of that particular stop. The word appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both times within the itinerary records of Numbers 33.
These verses list rithmah as a station situated between Rephidim and Sinai, or possibly northeast of Hazeroth depending on the textual tradition. By anchoring the name to the local flora, the text provides a vivid geographical marker for readers tracing the path of Exodus. It serves as a concrete detail in the broader narrative of wandering, reminding us that these journeys took place in harsh, arid landscapes.
Because it is a proper noun used only in genealogical or travel lists, rithmah carries no direct theological instruction. Instead, its value lies in its historical specificity. It grounds the biblical account in real geography, showing that the divine guidance of Israel moved through tangible, named places rather than abstract space.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Numbers 33 lists many stops along Israel’s wilderness journey, including this brief mention of Rithmah. The name likely comes from a local broom plant, marking a place where sparse vegetation grew in an arid landscape. These details remind us that God guided His people through real, tangible geography, not just abstract ideas.
Even in the quiet moments between major events, like the giving of the Law at Sinai, the journey continued. This word shows that every step mattered. It invites us to trust that God is present in the ordinary pauses of our own lives, guiding us through both dramatic and mundane seasons with care.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- from/ Rithmah1×
- at/ Rithmah1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מֵ/רִתְמָ֑ה1×
- בְּ/רִתְמָֽה\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Numbers 33:18
They traveled from Hazeroth, and encamped in Rithmah.
This verse identifies Rithmah as a specific encampment between Hazeroth and Sinai, anchoring the wilderness journey in a real location marked by local flora.
-
Numbers 33:19
They traveled from Rithmah, and encamped in Rimmon Perez.
Here, Rithmah serves as the starting point for the next leg of the journey to Rimmon Perez, showing its role as a temporary but necessary stop in the broader narrative of Exodus.