Smith's Bible Dictionary

(Frankie) #1

impossible to say whether the ancient Jews were acquainted with its use. From the tangled thicket
into which the stem of this tree expands, Stanley well remarks that hence is to be traced the use of
the plural form of the Heb. noun shittim, the singular number occurring once only in the Bible.
This acacia must not be confounded with the tree (Robinia pseudo-acacia) popularly known by this
name in England, which is a North American plant, and belongs to a different genus and suborder.
The true acacias belong to the order Leguminosae, sub-order Mimoseae.
Shittim
(the acacias), the place of Israel’s encampment between the conquest of the transjordanic
highlands and the passage of the Jordan. (Numbers 25:1; 33:49; Joshua 2:1; 3:1; Micah 6:5) Its full
name appears to be given in the first of these passage—Abel has-Shittim, “the meadow, or moist
place, of the acacias.” it was “in the Arboth-moab, by Jordan-Jericho,” (Numb 22:1; 26:3; 31:12;
33:48,49 That is to say, it was in the Arabah or Jordan valley, opposite Jericho.
Shiza
(splendor), a Reubenite, father of Adina, (1 Chronicles 11:42) one of David’s warriors. (B.C.
1043.)
Shoa
(rich), a proper name which occurs only in (Ezekiel 23:23) in connection with Pekod and Koa.
The three apparently designate districts of Assyria with which the southern kingdom of Judah has
been intimately connected, and which were to be arrayed against it for punishment.
Shobab
(rebellious).
•Son of David by Bath-sheba. (2 Samuel 5:14; 1 Chronicles 3:5; 14:4) (B.C. about 1046.)
•Apparently the son of Caleb the son of Hezron by his wife Azubah. (1 Chronicles 2:18) (B.C. after
1706.)
Shobach
(expansion), the general of Hadarezer king of the Syrians of Zoba, who was defeated by David.
(2 Samuel 10:15-18) In (1 Chronicles 19:16) he is called Shophach. (B.C. 1034.)
Shobai
(glorious). The children of Shobai were a family of the door-keepers of the temple, who returned
with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:42; Nehemiah 7:45) (B.C. before 536.)
Shobal
(flowing).
•Second son of Seir the Horite, (Genesis 36:20; 1 Chronicles 1:38) and one of the “dukes” of the
Horites (Genesis 36:29)
•Son of Caleb the son of Hur and founder or prince of Kirjath-jearim. (1 Chronicles 2:50,52) (B.C.
about 1445.)
•In (1 Chronicles 4:1,2) Shobal appears with Hur among the sons of Judah. He is possibly the same
as the preceding.
Shobek
(free), one of the heads of the people who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah. (Nehemiah
10:24) (B.C. 446.)
Shobi
(glorious) son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon. (2 Samuel 17:27) He was one
of the first to meet David at Mahanaim on his flight from Absalom. (B.C. 1023.)

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