Places in the Bible Today:

Abel-shittim

Data

Translated NamesAbel-shittim, Abel Acacia Grove, Abel Shittim, Acacia Meadow, meadows of Acacia
Typecampsite
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

3 Possible Identifications

  1. another name for Shittim (ancient): 80% confidence. It may be:

    1. panorama of Tall el HammamTall el Hammam

    2. satellite view of the region around Tall KafraynTall Kafrayn

    3. satellite view of the region around Tell MatabiTell Matabi

  2. Tall Kafrayn (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. satellite view of the region around Tall KafraynTall Kafrayn

  3. Tall el Hammam (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. panorama of Tall el HammamTall el Hammam

Verses (1)

Num 33:49

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Biblemapper.com88
Logos FactbookShittim
OpenBible.info (2007)Abel-shittim
OpenBible.infoa51d1fa (Abel-shittim)
TIPNRAbel-shittim@Num.33.49
UBS Names Databaseot ID_37
WikidataQ2236536

Sources

  1. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Shittim (place)
  2. Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land (1990): Abel-shittim; Shittim
  3. Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2013)
  4. Baly, Atlas of the Biblical World (1971): Abel-shittim
  5. Carta Bible Atlas, 5th Edition (2011)
  6. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)
  7. ESV Bible Atlas (2010)
  8. Expositor’s Bible Commentary (1984): Num 33:48-49
  9. Grollenberg, Atlas of the Bible (1957): Abel-shittim
  10. HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (2011): Shittim
  11. HarperCollins Concise Atlas of the Bible (1991)
  12. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979)
  13. IVP Old Testament Bible Background Commentary (2000): Num 25:1
  14. Lexham Bible Dictionary (2016): Shittim
  15. New Bible Dictionary (1996): Shittim
  16. New Interpreter’s Bible Dictionary (2009)
  17. New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (1988): Shittim
  18. Oxford Bible Atlas, Fourth Edition (2007)
  19. Reader’s Digest Atlas of the Bible (1981): Abel-shittim
  20. Tyndale Bible Dictionary (2001)
  21. Tübingen Bible Atlas (2001): Abel ha-Sittim
  22. Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1956): Shittim
  23. Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia (1975)
  24. Zondervan Atlas of the Bible (2010): Abel Shittim (Shittim)
  25. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010)
  26. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (2009): Num 25:1

Confidence Trends over Time

This chart indicates how confidence in the identifications is changing over time. Each dot (connected by a dotted line) reflects the confidence of an identification over the preceding ten years (e.g., the 2009 dot reflects scholarship from 2000 to 2009), and the corresponding solid line reflects a best-fit line for the identification. Confidences that cluster near or below 0% indicate low confidence. Because of the small dataset, it's best to use this chart for general trends; if one identification is trending much higher than the others (in this case, another name for Shittim), then you can probably have higher confidence in the identification. This chart only reflects the sources I consulted (listed above), not an exhaustive review of the literature.

Thumbnail Image Credits

Deg777, Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2019

About

This page attempts to identify all the possible locations where this biblical place could be. The confidence levels add up to less than 100%, indicating that the modern location is uncertain. It's best to think about the confidences in relative rather than absolute terms. Often they reflect different schools of thought, each confident in their identifications.