בֵּית הַשִּׁטָּה

𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤄𐤔𐤈𐤄

Bêyth hash-Shiṭṭâh

H1029 noun

SILEX Entry

Root בית, שטה to house, to dwell, to contain; acacia tree

Definition

A proper place name referring to a specific settlement, most likely meaning 'place/house of the acacia (tree)'. It designates a site east of the Jordan River associated with Israelite movements during the period of the Judges (see Judges 7:22). The name combines the general word for 'house/place' (בַּיִת) and the name of the acacia tree (שִׁטָּה), with the definite article הַ attached to the latter element. The word functions primarily as a toponym rather than a general term.

Semantic Range

proper name of a settlement, place associated with acacia trees, refers specifically to an Israelite site east of the Jordan

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root בּ-י-ת (בַּיִת, 'house, dwelling, place') and שׁ-ט-ה (שִׁטָּה, 'acacia [tree]'); הַ is the definite article ('the'), interposed in the compound. The name literally means 'house/place of the acacia'.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The term is a geographical designation rather than a common noun, appearing only in Judges 7:22 as a place involved in Gideon's pursuit of the Midianites. The 'house' element in Hebrew toponyms often indicates not just a residence but a significant landmark, site, or location associated with an object or family. In context, 'shittah' refers to the acacia tree, known for its hard wood, which was used in biblical construction. English translations typically render the name as 'Beth-shittah' or 'Beth-hash-shittah', but do not specify its likely meaning to ancient Israelite audiences. The term 'Palestine' is anachronistic for the period; the location marks a site in the Israelite tribal lands in the Judges period, likely near the Jordan Valley. The use of the article within toponyms is unusual but not unparalleled in Hebrew (cp. 'Beth-haram').

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from בַּיִת and שִׁטָּה with the article interposed; house of the acacia; Beth-hash-Shittah, a place in Palestine; Beth-shittah.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

בנה (b-n-h) — to build, construct, establish (family)

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1004 בַּיִת in the houses
H1005 בַּיִת the built-house
H1006 בַּיִת the house
H1007 בֵּית אָוֶן house-of
H1008 בֵּית־אֵל in house of

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1029-01 בֵּ֤ית beyt HNp house-of house-of 1
H1029-02 הַשִּׁטָּה֙ hashitah HNp Shittah House of the Acacia 1

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1029-01 Judges 7:22 בֵּ֤ית beyt HNp house-of house-of
H1029-02 Judges 7:22 הַשִּׁטָּה֙ hashitah HNp Shittah House of the Acacia