רִתְמָה
𐤓𐤕𐤌𐤄
Ritemah
H7575 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Rithmah is a toponym referring to a specific encampment of the Israelites during their wilderness journeys, most notably listed among the stages of their route from Egypt to Canaan. The name derives from the noun rethem, signifying a type of desert shrub (Retama, often identified with the broom tree), suggesting either the presence of such plants or the character of the landscape. Semantic range includes its use as a place name, without evidence for usage as a common noun in the Hebrew Bible.
Semantic Range
a place named after the broom bush, encampment in the wilderness; does not function as a common noun
Root / Etymology
Formed from the noun רֶתֶם (retem, 'broom shrub,' Retama raetam), with the addition of the feminine suffix -ָה. The root is רתם (ר-ת-ם), conveying the semantic field of the desert broom shrub.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Rithmah appears only as a place name in the Hebrew Bible, notably in Numbers 33:18-19, as one of the locations where the Israelites camped during the exodus period. Its meaning is closely tied to the rethem shrub, characterized by its occurrence in arid regions. The use of plant-derived place names is common in biblical onomastics, typically referencing a landscape feature that marked the location. English translations often render it simply as 'Rithmah,' leaving the toponym relatively untranslated. There is no evidence for the term's extension to ethnic or geographic identities beyond its function as a placename. Later Jewish tradition identifies the broom shrub as a useful source of shade or fuel in desert environments, but this does not affect its original toponymic usage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of רֶתֶם; Rithmah, a place in the Desert; Rithmah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רתם (r-t-m) — to bind, to entwine; broom shrub (Retama)
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7575-01 |
בְּ/רִתְמָֽה | beritemah | HR/Np |
at Rithmah | in Broom-Shrub Place | 1 |
H7575-02 |
מֵ/רִתְמָ֑ה | meritemah | HR/Np |
from Rithmah | from Broom-Shrub Place | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7575-01 |
Numbers 33:18 | בְּ/רִתְמָֽה | beritemah | HR/Np |
at Rithmah | in Broom-Shrub Place |
H7575-02 |
Numbers 33:19 | מֵ/רִתְמָ֑ה | meritemah | HR/Np |
from Rithmah | from Broom-Shrub Place |