SEV Biblia, Chapter 33:18
Y partidos de Hazerot, asentaron en Ritma.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Numbers 33:18
Verse 18. RITHMAH.] This place lay somewhere in the wilderness of Paran, through which the Israelites were now passing. See chap. xiii. 1, 3. The name signifies the juniper tree; and the place probably had its name from the great number of those trees growing in that district.STAT. 15.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 18. And they departed from Hazeroth, and pitched at Rithmah .] Eight miles from Hazeroth: Rethem, from whence this place seems to have had its name, is generally rendered by “juniper”, ( 1 Kings 19:4,5) and the Targum of Jonathan here adds, where the juniper trees grew; and, perhaps, it is the same with the valley of Retheme, of which some travellers thus write, “this valley”, called in the Hebrew Retheme, and commonly Ritma, derives its name from a yellow flower, with which the valley is covered; we found here, on the left hand, two cisterns of excellent water; and water being to be had here, might be the reason of the Israelites pitching in this place. Some learned men think it is the same with Kadeshbarnea, from whence the spies were sent, that being the next remove from Hazeroth, as this was; (see Numbers 12:16 13:26 32:8 Deuteronomy 2:14 Joshua 14:7), with which agrees the remark of Jarchi, that this place was so called, because of the evil tongue of the spies, as it is said, ( <19C003> Psalm 120:3,4) “what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper”; alluding to the signification of Rithmah; perhaps this is the same place, which by Josephus is called Dathema, and so in the Apocrypha: “Then the heathen that were at Galaad assembled themselves together against the Israelites that were in their quarters, to destroy them; but they fled to the fortress of Dathema.” (1 Maccabees 5:9) Ver. 19-29. And they departed from Rithmah, and pitched at Rimmonparez .] Six miles from Rithmah, and then from Rimmon to Libnah, which was six miles also; and from thence to Rissah, which was six miles more; and from Rissah to, Kehelathah, which was the same number of miles; and from thence to Shapher, which was six miles also; and then they came to Haradah, which was four miles from thence; the next remove was to Makheloth, which was four miles and a half from the last place; then they went to Tahath, which was four miles more; and from thence to Tarah, which also was four miles; the next place they came to was Mithcah, four miles from Tarah; and then to Hashmonah, which was eight miles more.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-49 - This is a brief review of the travels of the children of Israel throug the wilderness. It is a memorable history. In their travels toward Canaan they were continually on the remove. Such is our state in thi world; we have here no continuing city, and all our removes in thi world are but from one part a desert to another. They were led to an from, forward and backward, yet were all the while under the directio of the pillar of cloud and fire. God led them about, yet led them the right way. The way God takes in bringing his people to himself is always the best way, though it does not always seem to us the neares way. Former events are mentioned. Thus we ought to keep in mind the providences of God concerning us and families, us and our land, and the many instances of that Divine care which has led us, and fed us, an kept us all our days hitherto. Few periods of our lives can be though upon, without reminding us of the Lord's goodness, and our ow ingratitude and disobedience: his kindness leaves us without excuse for our sins. We could not wish to travel over again the stages we have passed, unless we could hope, by the grace of God, to shun the sins we then committed, and to embrace such opportunities of doing good as we have let slip. Soon will our wanderings end, and our eternal state be fixed beyond recall; how important then is the present moment! Happ are those whom the Lord now guides with his counsel, and will at lengt receive to his glory. To this happiness the gospel calls us. Behold no is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. Let sinners seiz the opportunity, and flee for refuge to the hope set before them. Le us redeem our time, to glorify God and serve our generation; and he will carry us safely through all, to his eternal kingdom.
Original Hebrew
ויסעו 5265 מחצרת 2698 ויחנו 2583 ברתמה׃ 7575
