Shittim

SHITTIM, or Sethim,¹ sort of precious Wood, of which Moses made the greatest Part of the Tables, Altars, and Planks belonging to the Tabernacle. St. Jerome generally keeps the Hebrew Word Shittim in his Translation. The Septuagint have render’d it by incorruptible Wood. The same St. Jerome says,² that the Shittim Wood grows in the Desarts of Arabia, that it is like White-thorn as to its Colour and Leaves, but not as to its Bigness; for the Tree is so large, that it affords very long Planks. The Wood is hard, tough, smooth, without Knots, and extreamly beautiful; so that the Rich and Curious make Screws of it for their Presses. This Kind of Wood does not grow in cultivated Places, nor in any other Place of the Roman Empire, but only in the Solitudes of Arabia. He says likewise in another Place,³ that the Shittim Wood resembles White-thorn, and that it is of an admirable Beauty, Solidity, Strength, and Smoothness. ‘Tis thought he means the black Acacia, which is (they say) the only Tree that is found in the Desarts of Arabia⁴. It is so hard and solid, as to become almost incorruptible. It is of the Colour of a Lote-tree when it is cut, and Planks are taken from it of twelve Cubits long. Its Branches don’t rise up in height; its Leaves are round and large, like those of a Pear-tree, of the Colour of Soot underneath, and green above. from it, which the Arabians call Akakia. But it is plain from St. Jerome’s Description of the Shittim Wood, that it cannot be this Acacia of Prosper Alpinus⁵ and Thevenot⁶. Yet very credible Authors affirm, that no other Trees grow in the Desarts of Arabia. See our Commentary upon Exodus xxv. 5.

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