Lexical Summary Rissah: Rissah Original Word: רִסָּה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Rissah From racac; a ruin (as dripping to pieces); Rissah, a place in the Desert -- Rissah. see HEBREW racac NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a place in the desert NASB Translation Rissah (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs רִסָּה proper name, of a location station in wilderness, Numbers 33:21,22; Δεσσα, A Ρεσσα, ᵐ5L Δρεσσα. רסן (√of following; compare Arabic Topical Lexicon Biblical References Numbers 33:21–22 recounts the stop at Rissah during Israel’s wilderness journey: “They set out from Libnah and camped at Rissah. And they journeyed from Rissah and camped at Kehelathah” (Berean Standard Bible). These two verses preserve the whole biblical record of the site. Geographical and Historical Context Rissah stands among the constellation of encampments listed in Numbers 33 that trace Israel’s travels between the departure from Mount Sinai and the arrival at the plains of Moab. Coming immediately after Libnah and before Kehelathah, it marks the twenty-third station following the Exodus from Egypt. The exact location has not been identified, though proposals range from the north-central Sinai interior to an area nearer modern Jordan, depending on how scholars align the sequence with known trade routes and water sources. The obscurity of the site underscores the transience of the wilderness march: places significant enough for an entire nation to encamp can fade from human memory, yet they remain firmly fixed in the divine record. Theological Themes 1. Divine Guidance. Rissah belongs to the larger itinerary that demonstrates God’s continual leading of His people by the pillar of cloud and fire (Exodus 13:21–22). Each brief verse in Numbers 33 testifies that Israel moved only at the Lord’s command (Numbers 9:18). Lessons for Ministry • Ordinary Places Matter. Congregations and individual believers may serve in settings as inconspicuous as Rissah, yet their faithfulness is eternally recorded (1 Corinthians 15:58). Homiletical and Devotional Use Rissah functions well in sermons or devotions about transitional seasons. Its very obscurity can illustrate how God shapes character in seemingly insignificant settings. A message might trace three encampments—Libnah (“white stones”), Rissah, and Kehelathah (“assembly”)—to show how cleansing, obscurity, and gathering often precede new advances in service. Inter-Canonical Echoes The pattern established at Rissah reappears whenever Scripture depicts God shepherding His people step by step. Psalm 23:3, “He guides me in paths of righteousness,” and Romans 8:14, “All who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God,” echo the same guiding presence experienced at each wilderness station. Summary Though mentioned only twice, Rissah stands as a silent witness to God’s meticulous leadership of Israel. It calls believers to trust the Lord’s guidance in the unnoticed stretches of their own journey, confident that every stage—remembered or forgotten by men—is purposeful in the sovereign plan of God. Forms and Transliterations בְּרִסָּֽה׃ ברסה׃ מֵרִסָּ֑ה מרסה bə·ris·sāh berisSah bərissāh mê·ris·sāh merisSah mêrissāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 33:21 HEB: מִלִּבְנָ֑ה וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בְּרִסָּֽה׃ NAS: from Libnah and camped at Rissah. KJV: from Libnah, and pitched at Rissah. INT: Libnah and camped Rissah Numbers 33:22 2 Occurrences |
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(Frä100f.) = רֶסֶן; ᵑ7 רִסְנָא (rare), compare DalmWB).