7575. Rithmah
Lexical Summary
Rithmah: Rithmah

Original Word: רִתְמָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Feminine
Transliteration: Rithmah
Pronunciation: reeth-MAH
Phonetic Spelling: (rith-maw')
KJV: Rithmah
NASB: Rithmah
Word Origin: [feminine of H7574 (רֶתֶם רוֹתֶם - juniper tree)]

1. Rithmah, a place in the Desert

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Rithmah

Feminine of rethem; Rithmah, a place in the Desert -- Rithmah.

see HEBREW rethem

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from ratham
Definition
a place in the desert
NASB Translation
Rithmah (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
רִתְמָה proper name, of a location station in wilderness, Numbers 33:18,19; Ραθαμα, ᵐ5L Ραμθα.

Topical Lexicon
Biblical Occurrences

Rithmah appears twice, both in the itinerary of Israel’s wilderness journey (Numbers 33:18, 19). These brief references place the camp between Hazeroth and Rimmon Perez during the second year after the exodus—immediately following the incident of the spies and Israel’s refusal to enter the land (Numbers 14). Numbers 33:18 records, “They set out from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah,” while Numbers 33:19 adds, “They set out from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon Perez” (Berean Standard Bible).

Geographical Setting

Ancient sources, including early rabbinic tradition, associate Rithmah with the wilderness of Paran, near Kadesh Barnea. The modern consensus places it in the northeastern sector of the Sinai Peninsula, perhaps around Wadi Retem, where the desert broom shrub (Retama raetam) is plentiful. The surrounding terrain is arid, broken by dry riverbeds and scattered brush—conditions well suited for a nomadic encampment yet inhospitable enough to remind Israel of its dependency on divine provision.

Historical Context

Numbers 33 provides a divinely ordered travel log, underscoring that every step from Egypt to Canaan was directed by God. Rithmah follows Hazeroth, the site linked to Miriam’s leprosy (Numbers 12), and precedes Rimmon Perez, a place connected to judgment (“perez” meaning “breach”). Thus Rithmah sits within a pivotal section of the narrative marked by rebellion, discipline, and renewed movement. It is likely that Rithmah, or an adjacent stop, corresponds with the return of the spies and the congregation’s subsequent wanderings (Numbers 13–14).

Theological and Devotional Insights

1. Divine guidance in transition: Although only named in passing, Rithmah testifies that God charts even the seemingly insignificant legs of life’s journey. Each station—no matter how obscure—lies within His purposeful design.
2. Mercy amid failure: Israel camped at Rithmah after a season of unbelief. The Lord did not abandon the nation; rather, He continued to lead them, illustrating that judgment and grace often run together in God’s dealings.
3. The brevity of human record versus the constancy of divine faithfulness: Scripture devotes but two verses to Rithmah, yet its inclusion in the inspired itinerary assures believers that nothing escapes God’s notice (Psalm 139:3).

Connections to Other Biblical Themes

• Wilderness testing: Like Marah, Rephidim, and Kadesh Barnea, Rithmah contributes to the broader theme of the desert as a proving ground where God shapes His people (Deuteronomy 8:2).
• The Book of Numbers as a pilgrimage gospel: The progression from Egypt to Canaan foreshadows the believer’s sanctification journey. Rithmah’s inclusion reinforces that salvation history unfolds through successive stages of divine leading (Philippians 1:6).
• The plant imagery of Retem (broom): Elsewhere, Elijah takes shelter under a broom tree and receives renewed strength (1 Kings 19:4–8). If Rithmah’s name derives from the same plant, the site subtly prefigures God’s provision of rest and sustenance in desolate places.

Application for Ministry

Pastors and teachers can employ Rithmah as a reminder that the Lord’s guidance extends to the unnamed, interim seasons of church life and personal discipleship. When congregations feel stalled between major milestones, the itinerary in Numbers 33, including modest stops like Rithmah, assures them that forward movement continues under God’s sovereign hand. Disciples navigating the aftermath of spiritual failure may draw hope: the same God who led Israel out of Hazeroth will not abandon them before Rimmon Perez.

Forms and Transliterations
בְּרִתְמָֽה׃ ברתמה׃ מֵרִתְמָ֑ה מרתמה bə·riṯ·māh beritMah bəriṯmāh mê·riṯ·māh meritMah mêriṯmāh
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Numbers 33:18
HEB: מֵחֲצֵרֹ֑ת וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בְּרִתְמָֽה׃
NAS: from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah.
KJV: from Hazeroth, and pitched in Rithmah.
INT: Hazeroth and camped Rithmah

Numbers 33:19
HEB: וַיִּסְע֖וּ מֵרִתְמָ֑ה וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בְּרִמֹּ֥ן
NAS: They journeyed from Rithmah and camped
KJV: And they departed from Rithmah, and pitched
INT: journeyed Rithmah and camped Rimmon-perez

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 7575
2 Occurrences


bə·riṯ·māh — 1 Occ.
mê·riṯ·māh — 1 Occ.

7574
Top of Page
Top of Page