Lexical Summary Sebam: Sebam Original Word: שְׂבָם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Shebam, Shibmah, Sibmah Or (feminine) Sibmah {sib-maw'}; probably from basam; spice; Sebam or Sibmah, a place in Moab -- Shebam, Shibmah, Sibmah. see HEBREW basam NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a place in Moab NASB Translation Sebam (1), Sibmah (5). Brown-Driver-Briggs שְׂבָם proper name, of a location Numbers 32:3, ִשׂבְמָה Numbers 32:38; Joshua 13:19; Isaiah 16:8,9; Jeremiah 48:32; in Moad (Reuben), near Heshbon (compare also JeromeIsaiah 16:8) Σεβαμα. Topical Lexicon Name and Location Sebam (also Sibmah) designates a town on the eastern side of the Jordan River, just north of the Arnon Gorge and adjacent to Heshbon and Elealeh. It stood within the fertile Mishor plateau, a region later famed for its vineyards. The site originally fell to the Amorites, was taken by Israel under Moses, allotted to the tribe of Reuben, and in the prophetic era lay within Moab’s reclaimed borders. Biblical Occurrences • Numbers 32:3 – listed among the towns desired by the tribes of Reuben and Gad. Historical Background During Israel’s approach to Canaan, the conquest of Sihon opened the Transjordan tablelands. Reuben and Gad petitioned Moses for these pastures, promising allegiance to the national mission. Sebam became part of their eastern holdings, a testimony to the Lord’s provision beyond the immediate boundaries of the promised land west of the Jordan. By the eighth and seventh centuries B.C., Moab had regained control. The prophetic references therefore address Sebam as a Moabite possession, underscoring the fluidity of political borders and the inevitability of divine judgment upon prideful nations. Agricultural Significance: The Vines of Sebam The town’s renown arose chiefly from its viticulture: “For the fields of Heshbon have withered, along with the vines of Sibmah; the rulers of the nations trampled its choice vines, reaching as far as Jazer, wandering to the desert, their shoots spread out, they reached the sea.” (Isaiah 16:8) The luxuriant vines symbolized Moab’s prosperity. Their spread “to the sea” conveys both abundance and expansive trade. Jeremiah echoes the image, portraying an agrarian economy about to suffer devastation: “O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for you more than for Jazer.” (Jeremiah 48:32) Prophetic Emphasis Isaiah and Jeremiah employ Sebam to dramatize coming desolation. Mourning over vines and vintage highlights divine retribution that strips away material security. The burden against Moab also functions as a sober reminder to Israel: covenant privilege does not exempt from judgment if faithlessness prevails. Theological and Ministry Applications 1. Transience of earthly wealth – Even the most fertile vineyards can be laid waste overnight (compare Proverbs 11:28). Archaeological and Geographical Notes Tentative identifications place Sebam at Khirbet Suweim or Khirbet Qarrāwa, both overlooking the Wadi Hesban. The nearby springs and limestone soil match a vineyard culture. Potsherds from Iron Age strata reinforce a continuous occupation from the Israelite settlement through the late monarchic period. Intertextual Connections Numbers 13:23 praises the cluster of grapes from the Valley of Eshcol; Sebam’s vineyards mirror that lush promise realized. Song of Solomon 1:14 and 7:12 celebrate vineyards as places of love and fruitfulness, themes inverted in the oracles where vines become objects of grief. Christological Foreshadowing As Sebam’s vines once exported sweetness to distant markets, so the gospel spreads life “from Jerusalem… to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Yet the judgment that felled Moab’s vines anticipates the cross, where the True Vine bore wrath to grant eternal harvest. Practical Lessons for Believers • Guard against complacency in seasons of abundance. Sebam’s six brief mentions trace a trajectory from conquest to loss, from opulence to ruin. Its account summons the people of God to prize the enduring inheritance, heed prophetic warning, and bear lasting fruit in fellowship with the Lord of the vineyard. Forms and Transliterations וְשִׂבְמָ֔ה וּשְׂבָ֥ם ושבם ושבמה שִׂבְמָ֑ה שִׂבְמָ֔ה שִׂבְמָ֗ה שבמה śiḇ·māh śiḇmāh sivMah ū·śə·ḇām ūśəḇām useVam vesivMah wə·śiḇ·māh wəśiḇmāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 32:3 HEB: וְחֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן וְאֶלְעָלֵ֑ה וּשְׂבָ֥ם וּנְב֖וֹ וּבְעֹֽן׃ NAS: Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo KJV: and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, INT: Heshbon Elealeh Sebam Nebo and Beon Numbers 32:38 Joshua 13:19 Isaiah 16:8 Isaiah 16:9 Jeremiah 48:32 6 Occurrences |
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