What does shittah mean?
Shittah names the wood described in the Hebrew Bible for the Ark of the Covenant and the tabernacle. It has traditionally been identified as acacia, and many English Bible translations render the underlying term as acacia wood or acacia. The exact botanical identity of the tree intended by the original Hebrew is nevertheless uncertain, so shittah remains valuable to readers who want to preserve the biblical wording without assuming a precise species. In the book of Exodus, the timber is associated with the Ark, the tabernacle framework, and related fittings. Outside religious and historical contexts, the word is rare. It occurs in the singular as shittah and in the traditional plural shittim, with shittahs also used as a regular English plural. The term is especially notable because it records both an ancient biblical material and the continuing uncertainty over what that material actually was.
nounShittah is the timber identified in the Hebrew Bible as the wood used for the Ark of the Covenant and the tabernacle. It is traditionally identified as acacia, although the precise tree or trees intended remain uncertain.
- The wood specified in the Hebrew Bible for the Ark of the Covenant, the tabernacle, and their fittings, traditionally understood to be acacia but not securely identifiable with a particular species.
"The craftsman was instructed to overlay the ark with pure gold, while the surrounding structure was made from shittah wood."
"He studied the dimensions of the tabernacle and the arrangement of its shittah boards."
"Translations differ in how they render the biblical references to shittah wood."
Shittahs is the regular English plural, but shittim has traditionally been used as the biblical plural and is especially common in references to the Ark of the Covenant.
"The account specifies shittim for the Ark's framework, while some English texts use shittahs."
The Ark of the Covenant was made with shittah wood, but generations of readers have disagreed about what tree the Bible actually meant.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does shittah come from?
The English word shittah comes from the Hebrew שִׁטִּים (shittim), a plural form associated with the wood prescribed for the biblical tabernacle and Ark. Its singular form, שִׁטִּה (shittah), was anglicized as shittah, while shittim remained common as a collective or plural term. The ultimate origin of the Hebrew word is uncertain, and its proposed links with Egyptian or other ancient languages have not established its botanical identity with confidence.
How shittah is actually used
This is an uncommon term found chiefly in biblical texts, religious scholarship, and historical discussions of ancient Israel. Modern translations often prefer a more familiar tree name such as acacia, while acknowledging that the identification is uncertain.
Easily confused with shittah
Shittah is the singular form, whereas shittim is the traditional plural and is the form most often quoted in biblical references to the Ark of the Covenant.