Numbers 33:18

“And they departed from Hazeroth, and pitched at Rithmah.] Eight miles from Hazeroth: Rethem, from whence this place seems to have had its name, is generally rendered by “juniper”, (<111904>1 Kings 19:4,5) and the Targum of Jonathan here adds, where the juniper trees grew; and, perhaps, it is the same with the valley of Retheme, of which some travellers f481 thus write, “this valley”, called in the Hebrew Retheme, and commonly Ritma, derives its name from a yellow flower, with which the valley is covered; we found here, on the left hand, two cisterns of excellent water; and water being to be had here, might be the reason of the Israelites pitching in this place. Some learned men f482 think it…”

“Rithmah ("the place of the broom")--a station possibly in some wady extending westward of the Ghor.”

“This list was written out by Moses at God’s command Numbers 33:2, doubtless as a memorial of God’s providential care for His people throughout this long and trying period. Numbers 33:3-6. For these places, see the marginal reference. Numbers 33:8 Pi-hahiroth - Hebrew “Hahiroth,” but perhaps only by an error of transcription. However, the omitted “pi” is only a common Egyptian prefix. Wilderness of Etham - i. e., that part of the great wilderness of Shur which adjoined Etham; compare Exodus 15:22 note. The list of stations up to that at Sinai agrees with the narrative of Exodus except that we have here mentioned Numbers 33:10 an encampment by the Red Sea, and two others, Dophkah and Alush…”

“33:18-30 Most of the place-names in this section appear nowhere else in the Old Testament.”

“they departed: Num 12:16 Rithmah: Rithmah was a place in the wilderness of Paran, near Kadesh Barnea; probably so called from the great number of juniper trees, as the name signifies, growing in that district. Numbers 33:19”