ABEL ACACIA GROVE [A bell a KAY shuh grove] — a site northeast of the Dead Sea in the plains of Moab, also called Acacia Grove. It was here that the Israelites camped just before crossing the Jordan and entering the Promised Land (Num. 25:1; Josh. 2:1; 3:1; Mic. 6:5; Shittim, KJV). It was probably the same place as Abel–shittim (Num. 33:49, KJV).

Most scholars identify Acacia Grove with Tell el–Hamman, although some think it was at nearby Tell el–Kefrein. Many notable events occurred while the Israelites were camped here. Here many Israelites took Moabite women for their wives and worshiped Moabite gods. As punishment, God allowed a plague to kill 24,000 Israelites (Num. 25:9).

At this campsite Moses also took a military census of the Israelite tribes, establishing the number of those 20 years old and above who were able to go to war (Num. 26:2). At Acacia Grove God also revealed to Moses that he would not be allowed to cross the Jordan River and that Joshua would be his successor as leader of the people (Num. 27:12–23).

After Moses ascended Mount Nebo and died (Deuteronomy 34), Joshua sent out two spies from Acacia Grove to examine the defense of Jericho (Josh. 2:1). Upon their return, the Israelites broke camp and crossed the Jordan River, finally entering the land that God had promised to Abraham and his descendants hundreds of years earlier (Josh. 3:1).