The English word 'acacia' translates the Hebrew shitta, a tree whose timber was designated for the construction of the Tabernacle and its furniture, including the ark, the table, and its posts (Exo 25:5ff). The most common species in the region is Acacia raddiana.
The acacia is a hardy tree with prickly thorns, small compound leaves, yellow flowers, and brown seedpods, that manages to survive in the harshness of the desert conditions that most other trees will not. It is an important source of timber, and its bark produces tannin for the preparation of leather and fibres for ropes. One species, Acacia nilotica, is also the source of gum arabic, an important ingredient in the preparation of salves and ointments.
An acacia tree in the Sinai desert.