49 They encamped by the Jordan, from Beth Jeshimoth even to Abel Shittim in the plains of Moab.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
From Beth-jesimoth even unto Abel-shittim - The former of these places fell to the Reubenites, Joshua 13:15-20. The Israelites were now come to the edge of Jordan, over against Jericho, where they afterwards passed.
For further information on the subject of these different encampments, the reader is requested to refer to the extracts from Dr. Shaw at the end of the book of Exodus.
And they pitched by Jordan from Bethjesimoth, even unto Abelshittim, in the plains of Moab. Their camp reached twelve miles, as the Jews commonly say, which we may suppose was the distance of these two places, which were both in the plains of Moab; and the Jerusalem Targum is express for it, for mentioning Israel's encampment from Bethjesimoth to Abelshittim, it asks, how far is that? twelve miles: the latter is sometimes called Shittim, from the shittim wood which grew there, Numbers 25:1 and here it has the addition of Abel to it, to signify mourning, from the mourning of the children of Israel on account of the plague, in which 24,000 persons died, Numbers 25:1.
*More commentary available at chapter level.