מִשְׁכַּן
𐤌𐤔𐤊𐤍
mishkan
H4907 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A dwelling place or residence, particularly a designated or set-apart space intended for habitation. In biblical contexts, most notably refers to the sanctuary, the portable sanctuary used by the Israelites in the wilderness, known as the Tabernacle, as well as to dwellings or residences more generally in Aramaic passages.
Semantic Range
dwelling, residence, habitation, portable sanctuary (Tabernacle), sacred residence, encampment structure
Root / Etymology
From the root שׁכן (ש-כ-ן), meaning 'to settle, to dwell, to reside.' The noun form mishkan is formed with the mem-prefix, typically indicating place or instrumentality in Hebrew, thus literally 'place of dwelling/residence.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Hebrew texts, מִשְׁכָּן (mishkan) primarily refers to the portable sanctuary (the Tabernacle) transported by the Israelites during the wilderness period and for parts of the early settlement period—this structure functioned as the cultic center for the Israelite community. In Aramaic portions of the Tanakh, such as in Daniel 8:11 and Ezra 7:15, the term broader means 'residence' or 'dwelling,' not necessarily with cultic connotation. The usage in the Hebrew Bible reflects a development from general habitation/dwelling toward an established term for the Israelite sanctuary. In later post-biblical Hebrew, mishkan can also denote a type of (often sacred) dwelling, and the word is sometimes used figuratively for the dwelling-place of the divine presence (shekhinah, from the same root). Most English translations use 'Tabernacle' for the cultic sense, but this can obscure the broader, non-technical sense as 'residence' or 'dwelling.' Mishkan is distinct from terms like אֹהֶל (ohel, 'tent') and בָּיִת (bayit, 'house'), focusing more directly on the concept of a place made for indwelling, whether by humans or, in a specialized context, by the divine presence. In historical perspective, the word reflects the evolution of religious centralization and physical expressions of Israelite worship, associated especially with the wilderness and pre-temple periods.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) corresponding to מִשְׁכָּן; residence; habitation.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שכן (š-k-n) — to dwell, to reside, to settle
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4908 | מִשְׁכָּן | the dwelling-place |
| H7931 | שָׁכַן | in dwelling |
| H7932 | שְׁכַן | he caused to dwell |
| H7933 | שֶׁכֶן | to his dwelling-place |
| H7934 | שָׁכֵן | the resident women |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4907-01 |
מִשְׁכְּנֵֽ/הּ | mishekeneh | ANcmsc/Sp3ms |
his dwelling | his dwelling-place | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4907-01 |
Ezra 7:15 | מִשְׁכְּנֵֽ/הּ | mishekeneh | ANcmsc/Sp3ms |
his dwelling | his dwelling-place |