שְׁכַן
𐤔𐤊𐤍
shᵉkan
H7932 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
(Aramaic) To reside, dwell, or inhabit; to settle or establish residence (whether for a person, group, or symbolic presence). The verb can denote both temporary lodging and permanent settlement, and may refer literally to persons establishing a home, or figuratively to presence dwelling in a location.
Semantic Range
to reside, to dwell, to inhabit, to settle, to have habitation, to make one's home, to cause to dwell (by implication)
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root שׁכן (sh-k-n), which carries the basic idea 'to reside, dwell, inhabit.' The Aramaic verbal form שְׁכַן functions as the equivalent of the Hebrew verb שָׁכַן, exhibiting a similar semantic range and grammatical use.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Daniel and Ezra (the main biblical texts where Aramaic is used), שְׁכַן describes ordinary human dwelling (Daniel 2:38) as well as figurative or rhetorical residence (Daniel 4:21). In comparison to Hebrew שָׁכַן, the sense in Aramaic often lacks the special cultic associations (e.g., the dwelling of the divine presence or 'Shekinah') that later developed in rabbinic literature. Instead, the Aramaic usage remains primarily descriptive and literal, referring to residence, settlement, or habitation of people and creatures. The standard English rendering 'dwell' generally captures the sense, though it can obscure whether the text refers to temporary or permanent habitation. No distinct religious or ethnic connotations are implied by the verb in these contexts, unlike associated later terms like 'Shekinah.' The word occurs only in the Aramaic sections of Daniel and Ezra.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) corresponding to שָׁכַן; {to reside or permanently stay (literally or figuratively)}; cause to dwell, have habitation.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שכן (sh-k-n) — to dwell, to reside, to inhabit, to settle
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4907 | מִשְׁכַּן | his dwelling-place |
| H4908 | מִשְׁכָּן | the dwelling-place |
| H7931 | שָׁכַן | in dwelling |
| H7933 | שֶׁכֶן | to his dwelling-place |
| H7934 | שָׁכֵן | the resident women |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7932-01 |
שַׁכִּ֧ן | shakin | AVpp3ms |
has-caused-to-dwell | he caused to dwell | 1 |
H7932-02 |
יִשְׁכְּנָ֖ן | yishekenan | AVqi3ms |
dwelt | he will dwell | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7932-02 |
Daniel 4:18 | יִשְׁכְּנָ֖ן | yishekenan | AVqi3ms |
dwelt | he will dwell |
H7932-01 |
Ezra 6:12 | שַׁכִּ֧ן | shakin | AVpp3ms |
has-caused-to-dwell | he caused to dwell |