κατοικ-έω G2730
To dwell, inhabit, settle; residing in a place as an established inhabitant
A compound verb (kata + oikeo) meaning to settle down and dwell in a place. It appears throughout Acts for the geographic spread of populations — "all who dwell in Jerusalem" (Acts 1:19), "devout men from every nation dwelling in Jerusalem" (Acts 2:5). Unlike the simpler oikeo, katoikeo emphasizes permanent, established residence. It also carries theological force: Christ "dwelling" in believers' hearts (Eph 3:17) and the fullness of deity "dwelling" bodily in Christ (Col 2:9). Spanish habitar and German wohnen consistently render the settled, ongoing quality of residence.
3. cause to dwell, settle someone — A rare causative or transitive use: to cause to dwell, to settle someone in a place. James 4:5 contains the sole New Testament instance, where God "caused [the Spirit] to dwell" in believers. English "he caused to dwell" and Spanish "hizo habitar" render this unusual construction. The passage is exegetically debated, but the causative force of katoikeo here is clear from the grammar and context. 1×
AR["أسكَنَهُ"]·ben["বাস-করালেন"]·DE["wohnen"]·EN["he-caused-to-dwell"]·FR["habiter"]·heb["הִשְׁכִּין"]·HI["बसाई"]·ID["Dia-tempatkan"]·IT["abitare"]·jav["kang-manggon"]·KO["거하게-하셨다"]·PT["fez-habitar"]·RU["поселил"]·ES["hizo-habitar"]·SW["alikaa"]·TR["yerleştirdi"]·urd["بسایا"]
▼ 2 more senses below
Senses
1. dwell, inhabit a place — The primary sense: to dwell in or inhabit a place as an established resident. Used extensively in Acts for populations of cities and regions (Acts 1:19; 2:5; 4:16) and in Revelation for "those who dwell on the earth" as a recurring phrase (Rev 3:10; 6:10). Spanish habitar, French habiter, and German wohnen all confirm the durative, settled character. Matthew 23:21 extends this to God dwelling in the Temple. 36×
AR["الساكِنونَ","الساكِنينَ","السَّاكِنِينَ","ساكِنينَ","يَسكُنونَ","يَسكُنُ","يَسْكُنُ","ٱلسَّاكِنِينَ"]·ben["বসবাস-করেন","বসবাসকারীরা","বাস-করত","বাস-করে","বাস-করেন","বাসকারী","বাসকারীদের","বাসকারীরা"]·DE["wohnen","wohnt"]·EN["dwelling","dwells","residing"]·FR["habiter"]·heb["הַיּוֹשְׁבִים","יוֹשְׁבֵי","שׁוֹכְנִים","שׁוֹכֵן","שׁוֹכֶנֶת"]·HI["निवास-करता","रहता-है","रहति-है","रहने-वाले","रहने-वालों","रहनेवाले","रहनेवालों","रहनेवालों-ने","वास-करती-है"]·ID["berdiam","berdiam.","penduduk","tinggal","tinggal;","yang-mendiami","yang-mendiami,","yang-tinggal","yang-tinggal-di"]·IT["abitare"]·jav["dedalem","ingkang-dedalem","ingkang-dedunung","kang-dedalem","lenggah;","manggon","manggèn.","tiyang-tiyang-ingkang-manggen"]·KO["거하는","거하는-자들-에게","거하는-자들을","거하는-자들이","거하신다","거하지-아니하시고","거한다","거한다.","사는","사는-자들이"]·PT["habita","habitando","que-habitam","que-habitavam","que-habitavam-em"]·RU["живущие","живущие-в","живущие-на","живущим","живущим-в","живущими","живущих","живущих,","обитает"]·ES["habita","habitando","que-habitaban","que-habitan"]·SW["anakaa","inakaa","unakaa","wakaao","waliokuwa-wakikaa","wanaoishi"]·TR["ikamet-eder","oturan","oturanlar","oturanlara","oturanları","oturur"]·urd["بستی-ہے","بستی-ہے۔","بسنے-والوں-سے","بسنے-والوں-کو","بسنے-والے","رہتا","رہنے-والوں","رہنے-والوں-نے","رہنے-والوں-کو","رہنے-والے"]
Matt 12:45, Matt 23:21, Luke 11:26, Luke 13:4, Acts 1:19, Acts 1:20, Acts 2:5, Acts 2:9, Acts 2:14, Acts 4:16, Acts 7:4, Acts 7:48 (+24 more)
2. settle, take up residence — Ingressive or punctiliar sense: to settle in, take up residence, establish oneself in a new place. The Holy Family settling in Nazareth (Matt 2:23) and Abraham's journey to Canaan (Acts 7:2-4) illustrate the act of beginning to dwell. Spanish habitó (preterite) and English "settled" capture the transition from movement to rest. Acts 17:26 uses it for God determining where nations would settle — the providential assignment of homelands. 8×
AR["أَنْ-يَسكُنَ","سَاكِنًا","سَكَنَ","لِيَسكُنوا","لِيَسكُنَ","وَ-سَكَنَ","يَسْكُنَ"]·ben["বসবাস-করলেন","বসবাস-করার","বাস-করতে","বাস-করলেন","বাস-করে"]·DE["wohnen","wohnt"]·EN["having-dwelt","he-dwelt","settled","to-dwell"]·FR["habiter"]·heb["יָשַׁב","לִשְׁכֹּן","לָשֶׁבֶת","שֶׁיִּשְׁכֹּן","שֶׁיָּשַׁב"]·HI["बस-गया","बसता","बसा","रहकर","रहन","रहने"]·ID["berdiam","dia-tinggal","mendiami","tinggal"]·IT["abitare"]·jav["dedalem","lenggah","manggon","supados-manggon"]·KO["거하게-하셨다","거하기","거하도록","거하며","거하시도록","거하였다","사셨다"]·PT["habitar","habitou","tendo-habitado"]·RU["вселиться","живя","обитать","поселился","поселиться"]·ES["habitando","habitar","habitó"]·SW["Kristo-akae","akiishi","aliishi","alikaa","kukaa","ukae"]·TR["-den","ikamet-etsin","mesken-tutmak","oturmak","yaşayarak","yerleşti"]·urd["آباد-ہوا","آباد-ہونا","بسنے-کو","رہتے-ہوئے","رہنا","رہنے-لگا","رہنے-کو"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
κατοικ-έω, settle in, colonize, πόλιν Refs 5th c.BC+; τοῖς κατοικεῖν ἐθέλουσι τὰν πόλιν Decrees Byzantine cited in Refs 4th c.BC+: generally, inhabit, τόπους Refs 5th c.BC+, etc.:— passive, to be dwelt in or inhabited, opposed to κατοικίζομαι (to be just founded), Refs 4th c.BC+ __2 absolutely, settle, dwell, ζητοῦσα.. ποῦ κατοικοίης Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐν δόμοις, ἐν ἄστεσι, NT+5th c.BC+; especially…