σκην-όω G4637
To dwell, tabernacle, pitch one's tent; to take up residence among, evoking God's dwelling presence.
A verb meaning 'to pitch a tent' or 'to dwell,' carrying rich theological weight from the Old Testament tabernacle tradition. Its most famous occurrence is John 1:14 — 'the Word became flesh and dwelt (eskenosen) among us' — where the tent-imagery deliberately echoes God's shekinah presence in the wilderness tabernacle. In Revelation, the verb describes God's sheltering presence over his people (Rev 7:15; 21:3) and the heavenly realm where the saints dwell (Rev 12:12; 13:6). The Spanish habitó-en-tienda ('dwelt in a tent') beautifully preserves the original tabernacle nuance lost in most modern translations.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To dwell, take up residence, or tabernacle — with the root idea of pitching a tent (skene). All five NT uses carry theological weight: John 1:14 announces the incarnate Word 'tabernacling' among humanity, deliberately evoking God's presence in the wilderness tent of meeting. In Revelation, God shelters (skenoo) over his people (Rev 7:15; 21:3), while Rev 12:12 and 13:6 reference those who dwell in heaven. The Spanish renderings split revealingly between habitó-en-tienda (preserving the tent imagery) and habitará (general dwelling), while German wohnen and French habiter flatten to ordinary residence — showing how translation choices can obscure or illuminate the tabernacle theology embedded in the Greek. 5×
AR["الساكِنونَ", "الساكِنينَ", "سَكَنَ", "سَيَسكُنُ", "سَيَسْكُنُ"]·ben["তাঁবু-করবেন", "তাঁবু-খাটাবেন", "বাস-করলেন", "বাসকারীদের", "বাসকারীরা"]·DE["wohnen"]·EN["dwelling", "dwelt", "he-will-dwell", "will-dwell"]·FR["habiter"]·heb["הַשּׁוֹכְנִים", "יִשְׁכֹּן", "שָׁכַן"]·HI["डेरा-डालेगा", "निवास-करते-हैं।", "निवास-करते-हो!", "निवास-करेगा", "निवास-किया"]·ID["Dia-akan-tinggal", "akan-menaungi", "berdiam", "yang-tinggal!", "yang-tinggal."]·IT["eskenosen", "skēnountas", "skēnountes", "skēnōsei"]·jav["Panjenenganipun-badhe-dedalem", "badhé-masang-tarub", "dedalem", "tiyang-tiyang-ingkang-manggen"]·KO["거하는-자들을", "거하는-자들이여", "거하셨다", "그가-거하실-것이다", "통지할-것이다"]·PT["habitando", "habitará", "habitou"]·RU["обитало", "обитающие!", "обитающих.", "покроет", "поселится"]·ES["extenderá-tienda", "habitará", "habitó-en-tienda", "que-habitan"]·SW["akakaa", "atafanya-maskani", "atawafunika", "mwake!", "wanaokaa"]·TR["barınanlar", "barındıracak", "oturanları", "çadır-kuracak", "çadır-kurdu"]·urd["بسنے-والوں-کو", "خیمہ-لگائے-گا", "رہا", "رہنے-والو", "سکونت-کرے-گا"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
σκην-όω, pitch tents, encamp, ἐσκήνωσαν variant for{-ησαν} in Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 ={σκηνέω} (which see entry near the end), live or dwell in a tent, ἐν τῷ ὁμοῦ σκηνοῦν probably conjecture in Refs: generally, settle, take up one's abode, κατὰ τὰς κώμας σκηνοῦν Refs; -οῦν ἐν ταῖς οἰκίαιςLXX+1st c.AD+:—hence in perfect passive, live or be, πόρρω ἐσκήνωται (variant{ἐσκήνηται}) τοῦ θανάσιμος εἶναι Refs…