σκήν-ωμα G4638
dwelling, tent, tabernacle; a temporary or permanent dwelling place
This noun denotes a dwelling, tent, or tabernacle—a place of habitation, whether temporary like a tent or more permanent like a temple. Classical usage included soldiers' quarters, tents, and sacred buildings. The New Testament uses it both for literal dwellings and metaphorically for the body as a temporary dwelling for the soul. The term emphasizes habitation and presence.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Describes dwelling places with both literal and metaphorical significance. Acts 7:46 recounts David's desire to 'find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.' Second Peter 1:13-14 uses it metaphorically for the body: 'I think it right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by way of reminder, knowing that the putting off of my tent will be soon.' The cross-linguistic evidence shows terms for tent, tabernacle, and dwelling. Peter's language echoes Jesus' teaching about his body as a temple, presenting earthly life as temporary tent-dwelling while awaiting the permanent dwelling God has prepared. Acts connects it to God's presence among his people—from tabernacle to temple to incarnation. 3×
AR["المَسكَنِ", "مَسكَني", "مَسْكَنًا"]·ben["তাঁবু", "বাসস্থান"]·DE["Zelt", "σκήνωμα"]·EN["a-dwelling", "tent"]·FR["tente", "σκηνώματι", "σκηνώματός"]·heb["מִשְׁכָּן", "מִשְׁכָּנִי"]·HI["तम्बू", "निवास"]·ID["kediaman", "kemah", "kemah,"]·IT["dimora", "skēnōmati", "skēnōmatos"]·jav["kemah", "kemah,", "pedaleman"]·KO["거처-를", "장막,", "장막-의"]·PT["habitação", "tabernáculo"]·RU["жилище", "шатра", "шатре"]·ES["morada", "tabernáculo"]·SW["hema", "makao"]·TR["konut", "çadırda", "çadırımın"]·urd["خیمے", "خیمے-میں،", "مسکن"]
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
σκήν-ωμα, ατος, τό, ={σκήνημα}, mostly in plural, LXX+5th c.BC+; soldiers' quarters, Refs 5th c.BC+: singular, tent, LXX __2 in singular metaphorically,= σκῆνος NT __3 temple, LXX: name of a building at Sparta, Refs 2nd c.AD+ __4 = papilio, Refs (perhaps in both senses, pavilion and butterfly, compare σκῆν).