חָנָה143 H2583
To pitch camp or encamp; in military contexts, to encamp against a city or enemy, implying siege.
From a root meaning 'to bend down' or 'decline,' this verb pictures the act of settling into a temporary resting place. In its dominant usage across the wilderness narratives, it describes Israel pitching camp during their journey—over 40 occurrences in Numbers 33 alone trace the route station by station ('and they camped at...'). Spanish 'acamparon' and German 'lagerten' mirror this travel-encampment sense precisely. A sharper edge emerges when the same verb takes a hostile object: to encamp against a city in siege warfare (1 Sam 11:1; Isa 29:3), where the act of 'settling down' becomes a menacing posture of sustained military pressure.
1. encamp, pitch camp — To set up camp, pitch tents, or settle temporarily during travel, migration, or wilderness wandering. This is the overwhelmingly dominant sense (130 of 143 occurrences), forming the backbone of the itinerary notices in Numbers 33. Cross-lingual glosses converge: Spanish 'acamparon,' French 'campèrent,' German 'lagerten.' Key passages include the Exodus departure (Exod 13:20), Sinai arrival (Exod 19:2), and the formulaic 'they set out... and camped at' pattern throughout Numbers. 130×
AR["وَ-حَلُّوا","وَ-نَزَلُوا","وَنَزَلُوا","وَنَزَلُوا-"]·ben["এবং-ছাউনি-ফেলল","এবং-শিবির-করল","এবং-শিবির-করল-","এবং-শিবির-স্থাপন-করল","এবং-শিবির-স্থাপন-করলেন"]·DE["und-lagerte","und-sie-lagerte","und-sie-lagerte-"]·EN["and-camped","and-they-camped","and-they-camped-"]·FR["et-campa","et-ils-campa","et-ils-campèrent-"]·heb["ו-חנו","ו-יחנו"]·HI["और-डेरा-डाला","और-डेरा-डाले"]·ID["dan-berkemah","dan-berkemah-","dan-berkemahlah","dan-berkemahlah-mereka"]·IT["e-camped","e-essi-camped","e-essi-si-accampo-","e-si-accampo"]·jav["lan-kémah","lan-kémah-","lan-piyambakipun-makèmah","lan-sami-kemah","lan-tiyang-masang-kemah"]·KO["그리고-진을-쳤다","그리고-진쳤다","그리고-진치다","그리고-진치였다"]·PT["e-acamparam"]·RU["и-расположились","и-расположились-","и-расположились-станом"]·ES["y-acamparon"]·SW["na-wakapiga-kambi","na-wakapiga-kambi-"]·TR["ve-konakladılar"]·urd["اور-خیمہ-زن-ہوئے","اور-خیمہ-لگایا","اور-ڈیرہ-ڈالا"]
Exod 13:20, Exod 17:1, Exod 19:2, Num 12:16, Num 21:10, Num 21:11, Num 21:12, Num 21:13, Num 22:1, Num 33:5, Num 33:6, Num 33:7 (+38 more)
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
2. encamp against, besiege — To set up a military encampment against a city or enemy, implying siege or hostile intent. The same physical act of pitching camp acquires aggressive force when directed at a target. Spanish 'acamparé' with the hostile preposition and the shift in context from travel to warfare mark the distinction. Central in Nahash besieging Jabesh-gilead (1 Sam 11:1), David's command to besiege Rabbah (2 Sam 12:28), and the Lord's own declaration to 'encamp against' Jerusalem (Isa 29:3). 13×
AR["الْمُحَاصِرُونَ","تُحَاصِرُ","خَيِّمُوا","مُحَاصِرُونَ","مُحَاصِرِيكَ","نازِلونَ","وَ-أُحَاصِرُ","وَ-حَاصَرَ","وَ-حَاصَرُوا","وَأُعَسْكِرُ","وَخَيَّمَ","وَعَسكِر"]·ben["আর-শিবির-করলেন","এবং-তারা-শিবির-স্থাপন-করেছে","এবং-শিবির-কর","এবং-শিবির-করব","এবং-শিবির-করলেন","ও-শিবির-স্থাপন-করব-আমি","ঘেরাওকারীর-তোমার","তাঁবু-খাটাও","যারা-শিবির-ফেলেছিল","শিবির-করছিল","শিবির-করেছিল","শিবির-ফেলেছিল","শিবির-স্থাপন-করে"]·DE["[וחניתי]","[ויחנו]","[חנו]","der-lagernd","einer-encamping-gegen-du","encamps","lagernd","und-er-lagerte","und-lagere"]·EN["And-I-shall-encamp","and-I-will-encamp","and-encamp","and-he-encamped","and-they-encamp","encamp","encamping","encamps","one-encamping-against-you","the-encamping"]·FR["[וחניתי]","[חנו]","campant","camper","et-campe","et-camper","et-il-campa","et-ויחנו","le-campant"]·heb["ה-חונים","ו-חנה","ו-חניתי","ו-יחן","ו-יחנו","וַ-יִּחַן","חונ-ך","חונים","חנו","תחנה"]·HI["और-डेरा-डाल","और-डेरा-डाला","और-डेरा-डालूंगा-मैं","और-मैं-डेरा-डालूँगा","और-वे-डेरा-डालती-हैं","घेरो","डेरा-डालनेवाले-तेरे-विरुद्ध-की","डेरा-डाले","डेरा-डाले-हुए","डेरा-डाले-हुए-ה","डेरा-डाले-हुए-थे","देदे-हुए"]·ID["Dan-Aku-berkemah","berkemah","berkemahlah","dan-Aku-akan-berkemah","dan-berkemahlah","dan-ia-berkemah","dan-mereka-berkemah","yang-berkemah"]·IT["[וחניתי]","[חנו]","accampandosi","e-accampati","e-e-essi-encamp","e-egli-si-accampò","il-accampandosi","si-accampo'"]·jav["ingkang-ngepung","lan-kawula-kemah","lan-kemah","lan-kemah-Kawula","lan-masang-kemah","lan-masang-kémah","lan-piyambakipun-masang-kémah","makèmaha","masang","masang-kémah","ngepung","roti"]·KO["그-진-치고-있는","그리고-그가-진치다","그리고-내가-진-치리라","그리고-내가-진을-치리라","그리고-진-치라","그리고-진을-쳤다","그리고-진치니","진-치고-있었다","진-친-자-의","진치고있다","진치고있었다","진치라","진치면"]·PT["E-acamparei","acampados","acampai","acampe","e-acampa","e-acampam","e-acampou","os-acampados","que-te-sitia"]·RU["И-расположусь","Расположитесь-станом","и-расположились","и-расположился","и-расположился-лагерем","и-расположись-станом","и-расположусь-станом","ополчится","осаждающих-тебя","расположился-станом","стоящий-лагерем"]·ES["Y-acamparé","acampando","acampare","acampen","el-que-acampaba","el-que-te-asedia","y-acampa","y-acampan","y-acampó"]·SW["Na-nitapiga-kambi","itapiga-kambi","na-akapiga-kambi","na-nitapiga-kambi","na-wanapiga-kambi","piga-kambi","pungeni","walikuwa-wamepiga-kambi","waliokuwa-kambini","wamelala","wamepiga-kambi","ya-waliokupiga-kambi"]·TR["Ve-konaklayacağım","Ve-kuracagim-kamp","kamp-kuran","kamp-kurarsa","kamp-kurmuştu","konakladı","konaklayan","konaklıyordu","sana-karşı-kulanların","ve-kamp-kur","ve-kamp-kurdu","ve-konakladı","ve-konarlar"]·urd["اور-خیمہ-لگا","اور-خیمے-لگائے","اور-میں-ڈیرہ-ڈالوں-گا","اور-ڈیرا-ڈالا","اور-ڈیرا-ڈالوں-گا","اور-ڈیرہ ڈالتے ہیں","خیمہ-زن","خیمہ-لگاؤ","خیمہ-لگائے","ڈیرہ-ڈالے","ڈیرے-ڈالے-ہوئے","ڈیرے-ڈالے-ہوئے-تھے","گَھیرنے-والے-تیرے"]
1 Sam 11:1, 1 Sam 26:5, 1 Sam 29:1, 2 Sam 12:28, 1 Kgs 16:15, 1 Kgs 16:16, 2 Kgs 25:1, Job 19:12, Ps 27:3, Ps 53:5, Isa 29:3, Jer 50:29 (+1 more)
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)H7965 1. peace, absence of conflict (198×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H3467 1. save, deliver, rescue (Hifil active) (156×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
חָנָה143 vb. decline, bend down, encamp (Aramaic ܚܢܳܐ to aim at, incline towards, reach; Zinj. מחנת cstr. camp, Inscr. Panammu13, 16, 17; Arabic حَنَا bend, curve, bend down; Assyrian mûnu, mênu and tênû couch, mânîtu, house, ZimBP 44, 45 Dl in Zim117)— Qal Pf. חָנָה 1 S 26:5 Is 29:1; וְחָנִ֫יתִי consec. Is 29:3 Zc 9:8; חָנוּ Nu 2:34 + 2 times; וְחָנוּ consec. Nu 1:52; Impf. וַיִּחַן Gn 26:17 + 9…