H4583 H4583
A habitation or dwelling place, especially of God; a lair or den of wild animals; a refuge or shelter
The Hebrew noun ma'on evokes a settled place of belonging — whether for God, beasts, or desperate humans seeking safety. In its most exalted use, it names God's dwelling, 'the habitation of your holiness' in heaven (Deut 26:15; Jer 25:30), and the earthly temple where God's glory resides (Ps 26:8; 2 Chr 30:27). Yet when the prophets condemn ruined cities, this same word describes the desolate haunt of jackals prowling through rubble (Jer 9:11; 10:22; 49:33; Nah 2:12). Finally, in Psalm 71:3 and 90:1, ma'on becomes intensely personal: 'LORD, you have been our refuge through all generations.' Spanish morada and German Wohnung both track the primary residential meaning, while guarida ('den') and Zuflucht ('refuge') distinguish the secondary senses.
Senses
1. dwelling, habitation, abode — A habitation, dwelling place, or abode — especially of God, whether in heaven or in the temple. Deuteronomy 26:15 calls heaven 'the habitation of your holiness,' and Jeremiah 25:30 pictures the LORD roaring from his holy dwelling on high. Second Chronicles 30:27 and 36:15 use it for the temple as God's earthly residence, while Psalm 26:8 voices the worshiper's love for 'the place where your glory dwells.' Spanish morada de santidad and French habitation sainte both preserve the sacral register. The construct chain me'on qodshekha recurs as a near-formulaic expression. 11×
AR["في-مَسْكَنِ", "لِـ-مَسْكَنِ", "مَسْكَنًا", "مَسْكَنٍ", "مَسْكَنَ", "مَسْكَنَكَ", "مَسْكَنِهِ", "مَلْجَأٌ", "مِنْ-مَسْكَنِ", "وَ-مِنْ-مَسْكَنِ"]·ben["-বাসস্থানে", "আর-বাস-থেকে", "আশ্রয়স্থান", "তাঁর-বাসস্থানে", "তাঁর-বাসস্থানের", "তোমার-বাসস্থান", "বাসস্থান", "বাসস্থান-থেকে", "বাসস্থানের"]·DE["[למעון]", "[ממעון]", "[מעונו]", "dein-Wohnung", "der-habitation-von", "ein-Wohnung-Ort", "in-der-Wohnung-von", "und-von-Wohnung", "von-Wohnung-von", "wohnend"]·EN["His-dwelling", "a-dwelling-place", "and-from-dwelling-of", "dwelling", "from-dwelling-of", "in-the-dwelling-of", "the-habitation-of", "to-dwelling-of", "your-dwelling"]·FR["[למעון]", "[מעונו]", "dans-habitation", "de-demeure-de", "de-habitation", "de-iniquité", "demeure", "et-demeure"]·heb["ב-מעון", "ו-מ-מעון", "ל-מעון", "מ-מעון", "מעון", "מעונו-ו", "מעונך"]·HI["उसके-निवास", "और-से-निवास", "तेरा-निवास", "निवास", "निवास-तक", "निवास-से", "से-निवास"]·ID["dan-dari-tempat-kediaman", "dari-tempat-kediaman", "di-tempat-kediaman", "ke-kediaman", "kediaman", "tempat-perlindungan", "tempat-tinggal-Nya", "tempat-tinggal-mu"]·IT["[למעון]", "[ממעון]", "[מעונו]", "da-dimora-di", "dimora", "dimorando", "e-dimora", "in-dimora", "la-tua-dimora"]·jav["dhateng-padununganipun", "ing-panggenan", "lan-saking-panggenan", "padaleman-Nipun", "palenggahan", "pangayoman", "panggenan-panjenengan", "papan-dedalem", "saking-palereman", "saking-panggenan"]·KO["(전)-거처-에서", "거처", "거처-를", "거처-에서", "거처-이시라", "그리고-에서-거처에서", "그의-처소", "네-거처-로", "로부터-거처", "에-처소-"]·PT["a-habitação", "de-habitação-de", "de-morada-de", "e-de-morada-de-", "em-sua-habitação", "habitação-dele", "morada", "refúgio", "tua-habitação", "à-habitação-de"]·RU["в-жилище", "в-обители", "жилище-Своём", "и-из-жилища", "из-обители", "обитание", "обители", "обитель", "обителью-твоей", "прибежище"]·ES["a-morada-de", "desde-la-morada-de", "desde-morada-de", "en-morada-de", "morada", "morada-de", "su-morada", "tu-morada", "y-desde-morada-de"]·SW["katika-makazi", "kutoka-makao", "kutoka-makao-yake", "limwon", "makao", "makao-ya", "makao-yako", "mwonwo", "na-kutoka-makao-yake"]·TR["konutun", "konutuna", "konutunda-", "konutundan-", "konutunun", "mesken", "meskenini", "sığınak", "ve-konutundan"]·urd["اور-سے-مسکن", "اپنا-مسکن", "اپنے-مسکن", "اپنے-پاک-مقام-سے", "بِ-مسکن", "سے-مقام", "مسکن-میں", "مقام-سے", "پناہ"]
2. lair, den, haunt of animals — A lair, den, or haunt of wild animals — especially jackals — evoking desolation and ruin. Jeremiah applies the word repeatedly to cities under divine judgment: 'I will make Jerusalem a lair of jackals' (Jer 9:11; 10:22; 49:33; 51:37). Nahum 2:12 calls Nineveh 'the den of lions,' where the predator brought prey for its cubs. Spanish guarida de chacales and German Wohnung der Schakale both capture the grim imagery. In every instance, the once-inhabited city has been reduced to a beast's dwelling — an ironic inversion of sense 1. 5×
AR["عَرِينُ", "لِمَأْوَى", "مَسْكَنَ", "مَسْكَنَ-"]·ben["আবাস", "গুহা-", "বাসস্থান-", "বাসস্থানের-জন্য"]·DE["Wohnung", "von-Schuld", "zu-Wohnung"]·EN["a-haunt-of", "a-lair-of", "a-lair-of-", "is-the-lair-of"]·FR["de-iniquité", "demeure"]·heb["ל-מעון", "מעון", "מעון-"]·HI["अड्डा", "के-लिए-मांद", "निवास-", "बसेरा", "मांद"]·ID["sarang", "tempat-tinggal", "tempat-tinggal-"]·IT["[מעון]", "da-iniquita", "dimora"]·jav["dados-panggonaning", "guwa", "panggenan-", "sarang"]·KO["거주지를", "거처로", "거처이-", "굴-이"]·PT["habitação-de", "morada-de-", "o-covil", "para-morada-de"]·RU["жилищем", "жилищем-", "логово", "логовом"]·ES["guarida-de", "morada-de", "para-guarida-de"]·SW["makao", "makao-ya", "pango-la"]·TR["-için-yuvası", "barınağı-", "ini", "yurt"]·urd["بسیرا", "بھٹ", "رہائش", "ڈیرہ"]
3. refuge, shelter — A refuge or shelter to which one flees for protection, emphasizing security rather than mere residence. Psalm 71:3 declares God 'a rock of refuge' (tsur ma'on), and Psalm 91:9 addresses the faithful: 'you have made the LORD your refuge.' The shift from dwelling to defense is subtle but real; Spanish refugio and German Zuflucht both mark the distinction. Here ma'on moves beyond habitation into the emotional register of safety and trust, grounding one of the Psalter's most beloved images of divine protection. 1×
AR["مَأْوىً"]·ben["আশ্রয়স্থানের"]·DE["Zuflucht"]·EN["refuge"]·FR["de-iniquité"]·heb["מעון"]·HI["आश्रय"]·ID["tempat-perlindungan"]·IT["dimora"]·jav["panggenan"]·KO["피난처"]·PT["de-habitação"]·RU["прибежища"]·ES["refugio"]·SW["wa-makazi"]·TR["barınak"]·urd["پناہ-کا"]
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
† I. מָעוֹן n.[m.] refuge, hence habitation;—abs. מ׳ ψ 71:3 +, cstr. מְעוֹן Je 25:30 +, sf. מְעוֹנֶ֑ךָ ψ 91:9, etc.;— 1. lair of jackals Je 9:10; 10:22; 49:33; 51:37 (all of desolated cities); מ׳ אֲרָיוֹת Na 2:12 (‖ מִרְעֶה; fig. of Nineveh). 2. dwelling of י׳: a. in heaven מ׳ קָדְשְׁךָ Dt 26:15 cf. Je 25:30 (‖ מָרוֹם), Zc 2:17 ψ 68:6; 2 Ch 30:27. b. in temple מ׳ בֵּיתֶ֑ךָ ψ 26:8, מְעוֹנוֹ 2 Ch…