### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **zᵉbûwl**, represented by `{{H2073}}`, refers to **a residence; dwell in, dwelling, habitation**. It is a specific term that appears **5 times** across **5 unique verses** in the Bible, consistently pointing to a significant or established dwelling place.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its scriptural usage, `{{H2073}}` designates both earthly and heavenly abodes of great importance. Solomon uses the word to describe the temple he constructed, declaring, "I have surely built thee an house to dwell in" [[1 Kings 8:13]] and an "house of habitation for thee" [[2 Chronicles 6:2]]. The term is also applied to the celestial realm, as Isaiah implores God to "Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness" [[Isaiah 63:15]]. In a different context, the grave is referred to as a final dwelling from which beauty will be consumed [[Psalms 49:14]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the concept of a dwelling place:
* `{{H1004}}` **bayith** (a house): This common term for a house is used in direct parallel with `{{H2073}}` when describing the temple Solomon built for the Lord [[1 Kings 8:13]]. It can refer to a physical structure or a family unit.
* `{{H3427}}` **yâshab** (to dwell, to remain): As a verb, this word describes the act of abiding or remaining in a place. It is used alongside `{{H2073}}` to emphasize the permanence of the temple as a place for God "to abide in for ever" [[1 Kings 8:13]].
* `{{H4349}}` **mâkôwn** (a place, especially as an abode; habitation): This noun is also used in conjunction with `{{H2073}}` to describe the temple as a "settled place" [[1 Kings 8:13]]. It often refers to a foundation or a fixed abode, such as God's throne [[Psalms 97:2]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H2073}}` is tied to its use in describing places of divine and ultimate significance.
* **The Temple as God's Earthly Habitation:** The term is explicitly used to consecrate the temple in Jerusalem as a special residence for God, a "house of habitation" [[2 Chronicles 6:2]] and a place for Him to dwell.
* **The Heavenly Abode:** `{{H2073}}` elevates the concept of a dwelling to God's own residence in heaven, described as the "habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory" [[Isaiah 63:15]], a place of ultimate sanctity and majesty.
* **Cosmic and Final Dwellings:** The word's scope extends to the cosmos, where the sun and moon have their "habitation" [[Habakkuk 3:11]], and to the finality of human life, where the grave becomes the "dwelling" for the dead [[Psalms 49:14]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H2073}}` is a powerful and specific word for a significant dwelling. Though used sparingly, it carries immense weight by denoting the most important residences in the biblical worldview: the temple built for God on earth, the glorious habitation of God in the heavens, and the ultimate habitation of humanity in the grave. It consistently points to a place of fixed and profound importance.
TRV