English · KJV
H4543

מִסְכְּנָה

miçkᵉnâh /mis-ken-aw'/ Ask about this word
Rootby transp. from כָּנַס
Meaninga magazine
KJV usagestore(-house), treasure.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of miçkᵉnâh — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word miçkᵉnâh, represented by H4543, refers to a store(-house) or treasure. It appears 7 times across 7 unique verses in the Bible, typically designating a specialized building or city for holding valuable goods, provisions, or military supplies.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical history, H4543 is primarily associated with royal construction and national logistics. The Israelites were forced to build H1129 treasure H4543 cities H5892 for Pharaoh under the affliction of taskmasters Exodus 1:11. In contrast, kings of Israel like Solomon and Jehoshaphat built store H4543 cities H5892 to consolidate their kingdom's wealth and military might, alongside chariot cities and castles (1 Kings 9:19, 2 Chronicles 17:12). These cities were strategically important, as seen when the king of Syria smote the store H4543 cities of Naphtali during a military campaign 2 Chronicles 16:4. The term is also used for agricultural storehouses H4543 built to hold the increase H8393 of a nation's harvest 2 Chronicles 32:28.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the function and context of these storehouses:

  • H1129 bânâh (to build): This verb is consistently paired with H4543, emphasizing that these structures were significant feats of construction central to a ruler's agenda, whether for a king like Solomon or for Pharaoh (Exodus 1:11, 2 Chronicles 8:6).
  • H5892 ʻîyr (a city): The term H4543 most often appears as part of the phrase "store cities," indicating that these were not just single buildings but fortified urban centers for storing national assets (2 Chronicles 8:4, 2 Chronicles 16:4).
  • H1715 dâgân (grain), H8492 tîyrôwsh (wine), and H3323 yitshâr (oil): These terms identify the specific contents of the storehouses H4543, linking them directly to the agricultural wealth and sustenance of the nation 2 Chronicles 32:28.

Theological Significance

The concept of H4543 carries significant thematic weight concerning national life in ancient Israel.

  • Royal Power and Ambition: The construction of store cities was a display of a king's power and dominion. They were part of what Solomon desired H2836 to build H1129 throughout his realm 1 Kings 9:19.
  • National Security and Economy: These fortified locations were vital for a kingdom's stability, holding provisions for the military, such as for the chariots H7393 and horsemen H6571, as well as agricultural surplus (2 Chronicles 8:6, 2 Chronicles 32:28).
  • Forced Labor and Oppression: The first appearance of H4543 sets a dark tone, where the building of treasure H4543 cities is the direct result of the Egyptians setting taskmasters H4522 over the Israelites to afflict H6031 them with burdens H5450 Exodus 1:11.

Summary

In summary, H4543 signifies more than a simple storage facility. It represents a concentration of national wealth and power. Whether as a "treasure city" built through oppression, a "store city" showcasing a king's prosperity, or a "storehouse" ensuring economic provision, miçkᵉnâh points to the critical importance of centralized resources for the security, ambition, and functioning of a kingdom.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 7 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • מִסְכְּנוֹת
  • מִסְכְּנוֹת

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H1129 בָּנָה a primitive root; to build (literally and figuratively); (begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make, repair, set (up), H5892 עִיר or (in the plural) עָר; or עָיַר; (Judges 10:4), from עוּר; a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest H8393 תְּבוּאָה from בּוֹא; income, i.e. produce (literally or figuratively); fruit, gain, increase, revenue. H1715 דָּגָן from דָּגָה; properly, increase, i.e. grain; corn (floor), wheat. H8492 תִּירוֹשׁ or תִּירֹשׁ; from יָרַשׁ in the sense of expulsion; must or fresh grape-juice (as just squeezed out); by implication (ra H3323 יִצְהָר from צָהַר; oil (as producing light); figuratively, anointing; [phrase] anointed oil.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 7 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 2 Chronicles (5 verses); never once in the other 36.

1
Exodus
1
1 Kings
5
2 Chronicles

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.