Word Study for H7932 (שְׁכַן)

shᵉkan /shek-an'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) corresponding to שָׁכַן

Meaning(to reside or permanently stay (literally or figuratively))

KJV usagecause to dwell, have habitation.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of shᵉkan — 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 Aramaic word shᵉkan, represented by H7932, means to reside or permanently stay. This term, which can be used both literally and figuratively, also carries the meaning to cause to dwell or have habitation. It is used sparingly in the scriptures, appearing only 2 times in 2 unique verses.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical occurrences, H7932 is used in two distinct ways. In the book of Ezra, it has a profound theological meaning, describing how God has caused his name to dwell in the house of God at Jerusalem Ezra 6:12. In contrast, the book of Daniel uses the word in a literal sense, referring to the place where the fowls of the heaven had their habitation in the branches of the great tree from Nebuchadnezzar's dream Daniel 4:21.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning of H7932 in its contexts:

H1753 dûwr (to reside; dwell): This word appears in the same passage as H7932 in Daniel, creating a parallel where the beasts of the field dwelt under the tree while the birds had their habitation in its branches Daniel 4:21.
H426 ʼĕlâhh (God): This word is central to the use of H7932 in Ezra. It is God who actively causes His name to dwell in a specific place, linking the act of habitation to divine will Ezra 6:12.
H8036 shum (name): This specifies what is being made to dwell. In Ezra, it is not God Himself in a physical form but His name, representing His honor and authority, that is established in Jerusalem Ezra 6:12.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H7932 is concentrated in its use in the book of Ezra.

Designated Divine Presence: The term is used to affirm that God has chosen a specific place, the house of God in Jerusalem, for His presence to dwell among His people Ezra 6:12.
Symbol of Authority: God causing His name to dwell there is tied directly to His power and authority to protect that place. The decree of Darius invokes this divine presence as a threat against any who would try to destroy the temple Ezra 6:12.
Figurative Dwelling: The word illustrates that God's habitation can be understood through the presence of His name, which signifies His character, power, and covenant relationship with His people.

Summary

In summary, shᵉkan H7932 is a specific term for habitation or dwelling. Though rare, its dual application is significant. It describes a literal habitation for creatures in the natural world Daniel 4:21 and, more importantly, the theological concept of God causing His name—and thus His authoritative presence—to dwell in a consecrated place on earth Ezra 6:12.

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 verb across 2 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.

שַׁכִּן
יִשְׁכְּנָן

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 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Ezra and Daniel (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

Ezra

Daniel

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.