What does סֻכָּה (sukkah) mean in the Bible?
סֻכָּה (sukkah): Temporary shelter embodying covenant memory; moves from literal booth to metaphor for divine protection and presence
Hebrew · H5521
סֻכָּה
A hut or lair
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סֻכָּה H5521
Pronunciation sukkah
What does סֻכָּה (sukkah) mean in the Bible?
סֻכָּה (sukkah): Temporary shelter embodying covenant memory; moves from literal booth to metaphor for divine protection and presence
Full entry for סֻכָּה (H5521) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5521?
The BSB source-word alignment has 31 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include of Tabernacles (9), in booths (4), booths (3), a canopy (2), a shelter (2).
Where does סֻכָּה (sukkah) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 33:17. Its strongest book concentrations include Nehemiah (5), Leviticus (4), Deuteronomy (3), Job (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It of Tabernacles 9× Leviticus 23:34, Deuteronomy 16:13, Deuteronomy 16:16, Deuteronomy 31:10
in booths 4× Leviticus 23:42, Leviticus 23:43, Nehemiah 8:14
booths 3× Nehemiah 8:15, Nehemiah 8:16, Nehemiah 8:17
a canopy 2× 2 Samuel 22:12, Psalms 18:11
a shelter 2× Isaiah 4:6, Jonah 4:5
and shelters 1× Genesis 33:17
from His pavilion 1× Job 36:29
in tents 1× 2 Samuel 11:11
in the thicket 1× Job 38:40
in their tents 1× 1 Kings 20:12
in them 1× Nehemiah 8:17
in Your shelter 1× Psalms 31:20
like a hut 1× Job 27:18
like a shelter 1× Isaiah 1:8
tent 1× Amos 9:11
were in their tents 1× 1 Kings 20:16
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 33:17 סֻכֹּ֔ת to and shelters Noun - feminine plural Leviticus 23:34 הַסֻּכּ֛וֹת to of Tabernacles Article | Noun - feminine plural Leviticus 23:42 בַּסֻּכֹּ֥ת to in booths Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural Leviticus 23:42 בַּסֻּכֹּֽת׃ to in booths Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural Leviticus 23:43 בַסֻּכּ֗וֹת to in booths Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural Deuteronomy 16:13 הַסֻּכֹּ֛ת to of Tabernacles Article | Noun - feminine plural Deuteronomy 16:16 הַסֻּכּ֑וֹת to of Tabernacles Article | Noun - feminine plural Deuteronomy 31:10 הַסֻּכּֽוֹת׃ to of Tabernacles Article | Noun - feminine plural 2 Samuel 11:11 בַּסֻּכּ֗וֹת to in tents Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural 2 Samuel 22:12 סֻכּ֑וֹת to a canopy Noun - feminine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 33:17
Aligned rows 31
Books represented 14
Genesis 1 Leviticus 4 Deuteronomy 3 2 Samuel 2 1 Kings 2 2 Chronicles 1 Ezra 1 Nehemiah 5 Job 3 Psalms 2 Isaiah 2 Amos 1 Jonah 1 Zechariah 3
Source forms
הַסֻּכּֽוֹת׃ 5x has·suk·kō·wṯ Deuteronomy 31:10, 2 Chronicles 8:13, Zechariah 14:16, Zechariah 14:18
בַּסֻּכּ֗וֹת 2x bas·suk·kō·wṯ 2 Samuel 11:11, 1 Kings 20:16
בְּסֻכָּ֗ה 1x bə·suk·kāh Psalms 31:20
בַסֻּכָּ֣ה 1x ḇas·suk·kāh Job 38:40
בַסֻּכּ֗וֹת 1x ḇas·suk·kō·wṯ Leviticus 23:43
בַסֻּכּוֹת֒ 1x ḇas·suk·kō·wṯ Nehemiah 8:17
בַּסֻּכּ֑וֹת 1x bas·suk·kō·wṯ 1 Kings 20:12
בַּסֻּכּ֛וֹת 1x bas·suk·kō·wṯ Nehemiah 8:14
Parsing patterns
Article | Noun - feminine plural 9x Leviticus 23:34, Deuteronomy 16:13, Deuteronomy 16:16, Deuteronomy 31:10
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural 8x Leviticus 23:42, Leviticus 23:43, 2 Samuel 11:11, 1 Kings 20:12
Noun - feminine plural 5x Genesis 33:17, 2 Samuel 22:12, Nehemiah 8:15, Nehemiah 8:16
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular 2x Job 36:29, Psalms 18:11
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular 1x Isaiah 4:6
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular 1x Job 27:18
Noun - feminine singular 1x Jonah 4:5
Noun - feminine singular construct 1x Amos 9:11
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Temporary shelter embodying covenant memory; moves from literal booth to metaphor for divine protection and presence
Source Gloss
a hut or lair
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Temporary shelter embodying covenant memory; moves from literal booth to metaphor for divine protection and presence
a hut or lair BDB: thicket Usage: booth, cottage, covert, pavilion, tabernacle, tent.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Temporary shelter used during the Feast of Booths.
In a pavilion; in a booth; a temporary and protective structure that offers sanctuary
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 31 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
סֻכָּה is built from this root:
סֹךְ H5520
Why This Word Matters
The sukkah symbolizes dependence on God’s provision and reminds the community of their pilgrim history. Nehemiah 8:13-18
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain