What does שָׁכֵן (šākēn) mean in the Bible?
שָׁכֵן (šākēn): Denotes resident neighbor with emphasis on proximity and shared community space rather than formal citizenship
Hebrew · H7934
שָׁכֵן
A resident ; by extension, a fellow-citizen
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
שָׁכֵן H7934
Pronunciation šākēn
What does שָׁכֵן (šākēn) mean in the Bible?
שָׁכֵן (šākēn): Denotes resident neighbor with emphasis on proximity and shared community space rather than formal citizenship
Full entry for שָׁכֵן (H7934) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H7934?
The BSB source-word alignment has 20 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include and neighbors (2), neighbors (2), to our neighbors (2), a neighbor (1), along with their neighbors (1).
Where does שָׁכֵן (šākēn) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 3:22. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (6), Jeremiah (5), Exodus (2), 2 Kings (1).
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 and neighbors 2× Jeremiah 6:21, Jeremiah 49:10
neighbors 2× Jeremiah 12:14, Ezekiel 16:26
to our neighbors 2× Psalms 44:13, Psalms 79:4
a neighbor 1× Proverbs 27:10
along with their neighbors 1× Jeremiah 49:18
and among my neighbors 1× Psalms 31:11
her neighbor 1× Exodus 3:22
neighbor 1× Exodus 12:4
of our neighbors 1× Psalms 79:12
resident [of Zion] 1× Isaiah 33:24
The neighbor 1× Ruth 4:17
the neighboring peoples 1× Deuteronomy 1:7
The people 1× Hosea 10:5
their neighbors 1× Jeremiah 50:40
to his neighbors 1× Psalms 89:41
with our neighbors 1× Psalms 80:6
your neighbors 1× 2 Kings 4:3
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 3:22 מִשְּׁכֶנְתָּהּ֙ to her neighbor Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular Exodus 12:4 וּשְׁכֵנ֛וֹ to neighbor Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Deuteronomy 1:7 שְׁכֵנָיו֒ to the neighboring peoples Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular Ruth 4:17 הַשְּׁכֵנ֥וֹת to The neighbor Article | Noun - feminine plural 2 Kings 4:3 שִׁכְנָכֵי to your neighbors Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular Psalms 31:11 וְלִשֲׁכֵנַ֨י׀ to and among my neighbors Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular Psalms 44:13 לִשְׁכֵנֵ֑ינוּ to to our neighbors Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural Psalms 79:4 לִשְׁכֵנֵ֑ינוּ to to our neighbors Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural Psalms 79:12 לִשְׁכֵנֵ֣ינוּ to of our neighbors Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural Psalms 80:6 לִשְׁכֵנֵ֑ינוּ to with our neighbors Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Exodus 3:22
Aligned rows 20
Books represented 10
Exodus 2 Deuteronomy 1 Ruth 1 2 Kings 1 Psalms 6 Proverbs 1 Isaiah 1 Jeremiah 5 Ezekiel 1 Hosea 1
Source forms
לִשְׁכֵנֵ֑ינוּ 3x liš·ḵê·nê·nū Psalms 44:13, Psalms 79:4, Psalms 80:6
שָׁכֵ֥ן 2x šā·ḵên Proverbs 27:10, Jeremiah 6:21
הַשְּׁכֵנ֥וֹת 1x haš·šə·ḵê·nō·wṯ Ruth 4:17
וְלִשֲׁכֵנַ֨י׀ 1x wə·li·šă·ḵê·nay Psalms 31:11
וּשְׁכֵנ֛וֹ 1x ū·šə·ḵê·nōw Exodus 12:4
וּשְׁכֵנֶ֖יהָ 1x ū·šə·ḵê·ne·hā Jeremiah 49:18
וּשְׁכֵנָ֖יו 1x ū·šə·ḵê·nāw Jeremiah 49:10
לִשְׁכֵנָֽיו׃ 1x liš·ḵê·nāw Psalms 89:41
Parsing patterns
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural 4x Psalms 44:13, Psalms 79:4, Psalms 79:12, Psalms 80:6
Noun - masculine singular 3x Proverbs 27:10, Isaiah 33:24, Jeremiah 6:21
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular 2x 2 Kings 4:3, Ezekiel 16:26
Article | Noun - feminine plural 1x Ruth 4:17
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular 1x Jeremiah 49:18
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular 1x Jeremiah 49:10
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular 1x Exodus 12:4
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular 1x Psalms 31:11
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Denotes resident neighbor with emphasis on proximity and shared community space rather than formal citizenship
Source Gloss
a resident ; by extension, a fellow-citizen
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Denotes resident neighbor with emphasis on proximity and shared community space rather than formal citizenship
a resident; by extension, a fellow-citizen BDB: inhabitant Usage: inhabitant, neighbour, nigh.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
a nearby resident with whom one has social relationship and proximity
Showing 1 selected witness from 21 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
שָׁכֵן is built from this root:
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