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
שָׁכֵן (šākēn): Denotes resident neighbor with emphasis on proximity and shared community space rather than formal citizenship
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שָׁכֵןH7934
Pronunciationšākēn
What does שָׁכֵן (šākēn) mean in the Bible?
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 Itand neighbors2×Jeremiah 6:21, Jeremiah 49:10
neighbors2×Jeremiah 12:14, Ezekiel 16:26
to our neighbors2×Psalms 44:13, Psalms 79:4
a neighbor1×Proverbs 27:10
along with their neighbors1×Jeremiah 49:18
and among my neighbors1×Psalms 31:11
her neighbor1×Exodus 3:22
neighbor1×Exodus 12:4
of our neighbors1×Psalms 79:12
resident [of Zion]1×Isaiah 33:24
The neighbor1×Ruth 4:17
the neighboring peoples1×Deuteronomy 1:7
The people1×Hosea 10:5
their neighbors1×Jeremiah 50:40
to his neighbors1×Psalms 89:41
with our neighbors1×Psalms 80:6
your neighbors1×2 Kings 4:3
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 3:22מִשְּׁכֶנְתָּהּ֙toher neighborPreposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singularExodus 12:4וּשְׁכֵנ֛וֹtoneighborConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularDeuteronomy 1:7שְׁכֵנָיו֒tothe neighboring peoplesNoun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularRuth 4:17הַשְּׁכֵנ֥וֹתtoThe neighborArticle | Noun - feminine plural2 Kings 4:3שִׁכְנָכֵיtoyour neighborsNoun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singularPsalms 31:11וְלִשֲׁכֵנַ֨י׀toand among my neighborsConjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singularPsalms 44:13לִשְׁכֵנֵ֑ינוּtoto our neighborsPreposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluralPsalms 79:4לִשְׁכֵנֵ֑ינוּtoto our neighborsPreposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluralPsalms 79:12לִשְׁכֵנֵ֣ינוּtoof our neighborsPreposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluralPsalms 80:6לִשְׁכֵנֵ֑ינוּtowith our neighborsPreposition-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 rowExodus 3:22
Aligned rows20
Books represented10
Exodus2Deuteronomy1Ruth12 Kings1Psalms6Proverbs1Isaiah1Jeremiah5Ezekiel1Hosea1
Source forms
לִשְׁכֵנֵ֑ינוּ3xliš·ḵê·nê·nūPsalms 44:13, Psalms 79:4, Psalms 80:6
שָׁכֵ֥ן2xšā·ḵênProverbs 27:10, Jeremiah 6:21
הַשְּׁכֵנ֥וֹת1xhaš·šə·ḵê·nō·wṯRuth 4:17
וְלִשֲׁכֵנַ֨י׀1xwə·li·šă·ḵê·nayPsalms 31:11
וּשְׁכֵנ֛וֹ1xū·šə·ḵê·nōwExodus 12:4
וּשְׁכֵנֶ֖יהָ1xū·šə·ḵê·ne·hāJeremiah 49:18
וּשְׁכֵנָ֖יו1xū·šə·ḵê·nāwJeremiah 49:10
לִשְׁכֵנָֽיו׃1xliš·ḵê·nāwPsalms 89:41
Parsing patterns
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural4xPsalms 44:13, Psalms 79:4, Psalms 79:12, Psalms 80:6
Noun - masculine singular3xProverbs 27:10, Isaiah 33:24, Jeremiah 6:21
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular2x2 Kings 4:3, Ezekiel 16:26
Article | Noun - feminine plural1xRuth 4:17
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular1xJeremiah 49:18
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular1xJeremiah 49:10
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular1xExodus 12:4
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular1xPsalms 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 definitionSource: 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.