G4637 — σκηνόω (skēnoō)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: G4637
Original: σκηνόω
Transliteration: skēnoō
Pronunciation: skay-no
Part of Speech: Verb
Root: σκηνή (skēnē, G4633) — tent, tabernacle
Occurrences: 5 in NT
First Occurrence: John 1:14 — "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us"
Hapax Legomenon: No

Lexicon Definition¶

Thayer: to fix one's tabernacle, have one's tabernacle, abide (or live) in a tabernacle (or tent), tabernacle (often in Xenophon, Demosthenes). Of God — σκηνώσει ἐπ' αὐτούς: will spread his tabernacle over them, so that they may dwell in safety and security under its cover and protection (Rev 7:15). Universally equivalent to "to dwell": followed by ἐν with dative of place (Rev 12:12; 13:6); ἐν ἡμῖν, among us (John 1:14); μετά τίνος, with one (Rev 21:3). Compare: ἐπισκηνόω, κατασκηνόω.

Semantic Domains¶

Louw-Nida: - 085.005 — Dwell, Reside (Domain 085: Existence in Space) - Other words in domain: ἀστατέω (G790), ἐγκατοικέω (G1460), ἐμπεριπατέω (G1704), ἐνοικέω (G1774), κατοικέω (G2730), ἐπισκηνόω (G1981)

UBS Semantic Domains: - [085] Existence in Space

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Count	%
dwell / dwelt	5	100%

All 5 occurrences are rendered with the English "dwell."

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
Revelation	4	1.0
John	1	0.1

Heavily concentrated in Revelation (4 of 5 uses). The single Johannine use (John 1:14) is arguably the theological anchor for the Revelation cluster — the Incarnation as divine tent-pitching.

Semantic Categories¶

1. God / Christ Dwelling Among Humanity¶

The verb's primary pattern: the divine taking up tent-dwelling with people. Parallels the wilderness tabernacle where YHWH's glory-presence dwelt (שָׁכַן, H7931) in the midst of Israel — but now embodied and eschatologically fulfilled.

John 1:14 — "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt [eskenōsen] among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
Revelation 7:15 — "he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them."
Revelation 21:3 — "he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God."

2. Heavenly Inhabitants Dwelling in Heaven¶

Used of those — angels or the redeemed — who occupy the heavenly realm, contrasted with earth-dwellers (κατοικέω, G2730).

Revelation 12:12 — "Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea!"
Revelation 13:6 — "And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven."

Verb Form Distribution¶

Form	Parsing	Verse
ἐσκήνωσεν	Aorist Active Indicative 3sg	John 1:14
σκηνώσει	Future Active Indicative 3sg	Rev 7:15; 21:3
σκηνοῦντες	Present Active Participle Nom Pl M	Rev 12:12
σκηνοῦντας	Present Active Participle Acc Pl M	Rev 13:6

Tense contrast is exegetically significant: the Incarnation uses aorist (completed historical act), eschatological fulfillment is future (promised/imminent), and the heavenly residents are present participle (ongoing state).

Common Collocations¶

Word	Strong's	Co-occurrences	Typical Pattern
θεός (theos)	G2316	3x (60%)	God as subject or object of the dwelling
οὐρανός (ouranos)	G3772	3x (60%)	heavens as the locale of dwelling
σκηνή (skēnē)	G4633	2x (40%)	tabernacle structure alongside the act of tabernacling
μέγας (megas)	G3173	2x (40%)	"great voice" announcing the eschatological dwelling

Word Family / Cognates¶

G4633 σκηνή (skēnē) — the tent/tabernacle itself; parent noun (20x)
G4638 σκήνωμα (skēnōma) — dwelling place, act of encamping; also the body as tent (3x)
G4636 σκῆνος (skēnos) — tent = the mortal body (2x; 2 Cor 5:1, 4)
G1981 ἐπισκηνόω (episkēnoō) — to rest/overshadow upon; intensified form (1x; 2 Cor 12:9)

Synonyms¶

No synonyms were returned by search_relationships.py for G4637.

Antonyms¶

No antonyms were returned by search_relationships.py for G4637.

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared Translation	Key Difference
κατοικέω (katoikeō)	G2730	both = "dwell" in KJV	κατοικέω = settle permanently, take up fixed residence (47x); σκηνόω = tent-dwell, connoting temporary or condescending divine presence
ἐνοικέω (enoikeō)	G1774	both = "dwell"	ἐνοικέω = dwell within (interior indwelling, Spirit in the believer); σκηνόω = dwell among/alongside

Domain Neighbors (Louw-Nida 085.005 — Dwell, Reside)¶

Strong's	Lemma	Occurrences	Primary KJV Translation	Key Difference
G2730	κατοικέω	47	dwell, dwelt	Permanent settlement vs. tent-dwelling quality of σκηνόω
G1774	ἐνοικέω	3	I will dwell	Interior indwelling (Spirit within believer)
G1981	ἐπισκηνόω	1	may rest	Rest/overshadow upon; cognate of σκηνόω
G1460	ἐγκατοικέω	1	dwelling	Settle in the midst of
G1927	ἐπιδημέω	2	strangers, were there	Temporary stay as foreigner

Hebrew Source¶

No LXX alignment data available for G4637 (this verb does not appear in the LXX corpus in the DB). The theological background is the Hebrew שָׁכַן (shākan, H7931) — YHWH's tent-dwelling in the midst of Israel — and the cognate noun מִשְׁכָּן (mishkān, H4908, "tabernacle"). NT authors deploy σκηνόω as the Greek equivalent carrying this OT dwelling-presence theology. The LXX's primary rendering of shākan is the cognate verb G2681 κατασκηνόω (46x); σκηνόω itself appears as a theologically loaded NT choice by authors aware of the LXX connection.