G4638 — σκήνωμα (skēnōma)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: G4638
Original: σκήνωμα
Transliteration: skēnōma
Pronunciation: skay'-no-mah
Part of Speech: Neuter noun
Root: From σκηνόω (skēnoō, G4637) — to tent, encamp; -μα suffix = result/product of the action
Occurrences: 3 in NT (3 tokens across 2 books)
First Occurrence: Acts 7:46 — "Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob."
Hapax Legomenon: No

Lexicon Definition¶

An encampment; i.e. (figuratively) the Temple (as God's residence), or the human body (as a temporary abode of the soul).

Louw-Nida Semantic Domain¶

Domain 7.002: Buildings — a tent, booth, temporary shelter
Domain 8.001: Body — the physical body as dwelling
Domain 23.007: Live, Die — related to mortal existence
Domain 85.005: Dwell, Reside — a dwelling place

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Count	%
tabernacle	2	66.7%
a tabernacle	1	33.3%

All three occurrences are rendered "tabernacle" in some form.

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
2 Peter	2	3.3
Acts	1	0.1

Concentrated in 2 Peter (2 of 3 uses), where Peter speaks of his own body as a temporary dwelling. The Acts usage is historical, referring to the Temple as God's dwelling.

Semantic Categories¶

1. God's Dwelling Place (Temple/Tabernacle)¶

Acts 7:46 — "Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle (skēnōma) for the God of Jacob." Stephen's speech recounts David's desire to build a permanent dwelling for God, echoing Ps 132:5. The -μα suffix emphasizes the completed structure — the result of encamping.

2. The Human Body as Temporary Dwelling¶

2 Pet 1:13 — "Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle (skēnōma), to stir you up by putting you in remembrance"
2 Pet 1:14 — "Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle (skēnōma), even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me." Peter uses skēnōma for the mortal body — a tent-dwelling that is "put off" (ἀπόθεσις G595) at death. The demonstrative "this" (τοῦτο) underscores the body's present, temporary character.

Common Collocations¶

Word	Strong's	Co-occurrences	Typical Pattern
θεός (theos)	G2316	1x (33%)	"tabernacle for the God of Jacob"
Ἰακώβ (Iakōb)	G2384	1x (33%)	"God of Jacob" in Acts 7:46
ἀπόθεσις (apothesis)	G595	1x (33%)	"putting off of my tabernacle"
ταχινός (tachinos)	G5031	1x (33%)	"shortly I must put off"
ὑπόμνησις (hupomnēsis)	G5280	1x (33%)	"putting you in remembrance" while in this tabernacle
Ἰησοῦς Χριστός	G2424/G5547	1x (33%)	"our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me"

With only 3 occurrences, collocations are limited. The Petrine body-metaphor context dominates (2 of 3 verses).

Word Family / Cognates¶

G4633 σκηνή (skēnē) — tent, tabernacle (f. noun; 20v) — the tent/structure itself
G4636 σκῆνος (skēnos) — tent, temporary residence (n. noun; 2v) — the body as tent (2 Cor 5:1, 4)
G4637 σκηνόω (skēnoō) — to tent, dwell (verb; 5v) — the action of encamping
G1981 ἐπισκηνόω (episkēnoō) — to tent upon, rest upon (verb; 1v) — 2 Cor 12:9

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared Translation	Key Difference
σκηνή (skēnē)	G4633	tabernacle	skēnē = the tent/structure itself; skēnōma (-μα suffix) = the result of encamping, the established dwelling
σκῆνος (skēnos)	G4636	tabernacle (body metaphor)	skēnos used in 2 Cor 5:1, 4 for the body; skēnōma used in 2 Pet 1:13-14 — both refer to the body as tent, but skēnos emphasizes the fragile hut, skēnōma the settled habitation
מִשְׁכָּן (mishkān)	H4908	tabernacle	Hebrew noun for the Mosaic tabernacle as residence; LXX occasionally renders with skēnōma
אֹהֶל (ʼōhel)	H168	tabernacle	Hebrew noun for tent broadly; primary LXX equivalent via σκηνή, not skēnōma

Synonyms¶

G4633 σκηνή (skēnē) — tent, tabernacle (most common tabernacle word in NT)
G953 βεβηλόω (bebeloō) — listed as synonym in relationship data, but semantically distant; likely an artifact of shared domain membership

Hebrew Source (via LXX)¶

Hebrew Source	Strong's	Co-occ	PMI	Notes
אֹהֶל (ʼōhel)	H168	42	5.65	Primary: tent broadly
מִשְׁכָּן (mishkān)	H4908	17	5.76	Mosaic tabernacle / dwelling
שָׁכַן (shākan)	H7931	4	3.62	Verb: to dwell, settle

The LXX uses σκήνωμα primarily for אֹהֶל (tent) and מִשְׁכָּן (tabernacle/dwelling). The connection to שָׁכַן (shākan, "to dwell") reinforces the dwelling-emphasis of the -μα form.

Domain Neighbors (Louw-Nida 23.007 — Live, Die)¶

Strong's	Lemma	Total vv	Primary KJV Translation(s)
G86	ᾅδης	10	hell
G110	ἀθανασία	3	immortality
G129	αἷμα	87	blood
G386	ἀνάστασις	36	resurrection
G599	ἀποθνῄσκω	47	die, died
G622	ἀπόλλυμι	29	perish, destroy

The placement in "Live, Die" reflects the Petrine usage: the skēnōma is the mortal body that one "puts off" at death.