WG: Camp / Encampment
Overview
The camp concept in Hebrew Scripture centers on the organized dwelling-space of a community, encompassing the physical encampment, the act of pitching camp, the military host within it, the tents that compose it, and the people who inhabit it.
Word Group Members
| Strong's |
Word |
Transliteration |
POS |
Occurrences |
Role in Concept |
Library Entry |
| H4264 |
מַחֲנֶה |
machaneh |
masc. noun |
190 |
The camp itself — physical encampment or military host |
H4264 |
| H6635 |
צָבָא |
tsaba |
masc. noun |
462 |
The army/host — the organized force within the camp |
H6635 |
| H2583 |
חָנָה |
chanah |
verb |
135 |
The action — to encamp, pitch tents |
TODO(need H2583 study) |
| H168 |
אֹהֶל |
ohel |
masc. noun |
314 |
The dwelling unit — tent, tabernacle |
TODO(need H168 study) |
| H5971 |
עַם |
am |
masc. noun |
1655 |
The people — those who constitute the camp |
H5971 |
| H6951 |
קָהָל |
qahal |
masc. noun |
116 |
The assembly — the people gathered as a body |
H6951 |
Relationships
Shared Roots
- machaneh (H4264) derives from chanah (H2583) — the camp is the result of the act of encamping
Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)
| Word A |
Word B |
Shared Verses |
Typical Context |
| machaneh (H4264) |
am (H5971) |
20 |
"the people in the camp" — Gen 32:7, Exo 32:26 |
| tsaba (H6635) |
am (H5971) |
47 |
"the host of the people" — military muster contexts |
| machaneh (H4264) |
tsaba (H6635) |
15 |
"camp and host" — Num 1:52, organized camp arrangement |
| machaneh (H4264) |
chanah (H2583) |
13 |
"encamped... the camp" — Num 1:52, 2:3 |
| machaneh (H4264) |
ohel (H168) |
13 |
"tabernacle/tent and camp" — Exo 33:7, Num 2:17 |
| ohel (H168) |
am (H5971) |
21 |
"tent of meeting" with the people |
| am (H5971) |
qahal (H6951) |
19 |
"people" and "congregation" in parallel |
| ohel (H168) |
qahal (H6951) |
6 |
"congregation before the tabernacle" |
LXX Overlaps
| Hebrew Words |
Shared Greek |
Notes |
| machaneh + chanah |
both → παρεμβολή (G3925) |
Greek uses same word for both the camp and the act of encamping |
| machaneh + tsaba |
both → τάγμα (G5001) |
Ordered troop arrangement covers both |
Roles in the Concept
- Space: machaneh (מַחֲנֶה) — the bounded area of the encampment
- Action: chanah (חָנָה) — the act of setting up camp, pitching tents
- Force: tsaba (צָבָא) — the organized military or service contingent within the camp
- Structure: ohel (אֹהֶל) — the individual dwelling unit (tent) that composes the camp
- Inhabitants: am (עַם) — the people who dwell in and constitute the camp
- Assembly: qahal (קָהָל) — the people gathered as a formal body within the camp
Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear Together
- Num 1:52 — [machaneh + tsaba + chanah] "the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts"
- Num 2:3 — [machaneh + tsaba + chanah] "on the east side... the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies"
- Num 2:17 — [machaneh + chanah + ohel] "the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp"
- Jdg 7:1 — [machaneh + chanah + am] "all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod... and the host of Midian was on the north side"
- 1 Ki 16:16 — [machaneh + tsaba + chanah + am] "the people that were encamped heard say... wherefore all Israel made Omri... king over Israel... in the camp"
Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py, search_strongs.py
Last updated: 2026-05-03