σκήνωμα
a dwelling
Definition
Σκήνωμα refers to a dwelling place, specifically a tent or tabernacle. In Acts 7:46, it describes the 'tabernacle' or dwelling of God that David desired to build, connecting it to the Old Testament tent of meeting. In 2 Peter 1:13-14, the apostle Peter uses the word metaphorically for the human body as a temporary 'tent' or dwelling for the soul, emphasizing its perishable nature in contrast to the eternal heavenly dwelling believers will receive.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only three times in the New Testament, all with a sense of a temporary, earthly dwelling. In Acts 7:46, it is used historically for the tabernacle. In 2 Peter 1:13-14, Peter employs it twice in a personal, metaphorical context, referring to his own physical body as a 'tent' he will soon put aside. This creates a pattern contrasting earthly transience with heavenly permanence.
Etymology
Derived from the verb σκηνόω (skēnoō, G4637), meaning 'to dwell' or 'to pitch a tent.' It is related to σκηνή (skēnē, G4633), the common word for 'tent' or 'tabernacle.' The root conveys the core idea of a temporary, portable shelter, which deeply informs its biblical usage.
Semantic Range
Σκήνωμα is theologically significant for its contrast between the temporary and the eternal. It underscores the transient nature of earthly life and physical bodies (2 Peter 1:13-14), pointing believers toward their eternal, imperishable dwelling with God. This enriches the reading of 2 Peter by highlighting the apostle's readiness for death and the Christian hope of resurrection.
In the ancient Greco-Roman and Jewish worlds, tents were common symbols of temporary, nomadic living. The 'tabernacle' (σκηνή) was central to Israel's wilderness journey, representing God's dwelling among His people. Understanding σκήνωμα as a 'tent' immediately conveyed impermanence and pilgrimage to a first-century audience, a nuance less obvious today.
σκηνή (skēnē, G4633) — The more common word for a physical tent or the Tabernacle; σκήνωμα often carries a more abstract or metaphorical sense. οἰκητήριον (oikētērion, G3613) — A dwelling, sometimes with a more permanent connotation. κατοικητήριον (katoikētērion, G2732) — A habitation, emphasizing settled dwelling.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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