DWELLING PLACE. A frequent term tr. a number of words from the original languages. It is not always clear whether the location or the structure in which one dwells (tent or house) is in view. The common noun מﯴשָׁב, H4632, from יָשַׁב, H3782, “to sit,” “dwell,” can mean “dwelling place” (Num 24:21). It can refer to Zion as the habitation of God (Ps 132:13). “Inhabited places” fits its usage in Ezekiel 34:13, and the root meaning “seat” occurs in 1 Samuel 20:25 and Psalm 1:1. The “situation” or “location” of a city is acceptable, but lack of water and barren ground spoil it (2 Kings 2:19). מﯴשָׁב, H4632, can even mean “those dwelling in a house” (2 Sam 9:12). The infinitive of the same root, שֶׁבֶת, combined with מָקﯴם, H5226, “place,” means the “dwelling place” of God in heaven (1 Kings 8:30).

מִשְׁכָּן, H5438, often denotes the particular wilderness tabernacle where God chose to abide (root שָׁכַן, H8905, “to dwell, abide”). When it does not refer to this building, it is sometimes parallel to “houses” (Ps 49:11) or “tents” (Jer 30:18). The RSV renders the first, “dwelling places” and the second, “dwellings.” Another synonym, מָכﯴן, H4806, emphasizes “a fixed or established place, foundation” (Exod 15:17). כָּל־מְכֹ֨ון is tr. “the whole site” in the RSV (Isa 4:5). BDB suggests “all the extent” of Zion.

מָעﯴנ֮, H5061, can be a “refuge” or “habitation” of jackals (Jer 9:11; 51:37) or of God in heaven (Deut 26:15). God is called “a dwelling place” or “refuge” for His own (Ps 90:1). Cf. Esther 4:14 (KJV) where “place” may refer to God.

Κατοικητήριον means the “dwelling (place)” of God in believers, the Church of Christ. Revelation 18:2 refers to destroyed Babylon as the “dwelling place” for demons.

̓Αστατέω, “to be homeless, unsettled,” is used by Paul in describing the deprivation of the apostles (1 Cor 4:11). The KJV reads: “have no certain dwelling place.” See House.

Bibliography H. C. Leupold, Exposition of the Psalms (1959), 643, 916; J. B. Payne, The Theology of the Older Testament (1962), 361.