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מַחֲנֶה

𐤌𐤇𐤍𐤄

Machaneh

H4264 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חנה to encamp, to settle, to pitch (a tent)

Definition

A place where a group of people are settled, whether temporarily or permanently; an encampment or camp. Refers to military encampments, traveling groups, and by extension, collections of nonhuman entities (such as angels, animals, or celestial bodies) perceived as arranged in organized groups.

Semantic Range

camp, encampment, military camp, army, host, company (of people or beings), organized group (of animals, angels, celestial bodies), sacred precincts

Root / Etymology

From the root חנה meaning 'to pitch (a tent), camp, settle, encamp.' The noun מַחֲנֶה refers to the result or place of encamping—i.e., a camp or encampment. While the root emphasizes the process of settling or pitching tents, the noun focuses on the organized group that results, including spatial arrangement and social cohesion.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, מַחֲנֶה most commonly describes military encampments—both Israelite and non-Israelite—especially in narratives concerning travel, warfare, or security (e.g., Israelite military camps during the wilderness period, Philistine camps in the stories of Saul and David). It also refers to the centrally organized tribal arrangement encamped around the tabernacle (Numbers 2–4), denoting both the physical camp and its social order. In some contexts, the word refers to the entire Israelite community as a 'camp' organized by tribal groupings. מַחֲנֶה is also used figuratively for angelic hosts, flocks or herds of animals (Genesis 32:8), and metaphorically for the stars (Judges 5:20) or large organized groups such as bands of locusts (Joel 2:11). In post-exilic and later biblical literature, it can refer to the sacred area or precincts, particularly as the community's center shifts from tribal encampment to urban society, though the term retains an association with group cohesion and separation from outsiders. The standard English translation 'camp' often captures the primary sense, but can obscure the collective, organized, and sometimes militaristic overtones present in many Hebrew contexts. Distinct from terms like דֶּרֶךְ (road, journey) or עֵדָה (congregation, assembly), מַחֲנֶה emphasizes spatial organization and communal identity, especially with reference to defense, ritual purity, and social order.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חָנָה; an encampment (of travellers or troops); hence, an army, whether literal (of soldiers) or figurative (of dancers, angels, cattle, locusts, stars; or even the sacred courts); army, band, battle, camp, company, drove, host, tents.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חנה (ḥ-n-h) — to encamp, to settle, to pitch a tent

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2583 חָנָה to set up camp
H2588 חָנוּת the vaulted cells
H2595 חֲנִית spear
H4265 מַחֲנֵה־דָן encampment of
H4266 מַחֲנַיִם Two Camps-ward

Word Forms

24 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4264-06 הַ/מַּחֲנֶ֥ה hamachaneh HTd/Ncbsa the camp the encampment 69
H4264-12 מַחֲנֵ֥ה machaneh HNcbsc camp encampment of 37
H4264-09 לַֽ/מַּחֲנֶֽה lamachaneh HRd/Ncbsa the camp to the encampment 32
H4264-01 בַּֽ/מַּחֲנֶֽה bamachaneh HRd/Ncbsa in the camp in the encampment 20
H4264-03 בְּ/מַחֲנֵ֣ה bemachaneh HR/Ncbsc in the camp in an encampment 10
H4264-15 מַ֣חֲנֵי/הֶ֔ם machaneyhem HNcbpc/Sp3mp their camps their encampments 7
H4264-13 מַחֲנֵ֛/הוּ machanehu HNcbsc/Sp3ms his camp his encampment 6
H4264-07 הַֽ/מַּחֲנֹ֑ת hamachanot HTd/Ncbpa the camps the encampments 6
H4264-10 לְ/מַחֲנֵ֣ה lemachaneh HR/Ncbsc of the camp to an encampment 6
H4264-18 מַחֲנֽוֹת machanot HNcbpa camps encampments 4

Occurrences in Scripture

216 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4264-12 Genesis 32:3 מַחֲנֵ֥ה machaneh HNcbsc the camp encampment of
H4264-18 Genesis 32:8 מַחֲנֽוֹת machanot HNcbpa camps encampments
H4264-06 Genesis 32:9 הַ/מַּחֲנֶ֥ה hamachaneh HTd/Ncbsa the camp the encampment
H4264-06 Genesis 32:9 הַ/מַּחֲנֶ֥ה hamachaneh-2 HTd/Ncbsa the camp the encampment
H4264-18 Genesis 32:11 מַחֲנֽוֹת machanot HNcbpa camps encampments
H4264-01 Genesis 32:22 בַּֽ/מַּחֲנֶֽה bamachaneh HRd/Ncbsa in the camp in the encampment
H4264-06 Genesis 33:8 הַ/מַּחֲנֶ֥ה hamachaneh HTd/Ncbsa this company the encampment
H4264-06 Genesis 50:9 הַֽ/מַּחֲנֶ֖ה hamachaneh HTd/Ncbsa the company the encampment
H4264-12 Exodus 14:19 מַחֲנֵ֣ה machaneh HNcbsc the camp encampment of
H4264-12 Exodus 14:20 מַחֲנֵ֣ה machaneh HNcbsc the camp encampment of
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