מְעוֹנָה
𐤌𐤏𐤅𐤍𐤄
mᵉʻôwnâh
H4585 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A dwelling place, habitation, or abode; specifically refers to a shelter or place of residence, whether for a deity, a person, or an animal. In some contexts, also connotes a retreat or place of refuge, emphasizing the aspect of security and protection.
Semantic Range
habitation, dwelling place, abode, retreat, shelter, refuge, den (of animals), protective residence
Root / Etymology
The term derives from the root עון (ע-ו-ן), though its precise connection to the core root is debated. It is the feminine form of מָעוֹן (maʿon), which broadly denotes a dwelling place. 'מְעוֹנָה' functions as a concrete or abstract noun denoting any dwelling or shelter, with connotations extending from literal abodes to figurative places of security.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מְעוֹנָה appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 91:9), commonly in poetic contexts or parallelism with other terms for dwelling. It can be used for divine dwelling (e.g., reference to Yahweh's protective shelter), human habitation, or animal dens. Unlike מָעוֹן, which often more specifically denotes the divine 'dwelling-place,' מְעוֹנָה encompasses a broader semantic field, sometimes emphasizing the aspect of refuge or protection. English translations may render it as 'habitation,' 'refuge,' 'dwelling-place,' or 'abode,' but these can underrepresent the nuanced sense of secure retreat. The distinction between terms like מִשְׁכָּן (mishkan, 'tabernacle'), בָּיִת (bayit, 'house'), and מְעוֹנָה reflects varying emphases: sacred, familial, or protective. Over time, the word's meaning remained relatively stable, always retaining the connection to shelter or refuge.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or מְעֹנָה; feminine of מָעוֹן, and meaning the same; {an abode, of God (the Tabernacle or the Temple), men (their home) or animals (their lair); hence, a retreat (asylum)}; den, habitation, (dwelling) place, refuge.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עון (ʿ-w-n) — to dwell, to inhabit, to lodge
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1010 | בֵּית בַּעַל מְעוֹן | Dwelling-Place |
| H1186 | בַּעַל מְעוֹן | Dwelling-place |
| H4583 | מָעוֹן | in dwelling-of |
| H4584 | מָעוֹן | in Dwelling-place |
| H4587 | מְעוֹנֹתַי | and Dweller-of-dwellings |
Word Forms
9 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4585-02 |
מְעֹנָה֙ | meonah | HNcbsa |
dwelling place | sheltering dwelling | 2 |
H4585-03 |
מְ֝עוֹנֹתָ֗/ם | meonotam | HNcbpc/Sp3mp |
their dens | their dwelling-places | 1 |
H4585-09 |
בַ/מְּעוֹנ֑וֹת | vameonot | HRd/Ncbpa |
in their dens | in the dwelling-places | 1 |
H4585-06 |
וּ/מְע֖וֹנָת֣/וֹ | umeonato | HC/Ncbsc/Sp3ms |
and His dwelling | and his dwelling-place | 1 |
H4585-07 |
וּ/מְעֹֽנֹתָ֖י/ו | umeonotayv | HC/Ncbpc/Sp3ms |
and-his-dens | and his dwelling-places | 1 |
H4585-01 |
בִּ/מְעוֹנוֹתֵֽי/נוּ | bimeonoteynu | HR/Ncbpc/Sp1cp |
into our habitations | in our dwelling-places | 1 |
H4585-04 |
מִ/מְּעֹ֣נָת֔/וֹ | mimeonato | HR/Ncbsc/Sp3ms |
from his den | from his dwelling-place | 1 |
H4585-05 |
מִ/מְּעֹנ֣וֹת | mimeonot | HR/Ncbpc |
from the dens of | from dwelling-places of | 1 |
H4585-08 |
וּ/בִ/מְע֖וֹנֹתֶ֣י/הָ | uvimeonoteyha | HC/R/Ncbpc/Sp3fs |
and in its dens | and in her dwellings | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
10 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4585-02 |
Deuteronomy 33:27 | מְעֹנָה֙ | meonah | HNcbsa |
dwelling place | sheltering dwelling |
H4585-01 |
Jeremiah 21:13 | בִּ/מְעוֹנוֹתֵֽי/נוּ | bimeonoteynu | HR/Ncbpc/Sp1cp |
into our habitations | in our dwelling-places |
H4585-04 |
Amos 3:4 | מִ/מְּעֹ֣נָת֔/וֹ | mimeonato | HR/Ncbsc/Sp3ms |
from his den | from his dwelling-place |
H4585-07 |
Nahum 2:13 | וּ/מְעֹֽנֹתָ֖י/ו | umeonotayv | HC/Ncbpc/Sp3ms |
and-his-dens | and his dwelling-places |
H4585-02 |
Zephaniah 3:7 | מְעוֹנָ֔/הּ | meonah | HNcbsc/Sp3fs |
her dwelling | sheltering dwelling |
H4585-06 |
Psalms 76:3 | וּ/מְע֖וֹנָת֣/וֹ | umeonato | HC/Ncbsc/Sp3ms |
and His dwelling | and his dwelling-place |
H4585-03 |
Psalms 104:22 | מְ֝עוֹנֹתָ֗/ם | meonotam | HNcbpc/Sp3mp |
their dens | their dwelling-places |
H4585-08 |
Job 37:8 | וּ/בִ/מְע֖וֹנֹתֶ֣י/הָ | uvimeonoteyha | HC/R/Ncbpc/Sp3fs |
and in its dens | and in her dwellings |
H4585-09 |
Job 38:40 | בַ/מְּעוֹנ֑וֹת | vameonot | HRd/Ncbpa |
in their dens | in the dwelling-places |
H4585-05 |
Song of Songs 4:8 | מִ/מְּעֹנ֣וֹת | mimeonot | HR/Ncbpc |
from the dens of | from dwelling-places of |