מִשְׁכָּב (H4904) — Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׁכָּב

𐤌𐤔𐤊𐤁

mishkâb

H4904 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שכב to lie down, recline

Definition

A place for lying down, particularly a bed (permanent or temporary), couch, or sleeping place; also used for a bier or platform for carrying the dead, and as an abstract noun signifying the act or state of lying down, including rest or sleep. In several contexts, 'mishkâb' is a euphemism for sexual intercourse, signifying the act of lying with another, especially in legal or ritual passages.

Semantic Range

bed, couch, sleeping place, rest, sleep, bier, platform for the dead, sexual intercourse (euphemism); act or state of lying down

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root שָׁכַב (sh-k-b), which means 'to lie down, recline.' 'Mishkâb' is a masculine noun formed with the מִ prefixed and ־ָב suffixed (pattern מִקטָל), indicating 'place or act of lying down.' The root meaning is 'to lie down,' but the noun is specialized to mean both the physical place for lying and the act itself.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Throughout the Hebrew Bible, 'mishkâb' refers both to literal beds or couches (Genesis 49:4, as in Jacob's rebuke to Reuben; 2 Samuel 4:7), as well as the act of lying down in general, whether for sleep or, euphemistically, sexual relations (Leviticus 18:22, 'mishkêb zâkâr'—'lying with a male'). 'Mishkâb' can denote a bier or structure used in funerary contexts (2 Samuel 21:10). In legal and ritual language, its idiomatic use for sexual intercourse is more common, especially in Leviticus. The term does not imply marital status or gender of participants per se, unless specified by context. Notably, later English translations sometimes narrow 'mishkâb' to 'bed' where the context refers to sexual relations, but the term itself is less specific and depends on context. Distinct from other terms for bed, like עָרֶשׂ ('arēs), which more specifically denotes a couch or cradle, or מִטָּה (mittah), often used for a standard bed or sleeping platform.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from שָׁכַב; a bed (figuratively, a bier); abstractly, sleep; by euphemism, carnal intercourse; bed(-chamber), couch, lieth (lying) with.

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Root Family

שכב (sh-k-b) — to lie down, recline

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H4903	מִשְׁכַּב	his lying-place
H7901	שָׁכַב	in your lying down
H7902	שְׁכָבָה	lying-down of

Word Forms

15 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H4904-07`	מִשְׁכַּ֣ב	mishekav	`HNcmsc`	lying	lying-place of	7
`H4904-13`	מִשְׁכָּב֔/וֹ	mishekavo	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his bed	his lying-place	6
`H4904-09`	מִשְׁכָּבְ/ךָ֖	mishekavekha	`HNcmsc/Sp2ms`	your bed	your lying-place	5
`H4904-04`	הַ/מִּשְׁכָּ֗ב	hamishekav	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the bed	the lying-place	5
`H4904-15`	מִשְׁכְּבוֹתָ֑/ם	mishekevotam	`HNcmpc/Sp3mp`	their beds	their lying-places	4
`H4904-06`	לְ/מִשְׁכָּֽב	lemishekav	`HR/Ncmsa`	by lying with	for lying-place	4
`H4904-14`	מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י	mishekevey	`HNcmpc`	as with the lyings of	lyings of	3
`H4904-12`	מִשְׁכָּבִ֑/י	mishekavi	`HNcmsc/Sp1cs`	my bed	my lying-place	3
`H4904-03`	בְּ/מִשְׁכָּב֑/וֹ	bemishekavo	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	his bed	in his lying-place	2
`H4904-10`	מִשְׁכָּבֵ֑/ךְ	mishekavekhe	`HNcmsc/Sp2fs`	your bed	your lying-place	2
`H4904-08`	מִשְׁכָּבָ֖/ם	mishekavam	`HNcmsc/Sp3mp`	their bed	their lying-place	1
`H4904-11`	מִשְׁכַּבְ/כֶ֗ם	mishekavekhem	`HNcmsc/Sp2mp`	your bed	your lying-place	1
`H4904-01`	בַּ/מִּשְׁכָּב֙	bamishekav	`HRd/Ncmsa`	on the bed	in the lying-place	1
`H4904-02`	בְּ/מִשְׁכָּבָ֑/הּ	bemishekavah	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs`	her bed	in her lying-place	1
`H4904-05`	כְּ/מִשְׁכַּ֥ב	kemishekav	`HR/Ncmsc`	like the bed	like a lying-place of	1

Occurrences in Scripture

46 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H4904-14`	Genesis 49:4	מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י	mishekevey	`HNcmpc`	to the bed of	lyings of
`H4904-09`	Exodus 7:28	מִשְׁכָּבְ/ךָ֖	mishekavekha	`HNcmsc/Sp2ms`	your bed	your lying-place
`H4904-06`	Exodus 21:18	לְ/מִשְׁכָּֽב	lemishekav	`HR/Ncmsa`	to bed	for lying-place
`H4904-04`	Leviticus 15:4	הַ/מִּשְׁכָּ֗ב	hamishekav	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the bed	the lying-place
`H4904-03`	Leviticus 15:5	בְּ/מִשְׁכָּב֑/וֹ	bemishekavo	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	his bed	in his lying-place
`H4904-02`	Leviticus 15:21	בְּ/מִשְׁכָּבָ֑/הּ	bemishekavah	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs`	her bed	in her lying-place
`H4904-04`	Leviticus 15:23	הַ/מִּשְׁכָּ֜ב	hamishekav	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the bed	the lying-place
`H4904-04`	Leviticus 15:24	הַ/מִּשְׁכָּ֛ב	hamishekav	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the bed	the lying-place
`H4904-04`	Leviticus 15:26	הַ/מִּשְׁכָּ֞ב	hamishekav	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the bed	the lying-place
`H4904-05`	Leviticus 15:26	כְּ/מִשְׁכַּ֥ב	kemishekav	`HR/Ncmsc`	like the bed	like a lying-place of
`H4904-14`	Leviticus 18:22	מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י	mishekevey	`HNcmpc`	beds of	lyings of
`H4904-14`	Leviticus 20:13	מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י	mishekevey	`HNcmpc`	as with the lyings of	lyings of
`H4904-06`	Numbers 31:17	לְ/מִשְׁכַּ֥ב	lemishekav	`HR/Ncmsc`	by lying with	for lying-place
`H4904-07`	Numbers 31:18	מִשְׁכַּ֣ב	mishekav	`HNcmsc`	lying	lying-place of
`H4904-07`	Numbers 31:35	מִשְׁכַּ֣ב	mishekav	`HNcmsc`	lying	lying-place of
`H4904-07`	Judges 21:11	מִשְׁכַּב	mishekav	`HNcmsc`	lying	lying-place of
`H4904-06`	Judges 21:12	לְ/מִשְׁכַּ֣ב	lemishekav	`HR/Ncmsc`	by lying with	for lying-place
`H4904-07`	2 Samuel 4:5	מִשְׁכַּ֥ב	mishekav	`HNcmsc`	the bed	lying-place of
`H4904-13`	2 Samuel 4:7	מִשְׁכָּב֔/וֹ	mishekavo	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his sleeping place	his lying-place
`H4904-13`	2 Samuel 4:11	מִשְׁכָּב֑/וֹ	mishekavo	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his bed	his lying-place
`H4904-13`	2 Samuel 11:2	מִשְׁכָּב/וֹ֙	mishekavo	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his bed	his lying-place
`H4904-03`	2 Samuel 11:13	בְּ/מִשְׁכָּב/וֹ֙	bemishekavo	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	on his bed	in his lying-place
`H4904-09`	2 Samuel 13:5	מִשְׁכָּבְ/ךָ֖	mishekavekha	`HNcmsc/Sp2ms`	your bed	your lying-place
`H4904-07`	2 Samuel 17:28	מִשְׁכָּ֤ב	mishekav	`HNcmsa`	bed	lying-place of
`H4904-04`	1 Kings 1:47	הַ/מִּשְׁכָּֽב	hamishekav	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the bed	the lying-place
`H4904-09`	2 Kings 6:12	מִשְׁכָּבֶֽ/ךָ	mishekavekha	`HNcmsc/Sp2ms`	of your bed	your lying-place
`H4904-15`	Isaiah 57:2	מִשְׁכְּבוֹתָ֑/ם	mishekevotam	`HNcmpc/Sp3mp`	their beds	their lying-places
`H4904-10`	Isaiah 57:7	מִשְׁכָּבֵ֑/ךְ	mishekavekhe	`HNcmsc/Sp2fs`	your-bed	your lying-place
`H4904-10`	Isaiah 57:8	מִשְׁכָּבֵ/ךְ֙	mishekavekhe	`HNcmsc/Sp2fs`	your bed	your lying-place
`H4904-08`	Isaiah 57:8	מִשְׁכָּבָ֖/ם	mishekavam	`HNcmsc/Sp3mp`	their bed	their lying-place
`H4904-06`	Ezekiel 23:17	לְ/מִשְׁכַּ֣ב	lemishekav	`HR/Ncmsc`	to bed of	for lying-place
`H4904-07`	Ezekiel 32:25	מִשְׁכָּ֥ב	mishekav	`HNcmsa`	a bed	lying-place of
`H4904-15`	Hosea 7:14	מִשְׁכְּבוֹתָ֑/ם	mishekevotam	`HNcmpc/Sp3mp`	their beds	their lying-places
`H4904-15`	Micah 2:1	מִשְׁכְּבוֹתָ֑/ם	mishekevotam	`HNcmpc/Sp3mp`	their beds	their lying-places
`H4904-11`	Psalms 4:5	מִשְׁכַּבְ/כֶ֗ם	mishekavekhem	`HNcmsc/Sp2mp`	your bed	your lying-place
`H4904-13`	Psalms 36:5	מִשְׁכָּ֫ב֥/וֹ	mishekavo	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his bed	his lying-place
`H4904-13`	Psalms 41:4	מִ֝שְׁכָּב֗/וֹ	mishekavo	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his lying down	his lying-place
`H4904-15`	Psalms 149:5	מִשְׁכְּבוֹתָֽ/ם	mishekevotam	`HNcmpc/Sp3mp`	their beds	their lying-places
`H4904-12`	Proverbs 7:17	מִשְׁכָּבִ֑/י	mishekavi	`HNcmsc/Sp1cs`	my bed	my lying-place
`H4904-09`	Proverbs 22:27	מִ֝שְׁכָּבְ/ךָ֗	mishekavekha	`HNcmsc/Sp2ms`	your bed	your lying-place
`H4904-12`	Job 7:13	מִשְׁכָּבִֽ/י	mishekavi	`HNcmsc/Sp1cs`	my couch	my lying-place
`H4904-07`	Job 33:15	מִשְׁכָּֽב	mishekav	`HNcmsa`	their beds	lying-place of
`H4904-13`	Job 33:19	מִשְׁכָּב֑/וֹ	mishekavo	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his-bed	his lying-place
`H4904-12`	Song of Songs 3:1	מִשְׁכָּבִ/י֙	mishekavi	`HNcmsc/Sp1cs`	my bed	my lying-place
`H4904-09`	Ecclesiastes 10:20	מִשְׁכָּ֣בְ/ךָ֔	mishekavekha	`HNcmsc/Sp2ms`	your bed	your lying-place
`H4904-01`	2 Chronicles 16:14	בַּ/מִּשְׁכָּב֙	bamishekav	`HRd/Ncmsa`	on the bed	in the lying-place

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