נִשְׁכָּה
𐤍𐤔𐤊𐤄
nishkâh
H5393 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A storage room, chamber, or cell within a larger structure, typically used for storage, meeting, or administrative functions in a temple or palace context. The term denotes a subsidiary space within monumental architecture, such as the Jerusalem temple complex or royal courtyards, serving various non-residential purposes.
Semantic Range
storage chamber, cell, storeroom, meeting room, administrative chamber, subsidiary room in temple or palace, cell within monumental architecture
Root / Etymology
From the root שׁכה (sh-k-h), which is also the root of לִשְׁכָּה (lishkâh, 'chamber, cell'), carrying the idea of laying up, storing, or reserving. The prefix נִ- may serve as a nominal formation or an Aramaizing influence. The word likely derives directly from the same root meaning 'to lie down, lie in wait, store.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
נִשְׁכָּה appears rarely and typically as an orthographic variant or in construct with לִשְׁכָּה for chamber or storage room, particularly in descriptions of temple architecture. In contexts relating to the Jerusalem temple, the word usually refers to side rooms designated for storage of offerings, utensils, or as meeting spaces for officials and priests. In later periods, the word's use was maintained for similar architectural spaces, both in religious and administrative buildings. English translations often use 'chamber' or 'cell,' but these do not always reflect the specialized functions and hierarchical organization of these spaces in ancient Israelite architecture. The distinction between נִשְׁכָּה and related architectural terms such as חֶדֶר (ḥeder, 'room') or תָּאָה (ta'ah, 'compartment') underscores that the נִשְׁכָּה was for ancillary and usually non-residential use, often linked to public, religious, or bureaucratic activity. The term survives into the Second Temple period and rabbinic literature, where it denotes the administrative rooms of the Temple Mount.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
for לִשְׁכָּה; a cell; chamber.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁכה (sh-k-h) — to lie down, to lay up, to store, to reserve
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5393-02 |
נִשְׁכָּ֔ה | nishekah | HNcfsa |
a chamber | storage chamber | 1 |
H5393-01 |
הַ/נְּשָׁכ֗וֹת | haneshakhot | HTd/Ncfpa |
the storerooms | the storage chambers | 1 |
H5393-03 |
נִשְׁכָּתֽ/וֹ | nishekato | HNcfsc/Sp3ms |
his chamber | his storage-chamber | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5393-03 |
Nehemiah 3:30 | נִשְׁכָּתֽ/וֹ | nishekato | HNcfsc/Sp3ms |
his chamber | his storage-chamber |
H5393-01 |
Nehemiah 12:44 | הַ/נְּשָׁכ֗וֹת | haneshakhot | HTd/Ncfpa |
the storerooms | the storage chambers |
H5393-02 |
Nehemiah 13:7 | נִשְׁכָּ֔ה | nishekah | HNcfsa |
a chamber | storage chamber |