שְׁכַנְיָה
𐤔𐤊𐤍𐤉𐤄
Shekhaneyah
H7935 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name designating multiple Israelite individuals, most commonly rendered as Shekanyah or Shekanyahu. The name is a theophoric compound meaning 'Yahweh has established residence' or 'Yahweh dwells.' Applied to various figures, including Levites, leaders, and laymen, primarily during Second Temple and post-exilic periods. The semantic range includes referencing these named individuals within genealogical, administrative, or narrative contexts.
Semantic Range
personal name for various Israelite individuals, specifically referencing persons named Shekanyah in genealogical, administrative, or narrative settings in late biblical literature; carries implicit meaning of divine indwelling or divine establishment
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root שָׁכַן ('to dwell, settle, reside') and the theophoric element יָהּ (Yah, a shortened form of the divine name YHWH). Thus, שְׁכַנְיָה/שְׁכַנְיָהוּ combines the idea of divine dwelling or presence (from שָׁכַן) with the name of the Israelite deity
Historical & Contextual Notes
The form שְׁכַנְיָה (Shᵉkanyah) and its longer form שְׁכַנְיָהוּ (Shekanyahu) reflect a common naming pattern in post-exilic Hebrew, associating an attribute or event (dwelling/settling) with the deity's name. Individuals so named are attested mainly in late biblical texts (e.g., Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah), often as leaders, heads of clans, or participants in community reforms and covenant renewals. The core meaning, 'Yahweh has dwelt' or 'Yahweh has caused to dwell,' may connote divine favor, the establishment of a family line, or a theological assertion of Yahweh’s continual presence among his people. English translations commonly render the name as Shecaniah or Shechaniah; however, these spellings obscure the meaning of the theophoric element and do not differentiate between the historical usages of the term. The name has no association with the term 'Jew' or 'Judean,' since it refers specifically to individuals in Israelite genealogies or narratives.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or (prolonged) שְׁכַנְיָהוּ; from שָׁכַן and יָהּ; Jah has dwelt; Shekanjah, the name of nine Israelites; Shecaniah, Shechaniah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
שכן (Shekhaneyah) — to dwell, to reside, to settle
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4907 | מִשְׁכַּן | his dwelling-place |
| H4908 | מִשְׁכָּן | the dwelling-place |
| H7931 | שָׁכַן | in dwelling |
| H7932 | שְׁכַן | he caused to dwell |
| H7934 | שָׁכֵן | the resident women |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7935-03 |
שְׁכַנְיָֽה | shekhaneyah | HNp |
Shecaniah | Yah Dwells | Shekhaneyah | 7 |
H7935-01 |
לִ/שְׁכַנְיָ֣ה | lishekhaneyah | HR/Np |
of Shecaniah | to Yah-dwells | to Shekhaneyah | 1 |
H7935-02 |
לִ/שְׁכַנְיָ֖הוּ | lishekhaneyahu | HR/Np |
to Shecaniah | to Yah-has-dwelt | to Shekhaneyah | 1 |
H7935-04 |
וּ/שְׁכַנְיָ֛הוּ | ushekhaneyahu | HC/Np |
and Shecaniah | and Yah-dwells | and Shekhaneyah | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
10 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7935-03 |
Ezra 8:3 | שְׁכַנְיָ֔ה | shekhaneyah | HNp |
Shechaniah | Yah Dwells | Shekhaneyah |
H7935-03 |
Ezra 8:5 | שְׁכַנְיָ֖ה | shekhaneyah | HNp |
Shecaniah | Yah Dwells | Shekhaneyah |
H7935-03 |
Ezra 10:2 | שְׁכַנְיָ֨ה | shekhaneyah | HNp |
Shecaniah | Yah Dwells | Shekhaneyah |
H7935-03 |
Nehemiah 3:29 | שְׁכַנְיָ֔ה | shekhaneyah | HNp |
Shecaniah | Yah Dwells | Shekhaneyah |
H7935-01 |
Nehemiah 6:18 | לִ/שְׁכַנְיָ֣ה | lishekhaneyah | HR/Np |
of Shecaniah | to Yah-dwells | to Shekhaneyah |
H7935-03 |
Nehemiah 12:3 | שְׁכַנְיָ֥ה | shekhaneyah | HNp |
Shechaniah | Yah Dwells | Shekhaneyah |
H7935-03 |
1 Chronicles 3:21 | שְׁכַנְיָֽה | shekhaneyah | HNp |
Shecaniah | Yah Dwells | Shekhaneyah |
H7935-03 |
1 Chronicles 3:22 | שְׁכַנְיָ֖ה | shekhaneyah | HNp |
Shecaniah | Yah Dwells | Shekhaneyah |
H7935-02 |
1 Chronicles 24:11 | לִ/שְׁכַנְיָ֖הוּ | lishekhaneyahu | HR/Np |
to Shecaniah | to Yah-has-dwelt | to Shekhaneyah |
H7935-04 |
2 Chronicles 31:15 | וּ/שְׁכַנְיָ֛הוּ | ushekhaneyahu | HC/Np |
and Shecaniah | and Yah-dwells | and Shekhaneyah |