מִסְכְּנוֹת (mis.ke.nah)
mis.ke.nah
storage
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 7 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The noun miskēnôt refers to a place for storing goods, such as a storehouse or magazine. In the Old Testament, it appears seven times, primarily in historical books like 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles, where it describes the royal infrastructure of Israel.
This word highlights the administrative side of ancient kingship. Solomon used these storage facilities to manage resources for his large building projects and government (1 Kings 4:7, 9). Later, kings like Ahaziah and Joash relied on them to stockpile supplies against enemies or during sieges (2 Chronicles 23:8, 32:5).
Its root connects to the idea of settling or dwelling, suggesting a place where things are kept securely. While less common than words for general treasure, it specifically denotes organized storage rather than random hoarding.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word miskēnôt points to places designed for security and order. In ancient Israel, these were not just random piles of goods but organized storage facilities managed by kings like Solomon and Jehoshaphat. They represent a system where resources were gathered, protected, and distributed with purpose.
For your faith, this word reminds us that God values preparation. Just as those storehouses held grain and wine for future needs, we can trust that our own efforts to plan and save are part of wise stewardship. It is not about hoarding out of fear, but about creating stability so that help can be provided when it is needed most.
When you look at your own life, consider how you might organize your time, talents, or resources for the good of others. This word invites you to see preparation not as a burden, but as a way to serve those around you with what you have been given.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 7 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- <the>/ storage3×
- storage2×
- and/ storehouses1×
- [the] stores of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַֽ/מִּסְכְּנוֹת֙2×
- מִסְכְּנוֹת֙1×
- מִסְכְּנֽוֹת\׃1×
- מִסְכְּנ֖וֹת1×
- וּ/מִ֨סְכְּנ֔וֹת1×
- הַֽ/מִּסְכְּנ֔וֹת1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 1:11
Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. They built storage cities for Pharaoh: Pithom and Raamses.
This verse shows the word used for cities built under forced labor, highlighting how storage infrastructure was tied to political power and control in Egypt.
-
I Kings 9:19
all the storage cities that Solomon had, the cities for his chariots, the cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.
Here the term describes Solomon's extensive network of storage cities, illustrating the scale of his administrative organization across his kingdom.
-
II Chronicles 32:28
also storehouses for the increase of grain, new wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of animals, and flocks in folds.
This occurrence links storehouses directly to agricultural abundance, showing how King Hezekiah secured food supplies like grain and oil for the nation's safety.