מָעוֹן
ma.on (H4583)
habitation
AI Word Study
# מָעוֹן (Ma'on): A Hebrew Word for Dwelling The Hebrew word *ma'on* refers to a habitation or place of dwelling. With eighteen occurrences across the biblical text, it represents a straightforward term for inhabited spaces, suggesting both the physical structure and the function of providing shelter and residence. The word's consistency across these appearances indicates a stable semantic range focused on the concept of a dwelling place. The frequency of *ma'on*'s appearance—concentrated enough to indicate regular usage but not so numerous as to suggest it was the primary Hebrew term for "house"—suggests it held a particular niche in biblical vocabulary. This modest occurrence pattern indicates that while the concept of habitation it conveys was important enough to name specifically, other Hebrew terms likely carried greater weight for everyday reference to dwellings. The word appears suitable for describing various types of inhabited spaces, whether human residences or dens of animals, though the provided data does not specify particular contexts of use. Understanding *ma'on* contributes to a fuller picture of how biblical writers conceptualized domestic space and dwelling. Rather than being a primary or heavily emphasized term, it functioned as one option among several for describing human habitation, reflecting the nuanced vocabulary biblical Hebrew employed when discussing the fundamental human need for shelter.
AI synthesis uses only provided lexicon data -- never training knowledge.
Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel, and the ground which you have given us, as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.”
Why do you kick at my sacrifice and at my offering, which I have commanded in my habitation, and honor your sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel my people?’
You will see the affliction of my habitation, in all the wealth which I will give Israel. There shall not be an old man in your house forever.
Then the Levitical priests arose and blessed the people. Their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy habitation, even to heaven.
Yahweh, the God of their fathers, sent to them by his messengers, rising up early and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place;
Yahweh, I love the habitation of your house, the place where your glory dwells.
A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.
Be to me a rock of refuge to which I may always go. Give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
Because you have made Yahweh your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place,
“I will make Jerusalem heaps, a dwelling place of jackals. I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.”
The voice of news, behold, it comes, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a dwelling place of jackals.
“Therefore prophesy against them all these words, and tell them, “ ‘Yahweh will roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation. He will mightily roar against his fold. He will give a shout, as those who tread grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.
Hazor will be a dwelling place of jackals, a desolation forever. No man will dwell there, neither will any son of man live therein.”
Babylon will become heaps, a dwelling place for jackals, an astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant.
Where is the den of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion and the lioness walked, the lion’s cubs, and no one made them afraid?
I said, “Just fear me. Receive correction, so that her dwelling won’t be cut off, according to all that I have appointed concerning her.” But they rose early and corrupted all their doings.
Be silent, all flesh, before Yahweh; for he has roused himself from his holy habitation!”