Dwelt Meaning

What Does "Dwelt" Mean in the Bible?

"Dwelt" is the past tense of dwell — to live, reside, remain, or stay in a place. The KJV uses it hundreds of times to translate several Hebrew and Greek words, each with slightly different shades of meaning.

Hebrew Originals

• Yashab (יָשַׁב, Strong's H3427) — "to sit, remain, inhabit." The most common word translated "dwelt" in the Old Testament. Used of settling in a land (Genesis 4:16 — Cain "dwelt in the land of Nod"), of enthronement (Psalm 9:7 — God "shall endure for ever"), and of abiding (Psalm 23:6 — "I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever").
• Shakan (שָׁכַן, Strong's H7931) — "to settle down, tabernacle, abide." This is the root of mishkan (tabernacle) and shekinah (the glory that "settled" on the tabernacle). Used in Exodus 25:8 — "let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them."
• Gur (גּוּר, H1481) — "to sojourn, dwell as a foreigner." Used of Abraham "dwelling" in Canaan as a pilgrim (Genesis 23:4).

Greek Originals

• Katoikeō (κατοικέω, Strong's G2730) — "to settle, inhabit permanently." Used 44 times in the New Testament.
• Skēnoō (σκηνόω, Strong's G4637) — "to tent, to pitch a tabernacle." Used only 5 times, but notably in John 1:14: "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." The literal sense is "tabernacled among us" — an echo of the Exodus tabernacle where God's presence dwelt with Israel.
• Menō (μένω, G3306) — "to remain, abide, continue." Used often in John's writings, e.g., "he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God" (1 John 4:16).

Key Passages Where "Dwelt" Appears

• Genesis 4:16 — Cain "dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden"
• Genesis 13:12 — Lot "dwelled in the cities of the plain"
• Psalm 91:1 — "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty"
• John 1:14 — "the Word... dwelt among us" (ἐσκήνωσεν, eskēnōsen)
• Colossians 2:9 — "in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily"
• Revelation 21:3 — "the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell with them"

A Thread Through Scripture

The word traces an arc through the Bible: God walking with humans in Eden (Genesis 3:8), humans exiled from His presence, the tabernacle and temple where He "dwelt" with Israel, the Incarnation (John 1:14) where He "tabernacled" in human flesh, and the final vision in Revelation 21:3 where God again "dwells" with redeemed humanity.