Biblica Analytica
H4264 Hebrew

מַחֲנֶה

ma.cha.neh

camp

Lexicon Entry

Definition
camp
Transliteration
ma.cha.neh
Strong's Number
H4264
Occurrences
215
Semantic Domain
Geography & Place

Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

What Original Readers Understood

Supported

# The Hebrew Word for Camp (מַחֲנֶה) The Hebrew word *machaneh* appears 215 times throughout the biblical text, indicating it held considerable importance in describing organized spatial arrangements. The term's primary meaning—"camp"—refers to a temporary settlement or gathering place, typically established by groups requiring coordinated shelter and logistics. This frequency of use reflects the prevalence of nomadic and military contexts in biblical narratives, where camps served as central locations for communities on the move or armies preparing for battle. The breadth of biblical occurrences suggests the word carried significant practical and symbolic weight in ancient Israelite culture. Whether describing the camps of the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings, military encampments during conflicts, or the organizational structure of nomadic peoples, *machaneh* functioned as a marker of structured communal space. The consistency of this usage across 215 instances indicates the term remained stable in meaning without substantial variation, serving as a straightforward descriptor for established, organized settlements rather than random gatherings. Understanding *machaneh* is essential for readers of biblical narrative, as camps frequently serve as settings where significant events unfold—from divine encounters to strategic military decisions. The word's ubiquity underscores how central the concept of an organized, bounded community space was to the worldview and experience depicted in biblical texts.

Source data & methodology
Strong's
H4264
Lemma
מַחֲנֶה
Transliteration
ma.cha.neh
Definition
camp
Occurrences
215
Model
claude-haiku-4-5-20251001
Prompt version
1

AI synthesis uses only the lexicon data above as context — never training knowledge.

Occurrences in Scripture

215 total occurrences across the text — showing 50

2 Chronicles 22:1

The inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his place, because the band of men who came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the oldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.

2 Chronicles 31:2

Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites after their divisions, every man according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of Yahweh’s camp.

2 Chronicles 32:21

Yahweh sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and captains, in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. When he had come into the house of his god, those who came out of his own body killed him there with the sword.

Psalms 27:3

Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war should rise against me, even then I will be confident.

Psalms 78:28

He let them fall in the middle of their camp, around their habitations.

Leviticus 8:17

But the bull, and its skin, and its meat, and its dung, he burned with fire outside the camp, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

Psalms 106:16

They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron, Yahweh’s saint.

Song of Solomon 6:13

Return, return, Shulammite! Return, return, that we may gaze at you. Why do you desire to gaze at the Shulammite, as at the dance of Mahanaim?

Isaiah 37:36

Then Yahweh’s angel went out and struck one hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the camp of the Assyrians. When men arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies.

Ezekiel 1:24

When they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of an army. When they stood, they let down their wings.

Ezekiel 4:2

Lay siege against it, build forts against it, and cast up a mound against it. Also set camps against it and plant battering rams against it all around.

Joel 2:11

Yahweh thunders his voice before his army; for his forces are very great; for he is strong who obeys his command; for the day of Yahweh is great and very awesome, and who can endure it?

Amos 4:10

“I sent plagues among you like I did Egypt. I have slain your young men with the sword, and have carried away your horses; and I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camp, yet you haven’t returned to me,” says Yahweh.

Zechariah 14:15

A plague like this will fall on the horse, on the mule, on the camel, on the donkey, and on all the animals that will be in those camps.

Genesis 32:2

When he saw them, Jacob said, “This is God’s army.” He called the name of that place Mahanaim.

Genesis 32:7

Then Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks, and the herds, and the camels, into two companies;

Genesis 32:8

and he said, “If Esau comes to the one company, and strikes it, then the company which is left will escape.”

Genesis 32:8

and he said, “If Esau comes to the one company, and strikes it, then the company which is left will escape.”

Genesis 32:10

I am not worthy of the least of all the loving kindnesses, and of all the truth, which you have shown to your servant; for with just my staff I crossed over this Jordan; and now I have become two companies.

Genesis 32:21

So the present passed over before him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp.

Genesis 33:8

Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” Jacob said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”

Genesis 50:9

There went up with him both chariots and horsemen. It was a very great company.

Exodus 14:19

The angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them.

Exodus 14:20

It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. There was the cloud and the darkness, yet gave it light by night. One didn’t come near the other all night.

Exodus 14:20

It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. There was the cloud and the darkness, yet gave it light by night. One didn’t come near the other all night.

Exodus 14:24

In the morning watch, Yahweh looked out on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and confused the Egyptian army.

Exodus 14:24

In the morning watch, Yahweh looked out on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and confused the Egyptian army.

Exodus 16:13

In the evening, quail came up and covered the camp; and in the morning the dew lay around the camp.

Exodus 16:13

In the evening, quail came up and covered the camp; and in the morning the dew lay around the camp.

Exodus 19:16

On the third day, when it was morning, there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain, and the sound of an exceedingly loud trumpet; and all the people who were in the camp trembled.

Exodus 19:17

Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the lower part of the mountain.

Exodus 29:14

But the meat of the bull, and its skin, and its dung, you shall burn with fire outside of the camp. It is a sin offering.

Exodus 32:17

When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is the noise of war in the camp.”

Exodus 32:19

As soon as he came near to the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing. Then Moses’ anger grew hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mountain.

Exodus 32:26

then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on Yahweh’s side, come to me!” All the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.

Exodus 32:27

He said to them, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘Every man put his sword on his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and every man kill his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.’ ”

Exodus 33:7

Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far away from the camp, and he called it “The Tent of Meeting.” Everyone who sought Yahweh went out to the Tent of Meeting, which was outside the camp.

Exodus 33:7

Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far away from the camp, and he called it “The Tent of Meeting.” Everyone who sought Yahweh went out to the Tent of Meeting, which was outside the camp.

Exodus 33:7

Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far away from the camp, and he called it “The Tent of Meeting.” Everyone who sought Yahweh went out to the Tent of Meeting, which was outside the camp.

Exodus 33:11

Yahweh spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. He turned again into the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, didn’t depart from the Tent.

Exodus 36:6

Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, “Let neither man nor woman make anything else for the offering for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing.

Leviticus 4:12

—all the rest of the bull—outside of the camp to a clean place where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire. It shall be burned where the ashes are poured out.

Leviticus 4:21

He shall carry the bull outside the camp, and burn it as he burned the first bull. It is the sin offering for the assembly.

Leviticus 6:11

He shall take off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place.

Numbers 2:16

“All who were counted of the camp of Reuben were one hundred fifty-one thousand four hundred fifty, according to their armies. They shall set out second.

Leviticus 9:11

The meat and the skin he burned with fire outside the camp.

Leviticus 10:4

Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Draw near, carry your brothers from before the sanctuary out of the camp.”

Leviticus 10:5

So they came near, and carried them in their tunics out of the camp, as Moses had said.

Leviticus 13:46

All the days in which the plague is in him he shall be unclean. He is unclean. He shall dwell alone. His dwelling shall be outside of the camp.

Leviticus 14:3

and the priest shall go out of the camp. The priest shall examine him. Behold, if the plague of leprosy is healed in the leper,