Lexical Summary
lishkah: Chamber, Room
Original Word:לִשְׁכָּה
Part of Speech:Noun Feminine
Transliteration:lishkah
Pronunciation:lish-KAH
Phonetic Spelling:(lish-kaw')
KJV: chamber, parlour
NASB:chambers, chamber, rooms, room, hall
Word Origin:[from an unused root of uncertain meaning]
1. a room in a building (whether for storage, eating, or lodging)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
chamber, parlor
From an unused root of uncertain meaning; a room in a building (whether for storage, eating, or lodging) -- chamber, parlour. Comparenishkah.
see HEBREWnishkah
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originof uncertain derivation
Definitionroom, chamber, hall, cell
NASB Translationchamber (13), chambers (27), hall (1), room (2), rooms (3).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(Late Hebrew
id. ; compare also ; on the
lishka see Now
Archaeology ii. 37, 52, 79; Bo
Geogr.I, xvii. 438 (ed. Leusd.) compare Greek , compare Rs
Semitic i. 236 (2nd ed. 254) and elsewhere); —
Ezekiel 40:38 +; construct
2 Kings 23:11 +; with locative
1 Samuel 9:22; plural
Ezekiel 40:17 +; construct
Nehemiah 10:38 +; —
(), where sacrificial meal was eaten1 Samuel 9:22, insert also probably1 Samuel 1:18 ( We Dr Klo Bu).
Jeremiah 35:2,4; compareJeremiah 35:4;Jeremiah 35:4 one where prophecy readJeremiah 36:10 (both these apparently open, compare GieJeremiah 35:2); compare2 Kings 23:11; used of Levites' cells1 Chronicles 9:33; = store-rooms1 Chronicles 9:26 ("" ),1 Chronicles 23:28;1 Chronicles 28:12; 2Chronicles 31:11.
, cells for priests, singers, etc.Ezekiel 40:17 (twice in verse);Ezekiel 40:38,44,45,46 +Ezekiel 41:10 (strike out Co Bthl),Ezekiel 42:1,4,7,8,11 +Ezekiel 42:12 (strike out Co Bthl); in three tiers, compareEzekiel 42:5 (seeEzekiel 42:3), (Ezekiel 45:5 read Sm Co SgfrKauAT Bthl); for sacred usesEzekiel 42:13 (3 t. in verse);Ezekiel 44:19;Ezekiel 46:19.
Ezra 8:29;Nehemiah 10:38;Nehemiah 10:39 ("" ),Nehemiah 10:40; used by individualsEzra 10:6;Nehemiah 13:5 ( ),Nehemiah 13:8, in GeneralNehemiah 13:4;Nehemiah 13:9.
Jeremiah 36:12,20,21.
Topical Lexicon
Biblical Scope and Distributionלִשְׁכָּה appears about forty-seven times, concentrated in 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Jeremiah, and especiallyEzekiel 40–48. In every setting the word denotes architecturally distinct chambers that belong to the sanctuary complex and serve the ministry of worship.
Architectural Placement
1. Adjacent to gates (Ezekiel 40:17-19).
2. Flanking the inner court and the nave (Ezekiel 40:44-46; 41:10-11).
3. Encircling the outer wall as multi-story, side-room structures (1 Kings 6:5-10;Ezekiel 42:1-14).
4. Built or renovated in royal reforms (2 Chronicles 31:11-12).
5. Added late in the First Temple period near the “Upper Gate of Benjamin” (Jeremiah 36:10).
The deliberate placement of these rooms guarded sanctity by separating holy vessels and ministers from the general populace (Ezekiel 42:13-14).
Functions within the Priestly Economy
• Storage. “They faithfully brought in the offerings, tithes, and consecrated things, and Conaniah the Levite was in charge of them” (2 Chronicles 31:12). Grain, wine, oil, frankincense, sacred vessels, trumpets, and priestly garments were held here (Nehemiah 10:37-39; 13:5;Ezekiel 42:13).
• Treasury. The precious metals counted at the end of Ezra’s journey were “weighed out in the chambers of the house of the LORD” (Ezra 8:33).
• Residence and Rotations. Singers and gatekeepers lodged in these rooms so that “they were on duty day and night” (1 Chronicles 9:33).
• Dining and Fellowship. Ezekiel’s priests are to eat “the most holy offerings” in the chambers, emphasizing separation and fellowship with God (Ezekiel 42:13).
• Judicial or Administrative Use. Jehudi read Jeremiah’s scroll before officials gathered “in the chamber of Gemariah” (Jeremiah 36:10-12), making the space an ad-hoc courtroom.
Scenes of Spiritual Decline and Renewal
Eliashib’s infamous decision to house Tobiah in a large chamber (Nehemiah 13:4-9) profaned holy space, but Nehemiah’s cleansing restored covenant order. Conversely, Hezekiah’s earlier command to “prepare chambers in the house of the LORD” (2 Chronicles 31:11) facilitated revival by providing orderly storehouses for the people’s renewed generosity.
Prophetic Outlook
Ezekiel’s visionary temple devotes unparalleled detail to chambers, anticipating a future worship that is:
• Perfectly arranged (Ezekiel 42);
• Secure—only consecrated persons may enter (Ezekiel 44:13-14);
• Abundantly supplied for perpetual sacrifices (Ezekiel 45:13-17).
These visions reinforce the biblical pattern that right worship requires prepared space.
Theological Reflections
1. Holiness Requires Order. Chambers illustrate that sanctity is expressed spatially; God’s house is not a chaotic warehouse but a carefully organized dwelling.
2. Stewardship of Gifts. The rooms stand as tangible testimony that offerings are meant for God’s glory, not personal gain (contrastNehemiah 13:5-9).
3. Communion with God. Places where priests eat holy portions prefigure deeper fellowship fulfilled in Christ, “a minister in the sanctuary and true tabernacle” (Hebrews 8:2).
4. Continuity of Worship. From Moses to Ezekiel, chambers remain integral, underscoring the unity of Scripture’s temple theme.
Summary
לִשְׁכָּה marks spaces devoted to storing, safeguarding, and celebrating the holy things of God. Whether in historical practice or prophetic promise, these chambers encourage reverent preparation, faithful giving, and disciplined service in every generation.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּלִֽשְׁכֹ֣ת בְּלִשְׁכַּ֖ת בְּלִשְׁכַּ֡ת בְּלִשְׁכַּ֣ת בַּלְּשָׁכֹ֖ת בלשכת הַ֠לְּשָׁכוֹת הַלְּשָׁכ֑וֹת הַלְּשָׁכ֔וֹת הַלְּשָׁכ֖וֹת הַלְּשָׁכ֗וֹת הַלְּשָׁכ֜וֹת הַלִּשְׁכ֖וֹת הַלִּשְׁכ֤וֹת הַלִּשְׁכָּ֗ה הַלִּשְׁכָּֽה׃ הַלְּשָׁכֹ֣ות הלשכה הלשכה׃ הלשכות וְהַלְּשָׁכ֥וֹת וְהַלִּשְׁכָּ֗ה וְלִשְׁכָּ֣ה והלשכה והלשכות ולשכה לְלִשְׁכַּ֛ת לְשָׁכ֖וֹת לְשָׁכ֛וֹת לְשָׁכֹֽת׃ לְשָׁכֽוֹת׃ לְשָׁכוֹת֙ לִֽשְׁכ֣וֹת לִֽשְׁכ֨וֹת לִשְׁכ֣וֹת לִשְׁכַּ֖ת לִשְׁכַּ֗ת לִשְׁכַּ֣ת לִשְׁכַּת֙ לִשְׁכָּ֑תָה לִשְׁכָּ֣ה ללשכת לשכה לשכות לשכות׃ לשכת לשכת׃ לשכתה מִלִּשְׁכַּ֖ת מלשכת bal·lə·šā·ḵōṯ balləšāḵōṯ balleshaChot bə·liš·kaṯ bə·liš·ḵōṯ belishChot belishKat bəliškaṯ bəlišḵōṯ hal·lə·šā·ḵō·wṯ hal·liš·kāh hal·liš·ḵō·wṯ halləšāḵōwṯ halleshaChot hallishChot hallishKah halliškāh hallišḵōwṯ lə·liš·kaṯ lə·šā·ḵō·wṯ lə·šā·ḵōṯ lelishKat ləliškaṯ ləšāḵōṯ ləšāḵōwṯ leshaChot liš·kā·ṯāh liš·kāh liš·kaṯ liš·ḵō·wṯ lishChot lishKah lishKat lishKatah liškāh liškaṯ liškāṯāh lišḵōwṯ mil·liš·kaṯ millishKat milliškaṯ vehalleshaChot vehallishKah velishKah wə·hal·lə·šā·ḵō·wṯ wə·hal·liš·kāh wə·liš·kāh wəhalləšāḵōwṯ wəhalliškāh wəliškāh
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