Hebrew word · H8498

תְּכוּנָה

utekhunato

fitting

Fixed arrangement, layout, proportion; a set-up place or seat. It comes from the root t-k-n, 'to measure, weigh, regulate'. The word is rare: Job 23:3 uses it for God's 'seat' or dwelling place, and Nah 2:9 for a 'store' of treasure.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) arrangement, preparation,

1a) arrangement, disposition

1b) preparation

1c) fixed place, seat, place

Also means: te.khu.nah (תְּכוּנָה "place" H8499)

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Ezekiel 43:11

Range of meaning

Fixed arrangement, layout, proportion; a set-up place or seat. It comes from the root t-k-n, 'to measure, weigh, regulate'. The word is rare: Job 23:3 uses it for God's 'seat' or dwelling place, and Nah 2:9 for a 'store' of treasure.

Against the English

KJV 'fashion', YLT 'measurement', BSB 'arrangement'. YLT keeps the link with measuring; 'fashion' sounds today like style or clothing.

How it drifted

KJV 'fashion' once meant 'make, shape', but a modern reader hears 'fashion' as a trend.

Used elsewhere in the period

It is related to toknit in v.10 ('let them measure the plan') and in 28:12 ('seal of proportion/perfection').

From the study of Nahum 2:9

Range of meaning

From the root kûn, 'to set firmly, prepare, establish'. It means 1) an arrangement or layout (Ezek 43:11, the temple's design); 2) a fixed place or seat (Job 23:3, God's 'dwelling place'); 3) here, a prepared store or stock of goods.

Against the English

KJV 'store', BSB/WEB 'treasure', YLT 'prepared things', NASB 'treasure'. 'Treasure' gives the sense well but hides the idea of something carefully laid up and arranged.

Used elsewhere in the period

Rare in the Hebrew Bible (Job 23:3; Ezek 43:11; Nah 2:9). Because it is rare, some older scholars wanted to emend it. Most modern lexicons (BDB, HALOT) keep the text and give 'supply, store' for this verse.

Where it appears

Ezekiel · 1

  1. Ezekiel 43:11 וּתְכוּנָת֡וֹ and arrangement its

    and if they are ashamed of all they have done, then make known to them the design of the temple—its arrangement and its exits and entrances—its whole design along with all its statutes, forms, and laws. Write it down in their sight, so that they may keep its complete design and all its statutes and may carry them out.

    Here: How the parts are laid out and fixed in proportion to each other. It comes from the same root as 'plan' (toknit) in v.10, which the people are told to 'measure'.

Nahum · 1

  1. Nahum 2:9 לַתְּכוּנָ֔ה to the supply

    “Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!” There is no end to the treasure, an abundance of every precious thing.

    Here: A rare word built on the root 'to set up, prepare, establish'. Here it means what has been laid up and arranged: the stockpiled treasure of the city, its 'store' (KJV) or 'prepared things' (YLT).

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.