Tent
אֹהֶל (ohel)
A temporary dwelling — the portable home of pilgrims, patriarchs, and God's meeting place.
Ohel is the Hebrew word for tent, the primary dwelling of Israel's patriarchs and the structure housing God's presence. Tents symbolize the pilgrim life — temporary, portable, always ready to move at God's direction.
"And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation." — Exodus 33:7 (KJV)
Key Verses
Exodus 33:7
“And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation.”Read in context
2 Corinthians 5:1
“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”Read in context
Isaiah 54:2
“Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations.”Read in context
Strong's Concordance
Strong's H168 — Tent (אֹהֶל (ohel))
Browse the full lexicon entry and every KJV verse where אֹהֶל (ohel) appears.
Open Strong's H168Etymology and Original Meaning
Ohel means 'tent' — a portable shelter made of skins or woven fabric stretched over poles. For millennia, tents were the primary dwelling of Middle Eastern nomadic and semi-nomadic peoples. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived in tents (Hebrews 11:9). The tent lifestyle embodied dependence, flexibility, and readiness — qualities that became metaphors for the life of faith.
The Tent of Meeting
Before the tabernacle was built, Moses pitched the 'tent of meeting' (ohel moed) outside the camp (Exodus 33:7). Anyone seeking the LORD went there. When Moses entered, the pillar of cloud descended and 'the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend' (Exodus 33:11). The tent of meeting was the simplest possible structure — yet it hosted the most profound encounters.
Pilgrims in Tents
Hebrews 11:9 says Abraham 'dwelt in tabernacles [tents]' because 'he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.' Living in tents was a statement of faith — Abraham never settled permanently because his true home was elsewhere. Tent-dwelling believers are pilgrims: this world is temporary, and the permanent city is yet to come.
The Body as a Tent
Paul describes the physical body as 'our earthly house of this tabernacle [tent]' (2 Corinthians 5:1). The body is temporary, portable, and destined to be replaced by 'a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.' The tent metaphor frames mortality not as tragedy but as transition — from the temporary to the permanent, from the earthly to the heavenly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does tent mean in the Bible?
Tent (ohel) is a portable dwelling symbolizing the pilgrim life — temporary, flexible, and always ready to move at God's direction. It housed patriarchs, God's presence, and became a metaphor for the physical body.
What was the tent of meeting?
The tent of meeting (ohel moed) was a simple tent where Moses met God 'face to face' (Exodus 33:7-11). It preceded the tabernacle and served as the place where anyone seeking the LORD could go to encounter His presence.
Which Bible verse uses the word "Tent"?
Exodus 33:7 — "And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation" (KJV). It also appears in 2 Corinthians 5:1, Isaiah 54:2.
Why does the Hebrew word behind "Tent" matter?
Ohel means 'tent' — a portable shelter made of skins or woven fabric stretched over poles. English uses one word, "Tent", where the Hebrew אֹהֶל (ohel) carries the fuller sense: a temporary dwelling — the portable home of pilgrims, patriarchs, and god's meeting place.
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Tent (אֹהֶל (ohel))
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Strong's H168 — Tent
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