Brief Overview of σκηνοπηγία (Strong’s G4634: skēnopēgia)

Strong’s G4634: A feminine noun referring to the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), one of Israel’s major festivals commemorating God’s provision during the wilderness wandering. Literally means “tent-fixing” or “booth-setting,” representing both historical remembrance and messianic hope.

U- Unveiling the Word

Σκηνοπηγία represents one of Judaism’s most joyous celebrations, commemorating God’s faithful provision during Israel’s wilderness journey. This seven-day autumn festival involved building temporary shelters and elaborate ceremonies, including water libation and light ceremonies. In the New Testament, it appears during a crucial moment in Jesus’ ministry (John 7:2-14), where He reveals Himself as the source of living water. Early church fathers saw in this festival rich typology of Christ’s incarnation and the temporary nature of earthly life versus eternal dwelling with God.

N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: σκηνοπηγία, skēnopēgia, skay-no-pay-GEE-ah
• Detailed Pronunciation: σκη (skay) νο (no) πη (pay) γία (GEE-ah) – stress on penultimate syllable
• Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine

Etymology:

• Compound word from:
• σκηνή (tent, booth)
• πήγνυμι (to fix, fasten)
• -ία (abstract noun suffix)

D – Defining Meanings

• Feast of Tabernacles
• Festival of Booths
• Setting up of tents

For compound words:

• σκηνο- contributes the meaning of “tent/booth”
• -πηγία adds the concept of “fixing/setting up”

Translation Options:

• Feast of Tabernacles – traditional theological term
• Festival of Booths – literal translation
• Sukkot – Hebrew equivalent

E – Exploring Similar Words

• ἑορτή (heortē, he-or-TAY) – See G1859: Festival or feast in general
• σκηνή (skēnē, skay-NAY) – See G4633: Tent or tabernacle
• πάσχα (pascha, PAS-kha) – See G3957: Passover

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

• Case: Nominative, Accusative, Genitive, Dative
• Number: Singular (rarely plural)
• Gender: Feminine
• Declension: First declension

As a technical term for a specific festival, it typically appears in singular form with case endings following first declension patterns.

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes its significance in Jewish festival calendar. Thayer’s notes its connection to wilderness commemoration. LSJ documents its use in Hellenistic Jewish contexts. Vine’s highlights its importance in John’s Gospel. Moulton and Milligan cite examples from Jewish community documents.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
John 7:2: “But when the Jewish [Feast of Tabernacles] [σκηνοπηγία] was near,”

Additional References:
This word appears only once in the New Testament.

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

Σκηνοπηγία beautifully illustrates how Jesus fulfills the festivals of Israel. During this feast celebrating God’s provision, Jesus reveals Himself as the living water and light of the world. This promotes the good news by showing how King Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of all God’s promises of provision and presence with His people.

D – Did You Know?

• It was considered the most joyous of all Jewish festivals
• The water ceremony during this feast pointed to messianic expectations
• Jesus chose this festival to make significant messianic claims

Strong’s G4634: A feminine noun referring to the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), one of Israel’s major festivals commemorating God’s provision during the wilderness wandering. Literally means “tent-fixing” or “booth-setting,” representing both historical remembrance and messianic hope.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: festivals, jewish-feasts, tabernacles, sukkot, booths, commemoration, wilderness, provision, jesus-teaching, water-ceremony, messianic-fulfillment, temple-worship​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​