Lexical Definition

‎מִשְׁכָּב‎ mishkâb (mish-kawb') bed ^H:N-M
from ‎שָׁכַב‎

bed(-chamber), couch, lieth (lying) with.

• a bed (figuratively, a bier)
• abstractly, sleep
• by euphemism, carnal intercourse

1) a lying down, couch, bier, act of lying
1a) couch, bed
1b) act of lying, lying down or sleeping room, bedroom
1c) lying down (for sexual contact)

See Greek: κλίνη · κοίτη · κοιτών

Extended Information

• Aramaic equivalent: mish.kav (‎מ‎ִ‎ש‎ְׁ‎כ‎ַּ‎ב‎ "bed" מִשְׁכַּב)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Aramaic form: שָׁכַב
‎מִשְׁכָּב‎₄₆ noun masculine^{Lev 15:4} place of lying, couch; act of lying; — absolute ‎׳‎‎מ‎ 1Kgs 1:47 +, construct ‎מִשְׁכַּב‎ 2Sam 4:5 +; suffix ‎מִשְׁכָּבִי‎ Job 7:13 +, ‎מִשְׁכַּבְכֶם‎ Ps 4:5* plural construct ‎מִשְׁכְּבֵי‎ Gen 49:4 +, suffix ‎מִשְׁכְּבוֺהָם‎ Hos 7:14 +, etc.; —

1. couch, bed (37 t.), 2Sam 4:11; Hos 7:14; Mic 2:1; 1Kgs 1:47; Song 3:1 +; ‎׳‎‎וְנָפַל לְמ‎ Exod 21:18 (E) he takes to his bed; ‎נִדָּתָהּ‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Lev 15:26 (P; see below I. ‎נדד‎); ‎׳‎‎מ‎ as place of copulation Gen 49:4 (poem in J), Isa 57:7; Isa 57:8 (twice in verse); Prov 7:17 as place of burial Isa 57:2; Ezek 32:25; 2Chr 16:14 (see ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Inscription Tabnit⁸ and perhaps Jewish inscription Cooke³⁴¹).

2. act of lying:
a. in general, ‎׳‎‎חֲדַר מ‎ chamber of lying down = bed-chamber, Exod 7:28* (E), 2Sam 4:7; 2Kgs 6:12, ‎בְּחַדְרֵי מִשְׁכָּֽבְךָ‎ Eccl 10:20 ‎הַצָּהֳרַיִם‎ ‎׳‎‎והוּא שֹׁכֵב אֵת מ‎ 2Sam 4:5 his noon-day siesta; 2Sam 17:28 read perhaps ‎׳‎‎עַרְשׂת מ‎ couches for lying down Klo Bu HPS Now, compare ᵐ5.
b. (from context) sexually: of woman ‎יֹדַעַת (אִישׁ לְ) מִשְׁכַּב‎ ‎זָכָת‎ Judg 21:11; Judg 21:12; Num 31:17; Num 31:35 (P); of man ‎שׁכב מִשְׁכְּבֵי‎ ‎אִשָּׁה‎ Lev 18:22; Lev 20:13 (+ ‎אֶתזָֿכָר‎ sodomy; H); ‎׳‎‎דֹּדִים מ‎ Ezek 23:17.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References