Overview
The Bible addresses tents across 40 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Genesis, Judges and 1 Samuel. Closely related themes include Philistines, Abraham, Trees and Woman. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Isaac, Abraham, Lot and Jacob.
Key Bible verses about tents
Old Testament
Genesis
And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.
And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.
And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.
And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.
And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.
Numbers
And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts.
And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.
How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!
Judges
And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.
Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died. and took: Heb. and put
For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.
1 Samuel
And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies. fetch: Heb. take unto us
And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel.
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.
Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me. with: or, from the thrum
It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: It is: or, Him that
Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;
Jeremiah
My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.
Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days ye shall dwell in tents; that ye may live many days in the land where ye be strangers.
But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.
People in the Bible and tents
Biblical figures whose stories intersect with this theme.
In the Bible dictionary
Studying tents for yourself
- Begin with Genesis 4:20, then read the passages below in canonical order.
- Compare how Genesis, Judges and 1 Samuel each treat the theme.
- Consider the lives of Isaac, Abraham and Lot and how their stories intersect with it.
- Widen the study to related themes: Philistines, Abraham, Trees and Woman.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about tents?
The Bible addresses tents across 40 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Genesis, Judges and 1 Samuel. Closely related themes include Philistines, Abraham, Trees and Woman. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Isaac, Abraham, Lot and Jacob.
How many Bible verses are about tents?
The Bible references tents in 40 verses (King James Version).
Where does the Bible first mention tents?
In canonical order, the first of these passages is Genesis 4:20: “And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.”
Which people in the Bible are associated with tents?
Isaac, Abraham, Lot, Jacob and Jabal.
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