A laying up of surpluses for times of scarcity. It includes such facilities as store cities and storehouses and also refers to hoarding treasures. Figuratively the word is used of the accumulation of human sin and God's consequent judgment.
Store cities
Exodus 1:11 See also Genesis 41:35, Genesis 41:48; 1 Kings 9:19; 2 Chronicles 8:4–6, 2 Chronicles 16:4, 2 Chronicles 17:12–13
So the Egyptians appointed taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.
Storehouses
Genesis 41:56 See also 1 Kings 4:7, 1 Kings 7:51 parallel 2 Chronicles 5:1; 2 Kings 14:14, 2 Kings 18:15, 2 Kings 24:13; 1 Chronicles 26:15, 1 Chronicles 27:25; 2 Chronicles 8:15, 2 Chronicles 16:2, 2 Chronicles 31:10–11, 2 Chronicles 32:27–28; Ezra 2:69; Esther 3:9; Proverbs 24:4; Malachi 3:10; Mark 12:41–44 parallel Luke 21:1–4
When the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened up all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians; for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.
The contents of storehouses
Materials kept in storage
Genesis 6:21 See also Genesis 41:34–35, Genesis 41:49; 1 Kings 7:51 parallel 2 Chronicles 5:1; 2 Chronicles 11:11, 2 Chronicles 31:5, 2 Chronicles 31:11–12, 2 Chronicles 32:27–28; Ezra 4:15, Ezra 5:17, Ezra 6:1–2, Ezra 6:5; Nehemiah 10:37–39; Isaiah 10:28; Jeremiah 41:8
You are also to take for yourself every kind of food that is eaten and gather it as food for yourselves and for the animals.”
Empty storehouses a disaster
Joel 1:17 See also Genesis 41:35–36; 1 Chronicles 27:25
The seeds lie shriveled beneath the clods; the storehouses are in ruins; the granaries are broken down, for the grain has withered away.
Roofs and watchtowers provided storage space
(But Rahab had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax that she had laid out there.)
God's storehouse
Psalm 135:7 See also Deuteronomy 28:12, Deuteronomy 32:34; Job 14:17, Job 38:22–23; Psalm 33:7, Psalm 104:13; Proverbs 2:7 victory held in store for the righteous; Jeremiah 10:13, Jeremiah 51:16; Colossians 1:5; 2 Timothy 4:8; 1 Peter 1:3–5
He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He generates the lightning with the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses.
Warnings against storing up selfishly or thoughtlessly
Matthew 6:19 See also Job 20:20, Job 31:24–28; Luke 12:15–21, Luke 19:20–23
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
Storing up treasure in heaven
Matthew 6:20 See also Matthew 19:21; Luke 12:33–34; 1 Timothy 6:17–19
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
Storing up sin and judgment
Hosea 13:12 See also Romans 2:5
The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is stored up.
God's judgment is stored up
2 Peter 3:7 See also Job 38:22–23; Isaiah 26:11; 2 Peter 2:17; Jude 1:12–13
And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.