Assalaamu alaykum. I was wondering: can dwellings mean land, instead of houses, in some verses in the Quran, or do they always have to mean houses and can thus never mean land? May Allaah reward you.

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger. 

Dwellings in the Quran may refer to lands in general, and not only houses, as in the verse (which means): {There was for (the tribe of) Saba' in their dwelling place a sign: two (fields of) gardens on the right and on the left. (They were told:) Eat from the provisions of your Lord and be grateful to Him. A good land (have you), and a forgiving Lord.} [Quran 34:15]

The author of At-Tahreer wat-Tanweer said, “Dwellings (in the verse) refer to the lands where they lived, as evidenced by what follows in the verse: {two (fields of) gardens on the right and on the left}...”

Similar is the verse (which means): {And you lived among the dwellings of those who wronged themselves...} [Quran 14:45]

The author of Zaad Al-Maseer said, “The verse means: you dismounted in their places and villages, such as Al-Hijr and Madyan, and the villages whose people were subjected to the punishment of Allah due to their disbelief...”

Another example is the verse (which means): {Has it not become clear to them how many generations We destroyed before them, (as) they walk among their dwellings?} [Quran 32:26] Ibn Jareer At-Tabari commented on the verse saying, “They walk through their towns and lands...”

Allah knows best.