3901. lachem

Lexicon

lachem: Bread, food

Original Word: לָחֶם
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: lachem
Pronunciation: lah-khem
Phonetic Spelling: (law-khem')
Definition: Bread, food
Meaning: battle

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

war

From lacham, battle -- war.

see HEBREW lacham

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from lacham
Definition
perhaps war
NASB Translation
war (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

לָחֶם noun [masculine] only in אָז לָחֶ֣ם שְׁעָרִים Judges 5:8 (so Masora; Manuscripts לָחֵ֣ם, לָחֶ֣ם), usually translated then was there war of ( = at) the gates, but improbable; text and meaning dubious; A ᵐ5^L read is ὡς ἄρτον κρίθινον, whence Bu^{RS 103} אָז לֶחֶם שְׂעֹרִים then they used to eat barley bread; but Bu^{Comm. {abbrev}}שׂ ׳אָזַל ל the barley bread was exhausted; Mayer Lambert^{RŠJ xxx, 115} אז לחמשׁ ערים then for (in) 5 citiesno shield was seen, etc.; other conjectures in Kau^AT; compare GFM^{on the passage}

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the root לָחַם (lacham), which means "to fight" or "to do battle."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct one-to-one correspondence between Hebrew and Greek terms, the concept of battle or warfare in the New Testament is often expressed using Greek words such as μάχη (machē) • Strong's Greek Number 3163, which means "battle" or "fight," and πόλεμος (polemos) • Strong's Greek Number 4171, meaning "war" or "conflict." These terms capture similar themes of struggle and conflict found in the Hebrew Bible.

Usage: The word לָחֶם appears in the Hebrew Bible to describe instances of battle or warfare, often in the context of military engagements or conflicts between nations or groups.

Context: The Hebrew word לָחֶם (laḥem) is primarily used in the context of battle or warfare. It is derived from the root לָחַם (lacham), which conveys the idea of engaging in combat or fighting. This term is often found in narratives describing military encounters, strategic confrontations, and the broader theme of conflict within the biblical text.

In the Old Testament, לָחֶם is frequently associated with the Israelites' battles against surrounding nations as they sought to establish and defend their territory. The term underscores the physical and spiritual struggles faced by the people of Israel, reflecting both the historical realities of ancient warfare and the theological themes of divine intervention and deliverance.

For example, in 1 Samuel 17:47, during the account of David and Goliath, the text emphasizes that "the battle is the LORD's," highlighting the belief that God is ultimately in control of the outcomes of human conflicts. This perspective is consistent throughout the biblical narrative, where battles are often depicted as arenas for demonstrating God's power and faithfulness to His people.

The concept of לָחֶם also extends beyond physical combat to include spiritual warfare, as seen in various prophetic and poetic passages. This dual application of the term reflects the comprehensive nature of conflict in the biblical worldview, encompassing both tangible and intangible dimensions.

Forms and Transliterations

לָחֶ֣ם לחם lā·ḥem laChem lāḥem

Englishman's Concordance

Judges 5:8
HEB: חֲדָשִׁ֔ים אָ֖ז לָחֶ֣ם שְׁעָרִ֑ים מָגֵ֤ן
NAS: Then war [was] in the gates.
KJV: gods; then [was] war in the gates:
INT: New Then war the gates A shield

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 3901
1 Occurrence

lā·ḥem — 1 Occ.