Strong's Lexicon lacham: To fight, to battle, to wage war Original Word: לָחַם Word Origin: A primitive root Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - G4170 (polemeo): To make war, to fight - G4754 (strateuomai): To serve as a soldier, to wage war Usage: The Hebrew verb "lacham" primarily means to engage in battle or warfare. It is used throughout the Old Testament to describe physical combat between nations, tribes, or individuals. The term can also imply a spiritual or metaphorical struggle, reflecting the broader biblical theme of conflict between good and evil. Cultural and Historical Background: In the ancient Near Eastern context, warfare was a common aspect of life, often seen as a means of survival and expansion. The Israelites, like other ancient peoples, engaged in battles to defend their land, assert dominance, or fulfill divine mandates. Warfare was not only a physical endeavor but also a spiritual one, as victories and defeats were often attributed to the favor or disfavor of God. The concept of "holy war" is evident in the biblical narrative, where battles are fought under divine instruction and with the expectation of divine intervention. Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [לָחַם]171 verb fight, do battle (Late Hebrew Hithpa`el; ואלתחם MI11.15.19 perhaps = order the battle, compare NöZMG xl. 1886, 721; Arabic  fit close together, so Late Hebrew לחם Pi`el, Syriac  Pa`el unite,  fit also threaten; GerberVerb. Denom. 59 thinks verb in Hebrew denominative from מִלְחָמָה battle-line, but dubious); — Qal (poetry) only Imperative masculine singular and Participle active — fight, do battle with, rare, only Psalms, apparently later usage: — לְחַם אֶתלֹֿחֲמָ֑י Psalm 35:1 do battle with those battling with me (dubious whether את is accusative sign compare preposition with, compare Ol; "" רִיבָה אֶתיְֿרִיבַי); לֹחֲמִים לִי Psalm 56:3 doing battle against me; לֹחֵם Psalm 56:2 as substantive fighter. Niph`al167 Perfect נִלְחַם Judges 9:17 +, וְנִלְחַמְתָּ֫ Judges 11:8; 1 Samuel 15:18, וְנִלְחַמְנוּ Deuteronomy 1:41 consecutive, etc.; Imperfect יִלָּהֵם Exodus 14:14; Deuteronomy 1:30; יִלָּ֫חֶם לָ֑נוּ Nehemiah 4:14, וַיִּלָּ֫חֶם Exodus 17:8 19t.; 3 feminine singular תִּלָּחֵם Zechariah 14:14; 3masculine plural תִּיִּלָּֽחֲמוּ Judges 1:5 13t.; suffix וַיִּלָּֽחֲמוּנִי Psalm 109:3; 2masculine plural תִּלָּֽחֲמוּ 1 Kings 22:31 4t.; תִּלָּֽחֲמוּן 1 Kings 12:24.; etc.; Imperative הִלָּחֵם Exodus 17:9; 1 Samuel 18:17; הִלָּ֫חֶם בּוֺ Judges 9:38; plural הִלָּֽחֲמוּ 2 Kings 10:3; Nehemiah 4:8; Infinitive absolute נִלְחֹם Judges 11:25; construct הִלָּחֵם Judges 1:9 35t.; הִלָּ֫חֶם בּוֺ etc., Numbers 22:11 6t.; suffix הִלָּחֲמוֺ 2 Kings 8:29 3t.; Participle נִלְחָם Exodus 14:24 10t.; plural נִלְחָמִים Joshua 10:25 10t. (but 1 Samuel 31:1 read rather נִלְחֲמוּ, so "" 1 Chronicles 10:1 We Klo Bu, compare Dr); — engage in battle (reciprocal), sometimes wage war (Joshua 10:5; Judges 11:5; 1 Kings 14:19; 1 Kings 22:46; 2 Kings 6:8; 2 Kings 14:28 etc.), often with בְּ of enemy (60 t.) Exodus 1:10; Exodus 17:9,10; Numbers 21:23,26; Numbers 22:11 (all E), Judges 11:8,25; 1 Samuel 15:18; 2 Samuel 8:10 + (49 t.); less often with בְּ of city attacked or besieged Judges 9:45; 1 Samuel 23:1; 2 Samuel 12:26,27,29; Isaiah 20:1; Joshua 10:31 (D), 1 Kings 20:1; Nehemiah 4:2; of tower Judges 1:52; followed by בְּאַרְצִי Judges 11:12; also with עִם of enemy (26 t.): Judges 5:20; Judges 11:4,5,20; Joshua 11:5 (JE), 1 Samuel 13:5; 1 Samuel 17:19, also 1 Samuel 17:32,33 (of single combat), Deuteronomy 20:4; Joshua 9:2 (both D), 2 Kings 13:12; 2 Kings 14:15; 2Chronicles 11:1; 17:10; 27:5; Daniel 10:20; Daniel 11:11 +; with עִם of city Joshua 10:29 (D), Joshua 19:47 (JE); c אֶתֿ = with, of enemy, Joshua 24:8 (E), 1 Samuel 17:9 (single combat), Jeremiah 21:5; 1 Kings 20:23; 2 Kings 19:9 = Isaiah 37:9; Jeremiah 37:10; also Judges 12:4; 2 Samuel 11:17; 2 Samuel 21:15; 1 Kings 22:31; 2 Kings 8:2; 2 Kings 9:15; Jeremiah 21:4; Jeremiah 32:5; Jeremiah 33:5; 2Chronicles 18:30; 22:6, and with אוֺתָם (= אִתָּם) Joshua 10:25 (D), 1 Kings 20:25 (KöLgb. ii, 296); with עִל, against, of enemy only Jeremiah 21:2; elsewhere (16 t.) of city: Joshua 10:5 (JE), Isaiah 7:1; 2 Kings 12:18; 2 Kings 19:8 = Isaiah 37:8; especially D and Je: Deuteronomy 20:10,19; Joshua 10:34,36,38 (all D), Jeremiah 32:24,29; Jeremiah 34:1,7,8,22; with אֶלֿ of enemy Jeremiah 1:19; Jeremiah 15:20; with suffix וַיִּלָּֽחֲמוּנִי Psalm 109:3 and they have fought against me; with יָ֑חַד i.e. fight together = with (against) one another 1 Samuel 17:10; absolute with accusative of congnate meaning with verb מִלְחָמוֺת fight battles 1 Samuel 8:20; 1 Samuel 18:17; 1 Samuel 25:28; 2Chronicles 32:8; absolute elsewhere Judges 5:19 (twice in verse); Judges 5:20; Deuteronomy 1:41; Zechariah 10:5 26t. + וַיָּסֻרוּ עָלָיו לְהִלָּחֵ֑ם 1 Kings 22:32; with עַל for, in behalf of, Judges 9:17; 2 Kings 10:3; Nehemiah 4:8; with לְ = id., Exodus 14:14 (J), Exodus 14:25 (J; + בְּ of enemy), Deuteronomy 1:30; Deuteronomy 3:22; Deuteronomy 20:4 (+ עִם of enemy, see above), Joshua 10:14,42; Joshua 23:3,10 (all D), Nehemiah 4:14 ׳יָכֹל לְהִלּ be able to fight, with את of enemy 1 Samuel 17:9, with בְּ of enemy Numbers 22:11, = be successful in fighting, prevail against; so with עַל of city Isaiah 7:1, and absolute 2 Kings 16:5 (after וַיָּצֻרוּ עָל besiege). II. [לָחַם] verb use as food, eat, poetic (so Thes Buhl, compare Frä30 GuidiDella Sede 33; this would explain different between לֶחֶם and Qal Perfect3plural לָֽחֲמוּ Proverbs 4:17; Imperfect2masculine singular תִּלְחַם Proverbs 23:6, 1singular אֶלְחַם Psalm 141:4; Imperative masculine plural לַחֲמוּ Proverbs 9:5; Infinitive construct לְחוֺם Proverbs 23:1; Passive participle plural construct לְחֻמֵי Deuteronomy 32:24; eat (mostly Proverbs), absolute Proverbs 23:1; followed by accusative of congnate meaning with verb לֶחֶם Proverbs 4:17; Proverbs 23:6; followed by בְּלַחְמִי Proverbs 9:5; followed by בְּמַנְעַמֵּיהֶם Psalm 141:4 eat of their dainties; לְחֻמֵי רֶשֶׁף Deuteronomy 32:24 (poem) eaten up with the Fire-bolt, figurative of pestilence (Dr). Strong's Exhaustive Concordance devour, eat, ever, fighting, overcome, prevail, make warring A primitive root; to feed on; figuratively, to consume; by implication, to battle (as destruction) -- devour, eat, X ever, fight(-ing), overcome, prevail, (make) war(-ring). Forms and Transliterations אֶ֝לְחַ֗ם אלחם בְּהִלָּ֣חֲמ֔וֹ בהלחמו הִֽלָּחֲמ֖וֹ הִלָּחֵ֣ם הַנִּלְחָ֣ם הַנִּלְחָ֥ם הַנִּלְחָמִ֣ים הַנִּלְחָמִים֙ הלחם הלחמו הנלחם הנלחמים וְהִֽלָּחֲמ֖וּ וְהִֽלָּחֲמ֗וּ וְהִלָּ֥חֶם וְהִלָּחֵ֖ם וְנִ֨לְחֲמ֔וּ וְנִֽלָּחֲמָ֖ה וְנִֽלָּחֲמָ֤ה וְנִֽלָּחֲמָה֙ וְנִלְחֲמ֖וּ וְנִלְחֲמ֣וּ וְנִלְחֲמ֥וּ וְנִלְחַ֔מְנוּ וְנִלְחַ֔מְתִּי וְנִלְחַ֖ם וְנִלְחַ֥ם וְנִלְחַם־ וְנִלְחַמְתִּ֤י וְנִלְחַמְתֶּֽם׃ וְנִלְחַמְתָּ֖ וְנִלְחַמְתָּ֣ וַיִּֽלָּחֲמ֖וּ וַיִּֽלָּחֲמ֥וּנִי וַיִּלָּ֖חֶם וַיִּלָּ֙חֶם֙ וַיִּלָּ֣חֶם וַיִּלָּ֥חֶם וַיִּלָּחֲמ֖וּ וַיִּלָּחֲמ֣וּ וַיִּלָּחֲמ֤וּ וַיִּלָּחֲמ֥וּ וַיִּלָּחֲמ֨וּ וּלְהִלָּחֵ֖ם וּלְחֻ֥מֵי והלחם והלחמו וילחם וילחמו וילחמוני ולהלחם ולחמי ונלחם ונלחם־ ונלחמה ונלחמו ונלחמנו ונלחמת ונלחמתי ונלחמתם׃ יִלָּ֥חֶם יִלָּחֵ֣ם ילחם לְ֝חַ֗ם לְֽהִלָּחֵ֧ם לְהִלָּ֣חֶם לְהִלָּ֥חֶם לְהִלָּחֵ֑ם לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם לְהִלָּחֵ֗ם לְהִלָּחֵ֛ם לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם לְהִלָּחֵ֤ם לְהִלָּחֵ֥ם לְהִלָּחֵֽם־ לְהִלָּחֵֽם׃ לְהִלָּחֵם֙ לִלְח֣וֹם לַחֲמ֣וּ לָ֭חֲמוּ לֹֽחֲמָֽי׃ לֹחֲמִ֖ים לֹחֵ֥ם להלחם להלחם־ להלחם׃ לחם לחמו לחמי׃ לחמים ללחום נִלְחֲמ֖וּ נִלְחֲמ֣וּ נִלְחֲמ֥וּ נִלְחֲמוּ֙ נִלְחַ֔ם נִלְחַ֖ם נִלְחַ֗ם נִלְחַ֞ם נִלְחַ֣ם נִלְחַ֣מְתִּי נִלְחַ֤ם נִלְחַ֥ם נִלְחַם־ נִלְחָ֑ם נִלְחָ֑מוּ נִלְחָ֔ם נִלְחָ֔מוּ נִלְחָ֖ם נִלְחָ֣ם נִלְחָ֥ם נִלְחָמִ֖ים נִלְחָמִ֣ים נִלְחָמִ֥ים נִלְחָמִ֧ים נִלְחָמִים֙ נִלְחֹ֥ם נִלָּחֵ֤ם נלחם נלחם־ נלחמו נלחמים נלחמתי תִּלְחַ֗ם תִּלָּ֣חֲמ֔וּ תִּלָּֽחֲמ֛וּ תִּלָּחֵ֖ם תִֽלָּחֲמ֛וּ תִלָּ֣חֲמ֔וּ תִלָּ֨חֲמ֜וּ תִלָּ֨חֲמ֜וּן תלחם תלחמו תלחמון ’el·ḥam ’elḥam bə·hil·lā·ḥă·mōw behilLachaMo bəhillāḥămōw elCham han·nil·ḥā·mîm han·nil·ḥām hannilCham hannilchaMim hannilḥām hannilḥāmîm hil·lā·ḥă·mōw hil·lā·ḥêm hillachaMo hillaChem hillāḥămōw hillāḥêm la·ḥă·mū lā·ḥă·mū Lachamu laḥămū lāḥămū lə·ḥam lə·hil·lā·ḥem lə·hil·lā·ḥêm lə·hil·lā·ḥêm- leCham ləḥam lehillaChem ləhillāḥem ləhillāḥêm ləhillāḥêm- lil·ḥō·wm lilChom lilḥōwm lō·ḥă·māy lō·ḥă·mîm lō·ḥêm LochaMai lochaMim loChem lōḥămāy lōḥămîm lōḥêm nil·ḥā·mîm nil·ḥă·mū nil·ḥā·mū nil·ḥam nil·ḥām nil·ḥam- nil·ḥam·tî nil·ḥōm nil·lā·ḥêm nilCham nilchaMim nilChamti nilChamu nilChom nilḥam nilḥām nilḥam- nilḥāmîm nilḥamtî nilḥămū nilḥāmū nilḥōm nillaChem nillāḥêm til·ḥam til·lā·ḥă·mū ṯil·lā·ḥă·mū ṯil·lā·ḥă·mūn til·lā·ḥêm tilCham tilḥam tilLachaMu tilLachaMun tillaChem tillāḥămū ṯillāḥămū ṯillāḥămūn tillāḥêm ū·lə·hil·lā·ḥêm ū·lə·ḥu·mê uleChumei ulehillaChem ūləhillāḥêm ūləḥumê vaiyillachaMu vaiyillachaMuni vaiyilLachem vehillachaMu vehilLachem venilcham venilChamnu venilchamTa venilchamTem venilChamti venilchaMu venillachaMah way·yil·lā·ḥă·mū way·yil·lā·ḥă·mū·nî way·yil·lā·ḥem wayyillāḥămū wayyillāḥămūnî wayyillāḥem wə·hil·lā·ḥă·mū wə·hil·lā·ḥem wə·hil·lā·ḥêm wə·nil·ḥă·mū wə·nil·ḥam wə·nil·ḥam- wə·nil·ḥam·nū wə·nil·ḥam·tā wə·nil·ḥam·tem wə·nil·ḥam·tî wə·nil·lā·ḥă·māh wəhillāḥămū wəhillāḥem wəhillāḥêm wənilḥam wənilḥam- wənilḥamnū wənilḥamtā wənilḥamtem wənilḥamtî wənilḥămū wənillāḥămāh yil·lā·ḥem yil·lā·ḥêm yillaChem yillāḥem yillāḥêmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 1:10 HEB: עַל־ שֹׂ֣נְאֵ֔ינוּ וְנִלְחַם־ בָּ֖נוּ וְעָלָ֥ה NAS: hate us, and fight against us and depart KJV: also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and [so] get them up INT: and hate and fight and depart from Exodus 14:14 Exodus 14:25 Exodus 17:8 Exodus 17:9 Exodus 17:10 Numbers 21:1 Numbers 21:23 Numbers 21:26 Numbers 22:11 Deuteronomy 1:30 Deuteronomy 1:41 Deuteronomy 1:42 Deuteronomy 3:22 Deuteronomy 20:4 Deuteronomy 20:10 Deuteronomy 20:19 Deuteronomy 32:24 Joshua 9:2 Joshua 10:5 Joshua 10:14 Joshua 10:25 Joshua 10:29 Joshua 10:31 Joshua 10:34 177 Occurrences |
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; yet verb rare and chiefly late); — 
