בֵּית לֶחֶם (H1035) — Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּית לֶחֶם

𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤋𐤇𐤌

Bêyth Lechem

H1035 noun

SILEX Entry

Root בית, לחם to build, house; to eat, bread, food

Definition

A proper place name meaning 'House of Bread,' designating a town in the hill country of Judah (later Judea), primarily associated with narratives concerning the birthplaces of King David and, in later tradition, the figure of Jesus of Nazareth. The phrase literally denotes a 'house' or 'place' of 'bread' (i.e., food, sustenance), which may indicate agricultural fertility, storage, or a cultic center. Usage in the Hebrew Bible is exclusively as a toponym, without broader lexical meaning.

Semantic Range

Bethlehem (the Judahite toponym), house of bread (literal meaning but not used generically), location of significant historical and genealogical events

Root / Etymology

Compound of בֵּית (bêṯ, 'house') from root בנה ('to build, construct'), and לֶחֶם (leḥem, 'bread, food') from root לחם ('to eat, to fight' but primarily 'bread' as food staple). The name is a classic example of Hebrew toponymic construction: 'house of X'.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, בֵּית לֶחֶם refers almost exclusively to the town located within the territory assigned to the tribe of Judah (Joshua 19:15 refers to a different Bethlehem in Zebulun). Its significance includes being the city of David's origin (1 Samuel 16; Micah 5:1), and key events concerning the matriarch Rachel (Genesis 35:19). In the First Temple period, 'Bethlehem' retained its local, primarily Judahite identity, later acquiring wider fame through post-exilic, Hellenistic, and Roman-period associations. The literal meaning 'house of bread' may originally reflect the region's agricultural productivity or its role as a settlement providing food storage or distribution. English Bible translations traditionally render בֵּית לֶחֶם as 'Bethlehem,' obscuring the literal meaning. The word carries toponymic, not generic lexical significance, and should not be rendered as 'Bethlehem' for sites that were not the Judahite town. In later Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions, the town's association with religious figures further shaped its significance, but in biblical usage it is primarily a local Israelite/ Judahite place name, not a generalized 'house of bread'.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from בַּיִת and לֶחֶם; house of bread; Beth-Lechem, a place in Palestine; Bethlehem.

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Root Family

בנה (b-n-h) — to build, construct, establish (family)

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H1004	בַּיִת	in the houses
H1005	בַּיִת	the built-house
H1006	בַּיִת	the house
H1007	בֵּית אָוֶן	house-of
H1008	בֵּית־אֵל	in house of
H1009	בֵּית אַרְבֵּאל	house of
H1010	בֵּית בַּעַל מְעוֹן	house-of
H1011	בֵּית בִּרְאִי	and in the house of
H1012	בֵּית בָּרָה	house of
H1013	בֵּית־גָּדֵר	house-of
H1014	בֵּית גָּמוּל	house of
H1015	בֵּית דִּבְלָתַיִם	house-of
H1016	בֵּית־דָּגוֹן	house-of
H1017	בֵּית הָאֱלִי	house of
H1018	בֵּית הָאֵצֶל	house of
H1020	בֵּית הַיְשִׁימוֹת	house-of
H1021	בֵּית הַכֶּרֶם	house-of
H1022	בֵּית הַלַּחְמִי	house of
H1023	בֵּית הַמֶּרְחָק	house-of
H1024	בֵּית הַמַּרְכָּבוֹת	and house of
H1025	בֵּית הָעֵמֶק	house of
H1026	בֵּית הָעֲרָבָה	house-of
H1027	בֵּית הָרָם	house-of
H1028	בֵּית הָרָן	house of
H1029	בֵּית הַשִּׁטָּה	house-of
H1030	בֵּית הַשִּׁמְשִׁי	house-of
H1031	בֵּית חׇגְלָה	house of
H1032	בֵּית חוֹרוֹן	house-of
H1033	בֵּית כַּר	to the built-house of
H1034	בֵּית לְבָאוֹת	and house-of
H1036	בֵּית לְעַפְרָה	in the built-house of
H1038	בֵּית מַעֲכָה	house of
H1039	בֵּית נִמְרָה	house of
H1041	בֵּית עַזְמָוֶת	house of
H1042	בֵּית עֲנוֹת	and house of
H1043	בֵּית עֲנָת	and house-of
H1044	בֵּית עֵקֶד	house-of
H1046	בֵּית פֶּלֶט	and house of
H1047	בֵּית פְּעוֹר	house of
H1048	בֵּית פַּצֵּץ	and house-of
H1049	בֵּית צוּר	house of
H1050	בֵּית רְחוֹב	house-of
H1051	בֵּית רָפָא	house of
H1052	בֵּית שְׁאָן	in the built-house of
H1053	בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ	in the built-house of
H1054	בֵּית תַּפּוּחַ	and house of
H1121	בֵּן	sons
H1122	בֵּן	son
H1123	בֵּן	sons of
H1124	בְּנָא	the ones building
H1125	בֶּן־אֲבִינָדָב	son
H1126	בֶּן־אוֹנִי	son
H1127	בֶּן־גֶּבֶר	son
H1128	בֶּן־דֶּקֶר	son
H1129	בָּנָה	he built
H1130	בֶּן־הֲדַד	son
H1131	בִּנּוּי	Built-Up One
H1132	בֶּן־זוֹחֵת	and son of
H1133	בֶּן־חוּר	son
H1134	בֶּן־חַיִל	to a son of
H1135	בֶּן־חָנָן	son
H1136	בֶּן־חֶסֶד	son
H1137	בָּנִי	Built-one
H1138	בֻּנִּי	Built One
H1139	בְּנֵי־בְּרַק	and sons of
H1140	בִּנְיָה	and the built-structure
H1141	בְּנָיָה	Yahweh has built
H1142	בְּנֵי יַעֲקָן	among sons of
H1145	בֶּן־יְמִינִי	son
H1146	בִּנְיָן	constructed structure
H1147	בִּנְיָן	the built structure
H1151	בֶּן־עַמִּי	son
H1323	בַּת	daughters
H1324	בַּת	daughter of
H1337	בַּת רַבִּים	daughter of
H1339	בַּת־שֶׁבַע	daughter of
H1340	בַּת־שׁוּעַ	to a daughter of
H205	אָוֶן	and building-stone
H2995	יַבְנְאֵל	and God-Builds
H2996	יַבְנֶה	Yabneh, Building-place
H2997	יִבְנְיָה	Yah Has Built
H2998	יִבְנִיָּה	Yah Builds
H358	אֵילוֹן בֵּית חָנָן	house of
H3845	לִבְנִי	to my son
H4011	מִבְנֶה	like the built-structure of
H4012	מְבֻנַּי	Built-Up One
H4996	נֹא	his son
H5524	סֻכּוֹת בְּנוֹת	daughters of
H5854	עַטְרוֹת בֵּית יוֹאָב	house of
H62	אָבֵל בֵּית־מֲעַכָה	house of
H68	אֶבֶן	your building-stones
H69	אֶבֶן	building-stone of
H72	אֶבֶן הָעֵזֶר	building-stone of
H8401	תֶּבֶן	the straw residue
H8403	תַּבְנִית	in building-pattern of
H885	בְּאֵרֹת בְּנֵי־יַעֲקַן	sons of
H935	בּוֹא	daughter of
H956	בּוּת	and daughter of
H995	בִּין	son of
H996	בֵּין	son

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H1035-02`	בֵּ֥ית	beyt	`HNp`	Bethlehem	house of	23
`H1035-04`	לֶ֨חֶם֙	lechem	`HNp`	Bethlehem	bread	22
`H1035-03`	לָֽחֶם	lachem	`HNp`	Bethlehem	House-of-Bread	19
`H1035-05`	מִ/בֵּ֥ית	mibeyt	`HR/Np`	from Bethlehem	from (the) built-house of	11
`H1035-01`	בְּ/בֵ֥ית	beveyt	`HR/Np`	in Bethlehem	in the house of	3
`H1035-07`	בֵֽית	veyt	`HNp`	Beth	house-of	3
`H1035-06`	וּ/בֵ֣ית	uveyt	`HC/Np`	and Beth-	and house-of	1

Occurrences in Scripture

82 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H1035-02`	Genesis 35:19	בֵּ֥ית	beyt	`HNp`	Beth	house of
`H1035-03`	Genesis 35:19	לָֽחֶם	lachem	`HNp`	lehem	House-of-Bread
`H1035-02`	Genesis 48:7	בֵּ֥ית	beyt	`HNp`	Bethlehem	house of
`H1035-03`	Genesis 48:7	לָֽחֶם	lachem	`HNp`	Bethlehem	House-of-Bread
`H1035-06`	Joshua 19:15	וּ/בֵ֣ית	uveyt	`HC/Np`	and Beth-	and house-of
`H1035-03`	Joshua 19:15	לָ֑חֶם	lachem	`HNp`	lehem	House-of-Bread
`H1035-05`	Judges 12:8	מִ/בֵּ֥ית	mibeyt	`HR/Np`	from Beth	from (the) built-house of
`H1035-03`	Judges 12:8	לָֽחֶם	lachem	`HNp`	lehem	House-of-Bread
`H1035-01`	Judges 12:10	בְּ/בֵ֥ית	beveyt	`HR/Np`	in	in the house of
`H1035-03`	Judges 12:10	לָֽחֶם	lachem	`HNp`	Bethlehem	House-of-Bread
`H1035-05`	Judges 17:7	מִ/בֵּ֥ית	mibeyt	`HR/Np`	from Bethlehem	from (the) built-house of
`H1035-04`	Judges 17:7	לֶ֨חֶם֙	lechem	`HNp`		bread
`H1035-05`	Judges 17:8	מִ/בֵּ֥ית	mibeyt	`HR/Np`	from Beth	from (the) built-house of
`H1035-04`	Judges 17:8	לֶ֨חֶם֙	lechem	`HNp`	lehem	bread
`H1035-05`	Judges 17:9	מִ/בֵּ֥ית	mibeyt	`HR/Np`	from Bethlehem	from (the) built-house of
`H1035-04`	Judges 17:9	לֶ֨חֶם֙	lechem	`HNp`	Bethlehem	bread
`H1035-05`	Judges 19:1	מִ/בֵּ֥ית	mibeyt	`HR/Np`	from Bethlehem	from (the) built-house of
`H1035-04`	Judges 19:1	לֶ֖חֶם	lechem	`HNp`	Bethlehem	bread
`H1035-02`	Judges 19:2	בֵּ֥ית	beyt-2	`HNp`	Bethlehem	house of
`H1035-04`	Judges 19:2	לֶ֖חֶם	lechem	`HNp`	Bethlehem	bread
`H1035-05`	Judges 19:18	מִ/בֵּֽית	mibeyt	`HR/Np`	from Bethlehem	from (the) built-house of
`H1035-04`	Judges 19:18	לֶ֣חֶם	lechem	`HNp`	of bread	bread
`H1035-02`	Judges 19:18	בֵּ֥ית	beyt	`HNp`	Bethlehem	house of
`H1035-04`	Judges 19:18	לֶ֖חֶם	lechem-2	`HNp`	of bread	bread
`H1035-02`	1 Samuel 16:4	בֵּ֣ית	beyt	`HNp`	to the house of	house of
`H1035-03`	1 Samuel 16:4	לָ֑חֶם	lachem	`HNp`	Bethlehem	House-of-Bread
`H1035-05`	1 Samuel 17:12	מִ/בֵּ֥ית	mibeyt	`HR/Np`	from Bethlehem	from (the) built-house of
`H1035-04`	1 Samuel 17:12	לֶ֨חֶם֙	lechem	`HNp`	Bethlehem	bread
`H1035-02`	1 Samuel 17:15	בֵּֽית	beyt	`HNp`	at Bethlehem	house of
`H1035-03`	1 Samuel 17:15	לָֽחֶם	lachem	`HNp`		House-of-Bread
`H1035-02`	1 Samuel 20:6	בֵּֽית	beyt	`HNp`	Bethlehem	house of
`H1035-04`	1 Samuel 20:6	לֶ֣חֶם	lechem	`HNp`	his city	bread
`H1035-02`	1 Samuel 20:28	בֵּ֥ית	beyt	`HNp`	house of	house of
`H1035-03`	1 Samuel 20:28	לָֽחֶם	lachem	`HNp`	bread	House-of-Bread
`H1035-02`	2 Samuel 2:32	בֵּ֣ית	beyt	`HNp`	in	house of
`H1035-03`	2 Samuel 2:32	לָ֑חֶם	lachem	`HNp`	Bethlehem	House-of-Bread
`H1035-02`	2 Samuel 23:14	בֵּ֥ית	beyt	`HNp`	Beth	house of
`H1035-03`	2 Samuel 23:14	לָֽחֶם	lachem	`HNp`	lehem	House-of-Bread
`H1035-02`	2 Samuel 23:15	בֵּֽית	beyt	`HNp`	of Beth	house of
`H1035-04`	2 Samuel 23:15	לֶ֖חֶם	lechem	`HNp`	lehem	bread
`H1035-02`	2 Samuel 23:16	בֵּֽית	beyt	`HNp`	of Beth	house of
`H1035-04`	2 Samuel 23:16	לֶ֨חֶם֙	lechem	`HNp`	lehem	bread
`H1035-02`	2 Samuel 23:24	בֵּ֥ית	beyt	`HNp`	of Beth	house of
`H1035-03`	2 Samuel 23:24	לָֽחֶם	lachem	`HNp`	lehem	House-of-Bread
`H1035-02`	Jeremiah 41:17	בֵּ֣ית	beyt	`HNp`	Bethlehem	house of
`H1035-03`	Jeremiah 41:17	לָ֑חֶם	lachem	`HNp`	Bethlehem	House-of-Bread
`H1035-02`	Micah 5:1	בֵּֽית	beyt	`HNp`	house-of	house of
`H1035-04`	Micah 5:1	לֶ֣חֶם	lechem	`HNp`	Bethlehem	bread
`H1035-05`	Ruth 1:1	מִ/בֵּ֧ית	mibeyt	`HR/Np`	from Bethlehem	from (the) built-house of
`H1035-04`	Ruth 1:1	לֶ֣חֶם	lechem	`HNp`		bread
`H1035-05`	Ruth 1:2	מִ/בֵּ֥ית	mibeyt	`HR/Np`	from-Bethlehem	from (the) built-house of
`H1035-04`	Ruth 1:2	לֶ֖חֶם	lechem	`HNp`	(of)-lehem	bread
`H1035-02`	Ruth 1:19	בֵּ֣ית	beyt	`HNp`	house	house of
`H1035-03`	Ruth 1:19	לָ֑חֶם	lachem	`HNp`	of-bread	House-of-Bread
`H1035-02`	Ruth 1:19	בֵּ֣ית	beyt-2	`HNp`	house	house of
`H1035-04`	Ruth 1:19	לֶ֔חֶם	lechem	`HNp`	of-bread	bread
`H1035-02`	Ruth 1:22	בֵּ֣ית	beyt	`HNp`	Bethlehem	house of
`H1035-04`	Ruth 1:22	לֶ֔חֶם	lechem	`HNp`	(of bread)	bread
`H1035-05`	Ruth 2:4	מִ/בֵּ֣ית	mibeyt	`HR/Np`	from Beth-	from (the) built-house of
`H1035-04`	Ruth 2:4	לֶ֔חֶם	lechem	`HNp`	lehem	bread
`H1035-01`	Ruth 4:11	בְּ/בֵ֥ית	beveyt	`HR/Np`	in Bethlehem	in the house of
`H1035-03`	Ruth 4:11	לָֽחֶם	lachem	`HNp`	lehem	House-of-Bread
`H1035-07`	Ezra 2:21	בֵֽית	veyt	`HNp`	Bethlehem	house-of
`H1035-03`	Ezra 2:21	לָ֔חֶם	lachem	`HNp`	Bethlehem	House-of-Bread
`H1035-07`	Nehemiah 7:26	בֵֽית	veyt	`HNp`	Beth	house-of
`H1035-04`	Nehemiah 7:26	לֶ֨חֶם֙	lechem	`HNp`	lehem	bread
`H1035-07`	1 Chronicles 2:51	בֵֽית	veyt	`HNp`	Beth	house-of
`H1035-03`	1 Chronicles 2:51	לָ֔חֶם	lachem	`HNp`	lehem	House-of-Bread
`H1035-02`	1 Chronicles 2:54	בֵּ֥ית	beyt	`HNp`	Bethlehem	house of
`H1035-04`	1 Chronicles 2:54	לֶ֨חֶם֙	lechem	`HNp`	Bethlehem	bread
`H1035-02`	1 Chronicles 4:4	בֵּ֥ית	beyt	`HNp`	Bethlehem	house of
`H1035-03`	1 Chronicles 4:4	לָֽחֶם	lachem	`HNp`	Bethlehem	House-of-Bread
`H1035-01`	1 Chronicles 11:16	בְּ/בֵ֥ית	beveyt	`HR/Np`	in Bethlehem	in the house of
`H1035-03`	1 Chronicles 11:16	לָֽחֶם	lachem	`HNp`	Bethlehem	House-of-Bread
`H1035-02`	1 Chronicles 11:17	בֵּֽית	beyt	`HNp`	Bethlehem	house of
`H1035-04`	1 Chronicles 11:17	לֶ֖חֶם	lechem	`HNp`	Bethlehem	bread
`H1035-02`	1 Chronicles 11:18	בֵּֽית	beyt	`HNp`	of Bethlehem	house of
`H1035-04`	1 Chronicles 11:18	לֶ֨חֶם֙	lechem	`HNp`	of bread	bread
`H1035-05`	1 Chronicles 11:26	מִ/בֵּ֥ית	mibeyt	`HR/Np`	from	from (the) built-house of
`H1035-03`	1 Chronicles 11:26	לָֽחֶם	lachem	`HNp`	Bethlehem	House-of-Bread
`H1035-02`	2 Chronicles 11:6	בֵּֽית	beyt	`HNp`	Beth	house of
`H1035-04`	2 Chronicles 11:6	לֶ֛חֶם	lechem	`HNp`	lehem	bread

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