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לֶחֶם

𐤋𐤇𐤌

lechem

H3899 noun

SILEX Entry

Root לחם to press, to knead (possible); to fight (separate verbal root)

Definition

Bread; more generally, food or sustenance, especially grain-based products. Primarily denotes bread as a staple food made from grain, but in extended use, encompasses nourishment or food in a broader sense for humans and sometimes animals. Can refer to specific ritual breads (such as the 'bread of presence') or metaphorically to sustenance and provision.

Semantic Range

bread, loaf, food, nourishment, provisions, ritual bread (bread of presence), sustenance

Root / Etymology

Root לחם (ל-ח-ם); related to the core sense of 'to fight' or possibly 'to press, to knead,' but the connection between the verb and noun is debated. Noun לֶחֶם derives as a substantive meaning 'bread' or 'food.' Etymology of the noun is somewhat uncertain and possibly pre-Israelite.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Throughout the Hebrew Bible, לֶחֶם most commonly designates bread, especially as the basic foodstuff made from ground grain and water, often baked in loaves or cakes (e.g., Genesis 18:5; Exodus 16:12). The term can also act as a collective for all food or nourishment (e.g., Genesis 3:19; Judges 13:16), extending beyond bread in a strict sense to mean 'provisions' or 'meals.' In cultic contexts, לֶחֶם refers to ritual bread such as the לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים (lechem ha-panim, 'bread of presence') placed in the sanctuary before Yhwh (Leviticus 24:5–9). While standard English translations frequently render לֶחֶם as 'bread,' they may not always reflect its broader usage as food in general. In post-exilic and Second Temple literature, the term continues to function both strictly (for bread) and more inclusively. In some ancient Near Eastern parallels, similar terms for bread also serve as metonyms for food or sustenance. The connection of the root to 'fighting' (לָחַם) is likely secondary or coincidental; the noun is functionally distinct from the verb. English versions occasionally use 'meat' (in older sense as any food), but this is misleading for modern readers. The meaning of לֶחֶם remained stable across Israelite history, though certain ritual uses developed distinctive significance in priestly and temple settings.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from לָחַם; See also בֵּית לְעַפְרָה; food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it); (shew-) bread, [idiom] eat, food, fruit, loaf, meat, victuals.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

לחם (l-ḥ-m) — bread, food, sustenance; possibly to press, to knead (separate verbal root: to fight)

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1035 בֵּית לֶחֶם bread
H3433 יָשֻׁבִי לֶחֶם bread
H3894 לָחוּם his edible portion
H3898 לָחַם in his waging-war
H3900 לְחֶם bread

Word Forms

36 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3899-20 לֶ֔חֶם lechem HNcbsa bread bread 157
H3899-10 לָ֑חֶם lachem HNcbsa bread bread 38
H3899-35 וְ/לֶ֤חֶם velechem HC/Ncbsa and bread bread 16
H3899-07 הַ/לֶּ֖חֶם halechem HTd/Ncbsa the bread the bread 15
H3899-16 לַחְמִ֜/י lachemi HNcbsc/Sp1cs my bread my bread 8
H3899-17 לַחְמ֑/וֹ lachemo HNcbsc/Sp3ms his food his bread 8
H3899-13 לַחְמְ/ךָ֖ lachemekha HNcbsc/Sp2ms your bread your bread 7
H3899-02 בַּ/לֶּ֨חֶם֙ balechem HRd/Ncbsa with bread in the bread 5
H3899-12 לַחְמָ֖/ם lachemam HNcbsc/Sp3mp their bread their bread 5
H3899-15 לַחְמֵ֖/נוּ lachemenu HNcbsc/Sp1cp our bread our bread 4

Occurrences in Scripture

299 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3899-20 Genesis 3:19 לֶ֔חֶם lechem HNcbsa bread bread
H3899-20 Genesis 14:18 לֶ֣חֶם lechem HNcbsa bread bread
H3899-20 Genesis 18:5 לֶ֜חֶם lechem HNcbsa of bread bread
H3899-20 Genesis 21:14 לֶחֶם֩ lechem HNcbsa bread bread
H3899-20 Genesis 25:34 לֶ֚חֶם lechem HNcbsa bread bread
H3899-07 Genesis 27:17 הַ/לֶּ֖חֶם halechem HTd/Ncbsa the bread the bread
H3899-20 Genesis 28:20 לֶ֛חֶם lechem HNcbsa bread bread
H3899-10 Genesis 31:54 לָ֑חֶם lachem HNcbsa bread bread
H3899-20 Genesis 31:54 לֶ֔חֶם lechem HNcbsa bread bread
H3899-20 Genesis 37:25 לֶחֶם֒ lechem HNcbsa bread bread
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