Lexical Definition

‎אָכַל‎ ʼâkal (aw-kal') to eat ^H:V
a primitive root

[idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite.

• to eat (literally or figuratively)

1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to eat (human subject)
1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds)
1a3) to devour, consume (of fire)
1a4) to devour, slay (of sword)
1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought)
1a6) to devour (of oppression)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be eaten (by men)
1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire)
1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh)
1c) (Pual)
1c1) to cause to eat, feed with
1c2) to cause to devour
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to feed
1d2) to cause to eat
1e) (Piel)
1e1) consume

See Greek: ἀναλίσκω · ἀριστάω · βιβρώσκω · βρῶσις · διαβάλλω · ἐσθίω · ἐχθρός · καίω · κατακαίω · καταμαρτυρέω · καταναλίσκω · κατεσθίω · ποιέω · σητόβρωτος · συνεσθίω · τρέφω · ψωμίζω

Extended Information

• Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (‎א‎ֲ‎כ‎ַ‎ל‎ "to devour" אֲכַל)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Aramaic form: אֲכַל
‎אָכַל‎₈₀₆ verb eat (Arabic , Assyrian akâlu Dl^W, Aramaic ‎אֲבַל‎, ) —

Qal Perfect ‎אָכַל‎ Exod 34:28 +; ‎אָֽכְלָה‎ Num 21:28 +; etc. Imperfect ‎יאֹבַל‎ Gen 49:27 +; ‎וַיּאֹ֫כַל‎ Gen 25:34 +; ‎וַיּאֹכַ֑ל‎ Gen 3:6 +; ‎יאֹכֵ֑ל‎ Lev 21:22 +; ‎אֹכַל‎ Gen 24:33 +; ‎וָָֽאֹכַ֫ל‎ Gen 27:33 ‎וְאֹכֵ֑ל‎ Isa 44:19 ‎וָָֽאֹבֵל‎ Gen 3:12; Gen 3:13 3 plural ‎יאֹכְלוּ‎ Gen 32:33* +; ‎יאֹכֵ֑לוּ‎ Deut 18:18 +; etc. (for ‎יוֺכְלוּ‎ Ezek 42:5 read ‎יוצלו‎, ‎יאצלו‎ ᵐ5 Ew Co); suffix ‎יאֹכְלֶנּוּ‎ Lev 7:6 +; ‎תּאֹבַלְכֶם‎ Isa 33:11, etc., probably also ‎תְּאָכְלֵהוּ‎ Job 20:26, either as secondary form from ‎׳‎‎תּאֹ‎ (Ew^{§ 253} Di) or textual error (Ges^{«GKC:68»§ 68}. 1) > Pi`el, Thes Kö<sup>I, 389</sup>; or Po`el, Ki De MV; Imperative ‎אֱכוֺל‎ 1Kgs 18:41 +, etc.; Infinitive absolute ‎אָכוֺל‎ Gen 2:16 +; construct ‎אֲכֹל‎ Num 26:10 + 2 t.; ‎לֶאֱכֹל‎ Gen 24:33 +; ‎לְאָכְלָה‎ Jer 12:9 Participle ‎אֹכֵל‎ (‎אוֺכֵל‎) Gen 39:6 +, ‎אֹכֶלֶת‎ Exod 24:17 +, etc. —

1. eat, human subject Gen 3:11; Gen 3:18 + often; mostly with accusative Exod 16:35 +; also followed by ‎מִןֿ‎ (eat of, — some of, — or from) Exod 34:15; Ruth 2:14 +; followed by ‎בְּ‎ (eat of or at) Exod 12:43 f; absolute Deut 2:6 +; as act of worship Gen 31:54 (compare Gen 46:1) Exod 18:12; Exod 24:11; Exod 34:15; Deut 12:7; Deut 12:18; Deut 14:23; Deut 14:26 +; compare of priests Exod 29:32; Lev 10:13 +; compare ‎אָבַל אֶלהֶֿהָרִים‎ Ezek 18:6; Ezek 18:11; Ezek 18:15; Ezek 22:9 + Ezek 33:25 ‎עַלהַֿדָּם‎ Co ‎עַלהֶֿהָרִים‎; (but RS^{Rel. Semitic i. 324 N would emend first 4 by last}); eat up, finish eating Gen 43:2 (with ‎בלה‎) 1Kgs 13:28 +; ‎אָכַל לֶחֶם‎ = take a meal Gen 43:25; Exod 2:20; 1Sam 20:24; Jer 41:1 +; so ‎׳‎‎א‎ alone Gen 43:16; 1Sam 20:5 +; ‎לֶחֶם‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ = eat, get food Gen 3:19; 2Kgs 4:8 +; Amos 7:12 (i.e. spend one's life) compare Eccl 5:16* ‎׳‎‎ל‎ ‎׳‎‎לֹא א‎ i.e. fast 1Sam 28:20; 1Sam 30:12; Ezra 10:6 compare Dan 10:3 figurative ‎אֶתבְּֿשָׂרוֺ‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Eccl 4:5 (i.e. waste away); eat words Jer 15:16 (i.e. eagerly receive); of adultery, Prov 30:20 ‎אָֽכְלָה וּמָֽחֲתָה פִּ֑יהָ וְאָֽמְרָה לֹאֿ פָעַלְתִּי אָֽוֶן׃‎; eat (taste) good fortune, ‎בַּטּוֺב‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Job 21:25 ‎לְפִּי‎ ‎אָבְלוֺ‎ according to his eating, i.e. according to his needs in eating Exod 12:4; Exod 16:16; Exod 16:18 also vExod 16:21 compare Job 20:21 & below ‎אָכְלָה‎; ‎אָכַל הַפְּרִי‎ 2Kgs 19:29; Amos 9:14, of peaceful enjoyment of results of labour; figurative of receiving consequences of action, good or bad Prov 1:31; Prov 18:21; Hos 10:13 compare ‎וַיּאֹכַל גַּםאָֿכוֺל אֶתכַּֿסְפֵּנוּ‎ Gen 31:15 i.e. he has reaped all the benefit, compare Hos 7:9 figurative of mourner, ‎אֵפֶר כַּלֶּחֶם אָכָ֑לְתִּי‎ Ps 102:10* (compare Ps 80:6* Hiph`il, & Assyrian akâl al âkul, bikîtum kurmatî = food I ate not, weeping (was) my refreshment Hpt^{ASKT 166 f.} Obsev. 1. 21, 22 Zim^{BP 34. 42}); of gods, partaking of sacrifices Deut 32:38 figurative = destroy Deut 7:16 (compare Num 14:9); compare Jer 10:25; Jer 30:16; Jer 50:7; Hos 7:7.

2. of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour; Gen 37:20; Gen 37:33; Gen 40:17; Gen 40:19; 1Kgs 13:28; 1Kgs 14:11; 1Kgs 16:4; 1Kgs 21:23; 1Kgs 21:24; Hos 2:14* +; specifically of locusts Joel 1:4; Joel 2:25; 2Chr 7:13 compare Amos 4:9 moth Job 13:28 flies Ps 78:45 worms Deut 28:39 also Ezek 19:3; Ezek 19:6 (of Israel under figure of lion), compare Jer 50:7; Jer 50:17; Jer 51:34 also Hos 13:8 (of ‎׳‎‎י‎ under fig, of lion), Ezek 22:25 (‎נֶפֶשׁ אָכָ֑לוּ‎, of false prophets under figure of lion).

3. figurative of fire, devour, consume Lev 6:3* (followed by 2 accusative consume offering to ashes) Nah 3:13; Isa 5:24 (in simile), particular of fire from ‎׳‎‎י‎ Lev 10:2; Lev 16:25; Judg 9:15 f 1Kgs 18:38; 2Kgs 1:10; 2Kgs 1:12; 2Kgs 1:14; 2Chr 7:1 compare Amos 1:4; Amos 1:7; Amos 1:10; Amos 1:12; Amos 1:14; Amos 2:2; Amos 2:5; Amos 5:6 +; Deut 5:22 of fire at Sinai; of ‎׳‎‎י‎ as fire (in judgment) Deut 4:24 ‎אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵשׁ אֹכְלָה הוּא‎ ‎׳‎‎כִּי י‎; compare Deut 9:3; Isa 10:17 (|| ‎בּער‎) Isa 30:27; Isa 30:30; Isa 33:14 (|| ‎מוֺקְדֵי עוֺלָם‎).

4. of sword, devour, slay Deut 32:42; 2Sam 22:26; 2Sam 11:25; 2Sam 18:8; Hos 11:6; Jer 2:30; Jer 12:12 compare of devastation of land Isa 1:7; Jer 8:16.

5. in genl. devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subject) of drought Gen 31:40 of pestilence Ezek 7:15 of woods 2Sam 18:8 compare Lev 26:38 ‎וְאָֽכְלָה אֶתְכֶם אֶרֶץ‎ ‎אֹיְבֵיכֶם‎; of ‎הַבּשֶׁת‎ Jer 3:24 (see ‎בּשֶׁת‎).

6. figurative of oppression, devour the poor, etc. Prov 30:14; Hab 3:14 compare Ps 14:4 of bitter enmity ‎לֶאֱכֹל אֶתבְּֿשָׂרִי‎ Ps 27:2. (compare Job 19:22). Niph`al Perfect ‎וְנֶאֱבַל‎ consecutive Exod 22:5* Imperfect ‎יֵאָכֵל‎ Gen 6:21 +; ‎וַיֵּאָכֵ֫ל‎ Num 12:12, etc.; Infinitive absolute ‎הֵאָבֹל‎ Lev 7:18; Lev 19:7 Participle feminine ‎נֶאֱכֶ֫לֶת‎ Lev 11:47 —

1. be eaten by man Exod 12:46; Exod 13:3; Exod 13:7; Exod 21:28; Exod 29:34; Lev 6:9*; Lev 6:16*; Lev 6:19*; Lev 6:23*; Lev 7:6; Lev 7:15; Lev 7:16 (twice in verse); Lev 7:18; Lev 11:41; Lev 19:6; Lev 19:7; Lev 19:23; Lev 22:30; Lev 28:17; Ezek 45:21 of custom, usage Gen 6:21; Exod 12:16; Deut 12:22; Job 6:6 of permission to eat Lev 7:19; Lev 11:13; Lev 11:34; Lev 11:47 (twice in verse); Lev 17:13 with negative be uneatable Jer 24:2; Jer 24:3; Jer 24:8; Jer 29:17.

2. be devoured by fire, consumed Zeph 1:18; Zeph 3:8; Zech 9:4; Ezek 23:25.

3. be wasted, destroyed, of flesh Num 12:12; Jer 30:16. Pu`al Perfect ‎אֻכְּלוּ‎ be consumed with fire Neh 2:3; Neh 2:13 compare Nah 1:10 (figurative); so Participle ‎אֻכָּל‎ (= ‎מְאֻכָּל‎ Ew<sup>§ 169 d</sup>) Exod 3:2 by sword Isa 1:20 ‎תְּאֻכְּלוּ‎. Hiph`il Perfect 2 masculine singular suffix ‎הֶאֱכַלְתָּם‎ Ps 80:6*, ‎וְהַאֲכַלְתִּ֫י‎ Isa 49:26 suffix ‎וְהַאֲכַלְתִּיךָ‎ consecutive Isa 58:14 ‎הֶאֱכַלְתִּיח‎ Ezek 16:19 ‎וְהַאֲכַלְתִּים‎ consecutive Jer 19:9 Imperfect suffix ‎יַאֲכִלֵנוּ‎ Num 11:4; Num 11:18, etc.; 2 masculine singular js. ‎תַּאֲכֵל‎; 1 singular ‎אוֺכִיל‎ Hos 11:4 Imperative ‎הַאֲכִילֵהוּ‎ Prov 25:21, etc.; Infinitive ‎לְהָכִיל‎ Ezek 21:33* (but Co ‎לההל‎, q. v.); Participle ‎מַאֲבִיל‎ Jer 23:15, etc.; —

1. cause to eat, feed with, followed by 2 accusative subject mostly ‎׳‎‎י‎; Exod 16:32; Deut 8:3; Deut 8:16; Ezek 3:2; Jer 19:9 absolute Hos 11:4 compare Num 11:4; Num 11:18 figurative Jer 9:14*; Jer 23:15; Jer 58:14; also Ps 80:6* ‎הֶאֱבַלְתָּם לֶחֶם‎ ‎דִּמְעָ֑ה‎ (compare Ps 102:10* Qal above); followed by accusative of person + ‎מן‎ Ps 81:17*, but also subject man Prov 25:21; 1Kgs 22:27; 2Chr 18:26 ‎וְהַאֲכִלֻהוּ לֶחֶם לַ֫חַץ‎ of prison fare; followed by accusative of person only 2Chr 28:15, compare Ezek 2:3.

2. cause to devour, object sword Ezek 21:33* (but on text see Co).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References