Lexical Definition

‎לָחַם‎ lâcham (law-kham') to fight ^H:V
a primitive root

devour, eat, [idiom] ever, fight(-ing), overcome, prevail, (make) war(-ring).

• to feed on
• figuratively, to consume
• by implication, to battle (as destruction)

1) to fight, do battle, make war
1a) (Qal) to fight, do battle
1b) (Niphal) to engage in battle, wage war
2) (Qal) to eat, use as food

See Greek: βρῶσις · δειπνέω · διαμάχομαι · ἐφίστημι · μάχομαι · πατάσσω · ποιέω · πολεμέω · συγκαθίζω

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. [‎לָחַם‎]₁₇₁ verb fight, do battle (Late Hebrew Hithpa`el; ‎ואלתחם‎ MI<sup>11.15.19</sup> perhaps = order the battle, compare Nö<sup>ZMG xl. 1886, 721</sup>; Arabic fit close together, so Late Hebrew ‎לחם‎ Pi`el, Syriac Pa`el unite, fit also threaten; Gerber^{Verb. 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 Ps 35:1 do battle with those battling with me (dubious whether ‎את‎ is accusative sign compare preposition with, compare Ol; || ‎רִיבָה אֶתיְֿרִיבַי‎); ‎לֹחֲמִים לִי‎ Ps 56:3* doing battle against me; ‎לֹחֵם‎ vPs 56:2* as substantive fighter. Niph`al₁₆₇ Perfect ‎נִלְחַם‎ Judg 9:17 +, ‎וְנִלְחַמְתָּ֫‎ Judg 11:8; 1Sam 15:18, ‎וְנִלְחַמְנוּ‎ Deut 1:41 consecutive, etc.; Imperfect ‎יִלָּהֵם‎ Exod 14:14; Deut 1:30 ‎יִלָּ֫חֶם לָ֑נוּ‎ Neh 4:14*, ‎וַיִּלָּ֫חֶם‎ Exod 17:8 + 19 t.; 3 feminine singular ‎תִּלָּחֵם‎ Zech 14:14 3 masculine plural ‎תִּיִּלָּֽחֲמוּ‎ Judg 1:5 + 13 t.; suffix ‎וַיִּלָּֽחֲמוּנִי‎ Ps 109:3 2 masculine plural ‎תִּלָּֽחֲמוּ‎ 1Kgs 22:31 + 4 t.; ‎תִּלָּֽחֲמוּן‎ 1Kgs 12:24.; etc.; Imperative ‎הִלָּחֵם‎ Exod 17:9; 1Sam 18:17 ‎הִלָּ֫חֶם בּוֺ‎ Judg 9:38 plural ‎הִלָּֽחֲמוּ‎ 2Kgs 10:3; Neh 4:8* Infinitive absolute ‎נִלְחֹם‎ Judg 11:25 construct ‎הִלָּחֵם‎ Judg 1:9 + 35 t.; ‎הִלָּ֫חֶם בּוֺ‎ etc., Num 22:11 + 6 t.; suffix ‎הִלָּחֲמוֺ‎ 2Kgs 8:29 + 3 t.; Participle ‎נִלְחָם‎ Exod 14:24 + 10 t.; plural ‎נִלְחָמִים‎ Josh 10:25 + 10 t. (but 1Sam 31:1 read rather ‎נִלְחֲמוּ‎, so || 1Chr 10:1 We Klo Bu, compare Dr); — engage in battle (reciprocal), sometimes wage war (Josh 10:5; Judg 11:5; 1Kgs 14:19; 1Kgs 22:46*; 2Kgs 6:8; 2Kgs 14:28 etc.), often with ‎בְּ‎ of enemy (60 t.) Exod 1:10; Exod 17:9; Exod 17:10; Num 21:23; Num 21:26; Num 22:11 (all E), Judg 11:8; Judg 11:25; 1Sam 15:18; 2Sam 8:10 + (49 t.); less often with ‎בְּ‎ of city attacked or besieged Judg 9:45; 1Sam 23:1; 2Sam 12:26; 2Sam 12:27; 2Sam 12:29; Isa 20:1; Josh 10:31 (D), 1Kgs 20:1; Neh 4:2* of tower Judg 1:52 followed by ‎בְּאַרְצִי‎ Judg 11:12; also with ‎עִם‎ of enemy (26 t.): Judg 5:20; Judg 11:4; Judg 11:5; Judg 11:20; Josh 11:5 (JE), 1Sam 13:5; 1Sam 17:19, also 1Sam 17:32; 1Sam 17:33 (of single combat), Deut 20:4; Josh 9:2 (both D), 2Kgs 13:12; 2Kgs 14:15; 2Chr 11:1; 2Chr 17:10; 2Chr 27:5; Dan 10:20; Dan 11:11 +; with ‎עִם‎ of city Josh 10:29 (D), Josh 19:47 (JE); c ‎אֶתֿ‎ = with, of enemy, Josh 24:8 (E), 1Sam 17:9 (single combat), Jer 21:5; 1Kgs 20:23; 2Kgs 19:9 = Isa 37:9; Jer 37:10 also Judg 12:4; 2Sam 11:17; 2Sam 21:15; 1Kgs 22:31; 2Kgs 8:2; 2Kgs 9:15; Jer 21:4; Jer 32:5; Jer 33:5; 2Chr 18:30; 2Chr 22:6, and with ‎אוֺתָם‎ (= ‎אִתָּם‎) Josh 10:25 (D), 1Kgs 20:25 (Kö^{Lgb. ii, 296}); with ‎עִל‎, against, of enemy only Jer 21:2 elsewhere (16 t.) of city: Josh 10:5 (JE), Isa 7:1; 2Kgs 12:18*; 2Kgs 19:8 = Isa 37:8 especially D and Je: Deut 20:10; Deut 20:19; Josh 10:34; Josh 10:36; Josh 10:38 (all D), Jer 32:24; Jer 32:29; Jer 34:1; Jer 34:7; Jer 34:8; Jer 34:22; with ‎אֶלֿ‎ of enemy Jer 1:19; Jer 15:20; with suffix ‎וַיִּלָּֽחֲמוּנִי‎ Ps 109:3 and they have fought against me; with ‎יָ֑חַד‎ i.e. fight together = with (against) one another 1Sam 17:10 absolute with accusative of congnate meaning with verb ‎מִלְחָמוֺת‎ fight battles 1Sam 8:20; 1Sam 18:17; 1Sam 25:28; 2Chr 32:8; absolute elsewhere Judg 5:19 (twice in verse); Judg 5:20; Deut 1:41; Zech 10:5 + 26 t. + ‎וַיָּסֻרוּ עָלָיו לְהִלָּחֵ֑ם‎ 1Kgs 22:32 with ‎עַל‎ for, in behalf of, Judg 9:17; 2Kgs 10:3; Neh 4:8* with ‎לְ‎ = id., Exod 14:14 (J), vExod 14:25 (J; + ‎בְּ‎ of enemy), Deut 1:30; Deut 3:22; Deut 20:4 (+ ‎עִם‎ of enemy, see above), Josh 10:14; Josh 10:42; Josh 23:3; Josh 23:10 (all D), Neh 4:14* ‎׳‎‎יָכֹל לְהִלּ‎ be able to fight, with ‎את‎ of enemy 1Sam 17:9, with ‎בְּ‎ of enemy Num 22:11, = be successful in fighting, prevail against; so with ‎עַל‎ of city Isa 7:1, and absolute 2Kgs 16:5 (after ‎וַיָּצֻרוּ עָל‎ besiege).

II. [‎לָחַם‎] verb use as food, eat, poetic (so Thes Buhl, compare Frä³⁰ Guidi^{Della Sede 33}; this would explain different between ‎לֶחֶם‎ and ; yet verb rare and chiefly late); —

Qal Perfect 3 plural ‎לָֽחֲמוּ‎ Prov 4:17 Imperfect 2 masculine singular ‎תִּלְחַם‎ Prov 23:6, 1 singular ‎אֶלְחַם‎ Ps 141:4 Imperative masculine plural ‎לַחֲמוּ‎ Prov 9:5 Infinitive construct ‎לְחוֺם‎ Prov 23:1 Passive participle plural construct ‎לְחֻמֵי‎ Deut 32:24 eat (mostly Proverbs), absolute Prov 23:1 followed by accusative of congnate meaning with verb ‎לֶחֶם‎ Prov 4:17; Prov 23:6 followed by ‎בְּלַחְמִי‎ Prov 9:5 followed by ‎בְּמַנְעַמֵּיהֶם‎ Ps 141:4 eat of their dainties; ‎לְחֻמֵי רֶשֶׁף‎ Deut 32:24 (poem) eaten up with the Fire-bolt, figurative of pestilence (Dr).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References