אֲכִילָה
something eatable, i.e. food
Definition
The Hebrew noun אֲכִילָה (ʼăkîylâh) refers to something that is eatable, specifically food or sustenance. It is a feminine noun derived from the common verb 'to eat' (אָכַל), emphasizing the concrete provision of nourishment. In its sole biblical occurrence in 1 Kings 19:8, it describes the divinely provided food that sustained Elijah during his journey to Horeb. The term carries a sense of specific, tangible sustenance rather than a general concept of eating.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in 1 Kings 19:8. It appears in the context of Elijah's flight from Jezebel, where an angel provides him with 'cake' and water, stating that the journey is too great for him without this 'אֲכִילָה' (food/sustenance). Its usage is highly specific, denoting the physical nourishment required for a supernatural, forty-day journey to Mount Horeb, directly linking the provision to divine intervention and prophetic mission.
Etymology
אֲכִילָה is a feminine noun derived directly from the root אָכַל (ʼākhal, H398), meaning 'to eat.' It is formed using the common Hebrew nominal pattern (qəṭîlâ) that often creates abstract or result nouns from verbs. Cognates exist in other Semitic languages, like Ugaritic and Aramaic, with similar meanings related to eating or food. The derivation emphasizes the result or object of the action—the thing that is eaten.
Semantic Range
While a simple term for 'food,' its single use in 1 Kings 19:8 is theologically significant. The 'אֲכִילָה' is not ordinary food but miraculous sustenance provided by God's angel to empower Elijah for a prophetic pilgrimage to encounter God at Horeb. This connects the concept of physical nourishment directly to divine provision for spiritual mission and endurance, prefiguring themes of God sustaining his servants (cf. manna in Exodus 16). Understanding it as 'sustenance for the journey' enriches the reading of this pivotal narrative.
In the ancient Near East, food was a direct measure of divine blessing and provision. The specific mention of divinely provided 'אֲכִילָה' for a long desert journey would resonate with an audience familiar with the perils of travel and the necessity of supernatural aid in such contexts. It differs from a modern, generic concept of 'food' by being inseparably linked to a specific, miraculous event of sustenance for a holy purpose.
לֶחֶם (lechem, H3899) — The more common, general term for 'bread' or 'food,' often used for a meal or staple provision. מַאֲכָל (maʼăkhāl, H3978) — Another noun from אָכַל, meaning 'food' or 'something to eat,' used more frequently (e.g., Genesis 1:29).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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