לֶחֶם
food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it)
Definition
The Hebrew word לֶחֶם (lechem) primarily means 'bread,' the staple food of the ancient Near East, but its semantic range is broad. It most commonly refers to bread as a baked food (Genesis 18:5, 1 Samuel 10:3), but can also signify food in general, including a meal or provisions (Genesis 3:19, 21:14). In some contexts, it refers to the grain used to make bread (2 Samuel 17:28). A specialized, sacred sense is seen in the 'bread of the Presence' or 'showbread' (לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים) in the tabernacle and temple (Exodus 25:30, Leviticus 24:5-9).
Biblical Usage
לֶחֶם is used 276 times across all genres of the Old Testament, from narrative to poetry to law. It frequently appears in stories about hospitality, provision, and covenant meals (Genesis 14:18, 31:54). In wisdom literature, it symbolizes one's daily sustenance and livelihood (Proverbs 20:13, 30:8). The prophets use it in contexts of judgment (scarcity of bread) and restoration (abundance of bread) (Isaiah 3:1, Amos 4:6). Its most ritually significant usage is in the Priestly texts concerning the showbread.
Etymology
Derived from the root לָחַם (lacham, H3898), which means 'to fight' or 'to do battle.' The connection is likely the idea of 'earning one's bread' through struggle or toil, a concept directly stated in Genesis 3:19. Cognates in other Semitic languages (like Ugaritic *lḥm* and Arabic *lahm*) also show the dual concepts of 'food/bread' and 'flesh/meat,' indicating an original sense of 'that which sustains.'
Semantic Range
לֶחֶם is a theologically rich term for divine provision and covenant relationship. God is the ultimate provider of 'bread from heaven' (Exodus 16:4, Psalm 105:40). The showbread in the temple symbolized God's perpetual presence and provision for His people. The concept culminates in the New Testament where Jesus identifies Himself as the 'true bread from heaven' (John 6:32-35), fulfilling and transcending the Old Testament imagery. Understanding this Hebrew term deepens the symbolism of the Lord's Supper.
In ancient Israelite culture, bread was not a side dish but the essential, life-sustaining core of every meal. To 'eat bread' with someone was to enter into fellowship and peace (Genesis 31:54). Its absence meant famine and death. The process of growing grain, milling flour, and baking bread was a daily, labor-intensive reality, making it a powerful symbol for all daily needs. This contrasts with modern contexts where bread is often one food choice among many.
מַאֲכָל (ma'akal, H400) — a more general term for 'food' or 'something eaten.' אֹכֶל (okel, H3978) — 'food' or 'nourishment,' often used for animal fodder or in legal contexts. שֶׁבֶר (shever, H7668) — 'grain' as provisions, especially in time of famine.
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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