לָחֶם (la.chem)
la.chem
war
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun laḥem appears only once in the entire Old Testament, located in Judges 5:8 within Deborah’s song of victory. Its precise meaning remains uncertain to scholars, with some translations rendering it as "war" or describing a conflict at the city gates. Because it is a hapax legomenon—a word found in just a single biblical instance—its exact semantic range cannot be fully mapped against other usage.
The context suggests a scene of sudden mobilization or defense, contrasting with earlier periods where Israel lacked organized leadership. Translators often interpret the phrase as indicating that warfare erupted at the gates, highlighting the breakdown of civil order and the subsequent rise of military resistance. This rare term captures a specific moment of crisis in the narrative.
Its solitary occurrence makes it a unique lexical puzzle for Hebrew lexicographers. Rather than offering a broad theological concept, laḥem serves as a narrow historical marker within the poetic structure of Judges 5. It reminds readers that some ancient vocabulary remains opaque, preserving the mystery of the text’s original voice.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for war appears just once in the Old Testament, tucked into Deborah’s song of victory. Its rarity reminds us that history is not always clear-cut. Sometimes the text leaves gaps, inviting us to sit with the mystery rather than forcing a neat explanation.
In Judges 5:8, this single occurrence marks a turning point. It describes a time when conflict erupted at the city gates, signaling a breakdown of order and the desperate need for defense. This moment highlights how quickly peace can vanish and how communities must rally when safety is threatened.
For your faith, this obscure word offers comfort in uncertainty. You do not need to understand every ancient term to trust God’s story. Even in times of crisis, like those described in the gates of Israel, God remains present. His Word preserves these fragments, inviting us to seek Him with humility and patience.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- bread1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לָחֶ֣ם1×
Key Verses
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Judges 5:8
They chose new gods. Then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
This verse uses the term to mark the sudden outbreak of conflict at the city gates, contrasting with earlier periods of peace.