Original Word: לֶחֶם
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: lechem
Pronunciation: LEH-khem
Phonetic Spelling: (lekh'-em)
KJV: ((shew-))bread, X eat, food, fruit, loaf, meat, victuals See also H1036
NASB: bread, food, meal, loaves, meals, fruit, prey
Word Origin: [from H3898 (לָחַם - To fight)]

1. food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it)

showbread, eat, food, fruit, loaf, meat, victuals

From lacham; food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it) -- ((shew-))bread, X eat, food, fruit, loaf, meat, victuals. See also Beyth l-'Aphrah.

see HEBREW lacham

see HEBREW Beyth l-'Aphrah

Word Origin
from lacham
Definition
bread, food
NASB Translation
bread (188), food (87), fruit (1), loaves (3), meal (7), meal* (1), meals (2), prey (1), provision (1), showbread* (4), something (1).

לֶ֫חֶם₂₉₆ noun masculine^{1Samuel 9:7} and (rarely) feminine^{Genesis 49:20} (see below, and Dr^{1Samuel 10:4}) bread, food (Phoenician לחם bread; Late Hebrew לֶחֶם; Aramaic לַחְמָא, , as Hebrew; Arabic flesh, meat, (compare Frä³⁰)); — absolute ׳ל Genesis 3:19 +; לָ֑חֶם Genesis 31:54 +; לֶ֑חֶם Psalm 14:4 2t.; construct לֶחֶם Hosea 9:4 +; suffix לַחְמִי Job 3:24 +, לַחְמְךָ Obadiah 7 +, לַחְמָם Hosea 9:4b, + Hosea 9:4a (for ᵑ0 לָהֶם), We GASm Now, + etc.; —

1. a. bread, the ordinary food of early Hebrews (Benz^{Archaeology 84 ff} Now^{Archaeology i. 109 ff.}) Exodus 21:14 (E), Numbers 21:5; Joshua 9:5,12 (JE), Deuteronomy 8:3; Deuteronomy 23:5; Exodus 16:3 (P) +; ׳כִּכַּרלֿ loaf of bread 1 Samuel 2:36 + (see כִּכָּר below כרר), and without ככר (always with number) 1 Samuel 10:4; 1 Samuel 16:20 (see Dr), 1 Samuel 17:7; 1 Samuel 21:4; 1 Samuel 25:18; 2 Samuel 16:1; 1 Kings 14:3; 2 Kings 4:42; ׳חַלַת ל cake of bread 2 Samuel 6:19; Exodus 29:23 + (see חַלָּה below

I. חלל); made from barley (שְׂעֹרִים); Judges 7:13; 2 Kings 4:42 (see also לָחֶם above); from wheat-flour (סֹלֶת חִטִים) Exodus 29:2 (P); compare the mixture Ezekiel 4:9; made by baking (אפה) Isaiah 44:15,19; Leviticus 26:26 (H; compare Jeremiah 37:21); ׳מַּתלֿ a bit of bread 1 Samuel 2:36; 1 Kings 17:11; Proverbs 28:21, compare Ezekiel 13:19, as modest term for a hospitable meal Genesis 18:5 (J), Judges 19:5; 1 Samuel 28:22; distinguished from meat (flesh), Genesis 27:17 (J) 1 Samuel 25:11; 1 Kings 17:6 (twice in verse); Exodus 16:8,12 (also Exodus 16:3 above), Exodus 29:32,34; Leviticus 8:31 (all P), Leviticus 23:18 (H), 1 Chronicles 12:40; Psalm 78:20; Daniel 10:3; = a meal 1 Samuel 20:27, ׳אָכַל ל = take a meal Genesis 31:54 (twice in verse); Genesis 37:25; Genesis 43:25,32 +; אכל לַחְמִי Psalm 41:10 eat my bread, establishing an obligation, compare Obadiah 7 (read ׳אֹכְלֵי ל according to Marti^{Kau AT}; strike out ׳ל ᵐ5 Hi We, compare VB) ׳עשׂה ל = make a feast Ecclesiastes 10:19; ׳מַטֵּה ל staff of bread (as support of life), only late Ezekiel 4:16; Ezekiel 5:16; Ezekiel 14:13; Leviticus 26:26 (H), Psalm 105:16; cf .׳מִשְׁעַן ל Isaiah 3:1 (gloss); leavened bread is חָמֵץ ׳ל Leviticus 7:13; unleavened bread is מַצּוֺת ׳ל Exodus 29:2 (both P); (הַ)מָּנִים ׳ל bread of the face (of ׳י; i.e. in his presence, Di^{Leviticus 24:9} Dr^{1Sam 21:7}); in the sanctuary 1 Samuel 21:7; 1 Kings 7:48 2Chronicles 4:19; Exodus 25:30; Exodus 35:13; Exodus 39:36, without ׳פ Exodus 40:23 (all P); = הַתָּמִיד ׳ל Numbers 4:7 (P), קֹדֶשׁ ׳ל 1 Samuel 21:5; in Chronicles הַמַּעֲרָ֑כֶת ׳ל 1 Chronicles 9:32; compare 1 Chronicles 23:29; Nehemiah 10:34, ׳ל ׳מ2Chronicles 13:11 opposed to חֹל ׳ל 1 Samuel 21:5; תְּנוּפִה ׳ל Leviticus 23:17 wave-loaf; (הַ)בִּכֻּרִים ׳ל Leviticus 23:20; 2 Kings 4:42 bread of first-fruits.

b. = bread-corn, the material from which bread is made, i.e. wheat, barley, etc.: Genesis 41:54,55 (E), Genesis 47:13,15,17 (twice in verse); Genesis 47:19 (J), Genesis 49:20 (poem in J), Isaiah 28:28; Isaiah 30:23; Isaiah 55:10; Jeremiah 5:17; Ezekiel 48:18; Job 28:5; Proverbs 28:3; Psalm 104:14; הָאָרֶץ ׳ל Numbers 15:19 (P), ׳ארץ ל 2 Kings 18:32 = Isaiah 36:17.

2 food in General:

a. of man, Judges 13:16 (kid, Judges 13:15) 1 Samuel 14:24 (twice in verse); 1 Samuel 14:28 (honey), 1 Samuel 28:20; 1 Samuel 30:12; Proverbs 22:9; Proverbs 27:27 (twice in verse) (goat's milk) +; ׳לְכָלבָּֿשָׂר נֹתֵן ל Psalm 136:25.

b. of animals, Proverbs 6:8; Proverbs 30:25; Prov 65:25; Job 24:5 + Psalm 147:9

c. of God (in sacrifices): אֱלֹהֵיהֶם ׳ל (compare RS^{Semitic i. 207, 2nd ed., 224}) Leviticus 21:6 compare Leviticus 21:8; Leviticus 21:17; Leviticus 21:21; Leviticus 21:22, Leviticus 22:25 (all H), compare Numbers 28:2 (P), Ezekiel 16:19; Ezekiel 44:7, and מְגֹאָל ׳ל Malachi 1:7, also (׳לי) אִשֶּׁה ׳ל Leviticus 3:11,16; Numbers 28:24 (all P).

3 other phrases and figurative uses are:

a. רֶשַׁע ׳ל Proverbs 4:17 (accusative of congnate meaning with verb with לָחַם), probably = food gained by wickedness ׅ "" (יִיִן חֲמָסִים, compare שָׁ֑קֶר ׳ל Proverbs 20:17, כְּזָבִים ׳ל Proverbs 23:3; עַצְלוּת ׳ל Proverbs 31:27 = bread of idleness, i.e. unearned; חֻקִּי ׳לProverbs 30:8 (opposed to riches and poverty, see חֹק); לַחַץ ׳ל 1 Kings 22:27 2Chronicles 18:26, vid לַחַץ below; הָעֲצָבִים ׳ל Psalm 127:2 see II. עֶצָב; אוֺנִים ׳ל Hosea 9:4, vid אָוֶן. p.20 a; אֲנָשִׁים ׳ל Ezekiel 24:17,22 of food offered to mourners, compare Jeremiah 16:7 (where insert ׳ל ᵐ5 Gf Gie); שַׁלַּח לחמך עלפֿני המים Ecclesiastes 11:1 usual interpration of benevolent giving (compare Now); De and others of sea-commerce in bread-stuffs, compare Proverbs 31:14.

b. figurative לַחְמֵנוּ הֵם Numbers 14:9 (JE) our food are they, i.e. we will devour, destroy, them (compare Deuteronomy 7:16); ׳דִּמְעָתִּי ל Psalm 42:4; compare Psalm 80:6 (see אכל above); ׳ל of evil deeds of wicked Job 20:14; עֵץ בְּלַחְמוֺ Jeremiah 11:19 apparentlyfig.of destroying the prophet and his house, but read probably בְּלֵחוֺ in its freshness (i.e. untimely), so Hi Gf Che Gie (see לֵחַ below לחח above).

Overview

לֶחֶם (lechem) functions in Scripture as the ordinary word for bread and, by extension, for food, sustenance and hospitality. From Genesis to Malachi it appears in virtually every literary genre—law, narrative, wisdom, poetry and prophecy—about 296 times, forming a thread that ties creation, covenant, worship and messianic hope together.

Bread as Daily Sustenance

• After the fall, bread becomes the emblem of labor-marked survival: “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread” (Genesis 3:19).
• In patriarchal accounts it signals simple hospitality (Genesis 18:5; Genesis 24:33) and basic provision (Genesis 28:20).
• Proverbs calls the righteous to generosity: “A generous man will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor” (Proverbs 22:9).

Instruction in Dependence on God

• The wilderness manna—called “bread from heaven” (Exodus 16:4, 15)—teaches Israel that “man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3).
• Daily gathering trained faith; hoarding bred rot (Exodus 16:19-20). The pattern foreshadows the petition “Give us this day our daily bread” and insists on continual trust rather than stored security.

Bread in Covenant and Festivals

• Passover night combines the lamb with unleavened bread (Exodus 12:8). Unleavened loaves symbolize haste (no time for rising) and moral purity (removal of corruption), themes reinforced annually in the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:15-20; Deuteronomy 16:3).
• Firstfruits and Pentecost mark harvest with grain offerings of bread (Leviticus 23:17), acknowledging the LORD as the true Land-giver.

Bread of the Presence (Showbread)

• Twelve loaves, replaced every Sabbath, rest continually before God on the golden table (Exodus 25:30; Leviticus 24:5-9). They witness to His perpetual fellowship with the twelve tribes and His role as Host in His own sanctuary.
• When David, in distress, ate this consecrated bread (1 Samuel 21:6), the narrative highlights mercy over ritual and anticipates the Lord of the Sabbath’s teaching (Mark 2:25-28).

Bread in Miraculous Provision

• Elijah and the widow of Zarephath share a last cake and meet divine multiplication (1 Kings 17:12-16).
• An angel brings Elijah “a cake of bread baked on hot stones” to sustain him for forty desert days (1 Kings 19:6-8).
• Elisha feeds a hundred men with twenty barley loaves (2 Kings 4:42-44), prefiguring the greater miracle of the five thousand.

Bread in National Life and Kingship

• Solomon’s royal table required vast quantities of bread-related staples (1 Kings 4:22-23), reflecting covenant prosperity.
• Siege warnings speak of measured bread (Ezekiel 4:16), depicting divine judgment by scarcity.

Bread in Wisdom Literature and Poetry

• “Bread of tears” (Psalm 80:5) and “bread of sorrows” (Psalm 127:2) picture grief and anxious toil.
• Contrasts emerge: “bread of wickedness” (Proverbs 4:17) versus “bread eaten in peace” (Ecclesiastes 9:7).

Prophetic and Messianic Significance

• Bethlehem—literally “house of bread”—is prophesied as Messiah’s birthplace (Micah 5:2), intertwining physical bread imagery with the advent of the true Bread.
• Isaiah invites the thirsty: “Why spend money on that which is not bread? … Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good” (Isaiah 55:2), linking the call to repentance with nourishment that truly satisfies.

Foreshadowing the Bread of Life

Although לֶחֶם occurs in Hebrew texts, its theological trajectory reaches fulfillment in the incarnate Son: “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger’” (John 6:35). The Old Testament history of bread—daily, sacred, miraculous—prepares hearts to recognize and receive the One who gives eternal sustenance.

Bread and Ministry Applications

• Dependence: Regular prayer for daily bread shapes humble reliance on God’s provision.
• Hospitality: Sharing literal bread models covenant community and gospel welcome.
• Worship: Weekly gathering around Word and Table echoes the Bread of the Presence—God fellowshipping with His people.
• Mission: As Elijah carried bread to the widow and Elisha fed the hungry, so the church bears both physical help and the Bread of Life to a needy world.

Representative Occurrences (selection)

Genesis 3:19; Genesis 18:5; Exodus 12:8, 15-20; Exodus 16:4-5, 15; Exodus 25:30; Leviticus 24:5-9; Deuteronomy 8:3; Judges 6:19; 1 Samuel 21:6; 1 Kings 17:12-16; 1 Kings 19:6-8; 2 Kings 4:42-44; Psalm 80:5; Psalm 127:2; Proverbs 4:17; Proverbs 22:9; Isaiah 55:2; Ezekiel 4:16; Micah 5:2.

בְּלֶ֤חֶם בְּלַחְמ֖וֹ בְּלַחְמֶ֔ךָ בְּלַחְמוֹ֙ בְֽלַחֲמִ֑י בְלַחְמֽוֹ׃ בַּלֶּ֖חֶם בַּלֶּ֙חֶם֙ בַּלֶּ֣חֶם בַּלָּ֑חֶם בלחם בלחמו בלחמו׃ בלחמי בלחמך הַלֶּ֔חֶם הַלֶּ֖חֶם הַלֶּ֗חֶם הַלֶּ֙חֶם֙ הַלֶּ֛חֶם הַלֶּ֤חֶם הַלֶּ֨חֶם הַלָּֽחֶם׃ הלחם הלחם׃ וְ֝לֶ֗חֶם וְ֠לֶחֶם וְהַלֶּ֤חֶם וְלֶ֖חֶם וְלֶ֙חֶם֙ וְלֶ֣חֶם וְלֶ֤חֶם וְלֶ֥חֶם וְלֶחֶם֩ וְלַחְמִי֩ וְלַחְמֶ֗ךָ וְלַלֶּ֥חֶם וָלֶ֧חֶם וּבַלָּ֑חֶם וּלְלֶ֨חֶם ובלחם והלחם ולחם ולחמי ולחמך וללחם כְּלֶ֤חֶם כַּלֶּ֣חֶם כלחם לְֽ֭לַחְמְךָ לְלֶ֔חֶם לְלֶ֣חֶם לְלָ֑חֶם לֶ֑חֶם לֶ֔חֶם לֶ֖חֶם לֶ֗חֶם לֶ֙חֶם֙ לֶ֚חֶם לֶ֛חֶם לֶ֜חֶם לֶ֝֗חֶם לֶ֣חֶם לֶ֤חֶם לֶ֥חֶם לֶ֧חֶם לֶ֨חֶם לֶ֭חֶם לֶּ֙חֶם֙ לֶֽחֶם־ לֶחֶם֒ לֶחֶם֩ לֶחֶם֮ לַ֭חְמִי לַ֭חְמוֹ לַחְמ֑וֹ לַחְמ֖וֹ לַחְמ֣וֹ לַחְמְךָ֖ לַחְמְךָ֗ לַחְמְכֶ֖ם לַחְמְכֶם֙ לַחְמִ֑י לַחְמִ֜י לַחְמִֽי׃ לַחְמִי֙ לַחְמֵ֔נוּ לַחְמֵ֖נוּ לַחְמֵ֗נוּ לַחְמֵ֣נוּ לַחְמֶ֔ךָ לַחְמָ֑הּ לַחְמָ֖ם לַחְמָ֣ם לַחְמָֽהּ׃ לַחְמָֽם׃ לַחְמָם֙ לַחְמֽוֹ׃ לַחְמוֹ֙ לַלֶּ֙חֶם֙ לַלֶּ֣חֶם לַלָּ֑חֶם לָ֑חֶם לָ֥חֶם לָֽחֶם׃ לחם לחם־ לחם׃ לחמה לחמה׃ לחמו לחמו׃ לחמי לחמי׃ לחמך לחמכם לחמם לחמם׃ לחמנו ללחם ללחמך מְבִיאִ֣ים מִלֶּ֣חֶם מִלֶּ֥חֶם מִלַּחְמ֣וֹ מביאים מלחם מלחמו bal·lā·ḥem bal·le·ḥem balLachem ballāḥem balLechem balleḥem ḇə·la·ḥă·mî bə·laḥ·me·ḵā bə·laḥ·mōw ḇə·laḥ·mōw bə·le·ḥem belachMecha belachMo ḇəlaḥămî bəlaḥmeḵā bəlaḥmōw ḇəlaḥmōw beLechem bəleḥem hal·lā·ḥem hal·le·ḥem halLachem hallāḥem halLechem halleḥem kal·le·ḥem kalLechem kalleḥem kə·le·ḥem keLechem kəleḥem lā·ḥem Lachem lachMah lachMam lachmeCha lachmeChem lachMenu lachMi lachMo laḥ·māh laḥ·mām laḥ·me·ḵā laḥ·mə·ḵā laḥ·mə·ḵem laḥ·mê·nū laḥ·mî laḥ·mōw lāḥem laḥmāh laḥmām laḥmeḵā laḥməḵā laḥməḵem laḥmênū laḥmî laḥmōw lal·lā·ḥem lal·le·ḥem lalLachem lallāḥem lalLechem lalleḥem le·ḥem le·ḥem- lə·lā·ḥem lə·laḥ·mə·ḵā lə·le·ḥem Lechem leḥem leḥem- leLachem Lelachmecha ləlāḥem ləlaḥməḵā leLechem ləleḥem mə·ḇî·’îm məḇî’îm meviIm mil·laḥ·mōw mil·le·ḥem millachMo millaḥmōw milLechem milleḥem ū·ḇal·lā·ḥem ū·lə·le·ḥem ūḇallāḥem uleLechem ūləleḥem uvalLachem vaLechem vehalLechem velachaMi velachMecha velachMi velachMo velalLechem veLechem wā·le·ḥem wāleḥem wə·hal·le·ḥem wə·laḥ·me·ḵā wə·laḥ·mî wə·lal·le·ḥem wə·le·ḥem wəhalleḥem wəlaḥmeḵā wəlaḥmî wəlalleḥem wəleḥemInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts