לֶחֶם

1. a. bread, the ordinary food of early Hebrews (Benz^{Archaeology 84 ff} Now^{Archaeology i. 109 ff.}) 2 Mos 21,14 (E), 4 Mos 21,5; Jos 9,5; Jos 9,12 (JE), 5 Mos 8,3; 5 Mos 23,5; 2 Mos 16,3 (P) +; ׳כִּכַּרלֿ loaf of bread 1 Sam 2,36 + (see כִּכָּר below כרר), and without ככר (always with number) 1 Sam 10,4; 1 Sam 16,20 (see Dr), 1 Sam 17,7; 1 Sam 21,4; 1 Sam 25,18; 2 Sam 16,1; 1 Kong 14,3; 2 Kong 4,42; ׳חַלַת ל cake of bread 2 Sam 6,19; 2 Mos 29,23 + (see חַלָּה below I. חלל); made from barley (שְׂעֹרִים); Dom 7,13; 2 Kong 4,42 (see also לָחֶם above); from wheat-flour (סֹלֶת חִטִים) 2 Mos 29,2 (P); compare the mixture Ezk 4,9 made by baking (אפה) Es 44,15; Es 44,19; 3 Mos 26,26 (H; compare Jer 37,21); ׳פַּתלֿ a bit of bread 1 Sam 2,36; 1 Kong 17,11; Ord 28,21, compare Ezk 13,19, as modest term for a hospitable meal 1 Mos 18,5 (J), Dom 19,5; 1 Sam 28,22; distinguished from meat (flesh), 1 Mos 27,17 (J) 1 Sam 25,11; 1 Kong 17,6 (twice in verse); 2 Mos 16,8; 2 Mos 16,12 (also v2 Mos 16,3 above), 2 Mos 29,32; 2 Mos 29,34; 3 Mos 8,31 (all P), 3 Mos 23,18 (H), 1 Kron 12,40; Sl 78,20; Dan 10,3 = a meal 1 Sam 20,27, ׳אָכַל ל = take a meal 1 Mos 31,54 (twice in verse); 1 Mos 37,25; 1 Mos 43,25; 1 Mos 43,32 +; אכל לַחְמִי Sl 41,10 eat my bread, establishing an obligation, compare Ob 1,7 (read ׳אֹכְלֵי ל according to Marti^{Kau AT}; strike out ׳ל ᵐ5 Hi We, compare VB) ׳עשׂה ל = make a feast Praed 10,19 ׳מַטֵּה ל staff of bread (as support of life), only late Ezk 4,16; Ezk 5,16; Ezk 14,13; 3 Mos 26,26 (H), Sl 105,16 cf .׳מִשְׁעַן ל Es 3,1 (gloss); leavened bread is חָמֵץ ׳ל 3 Mos 7,13 unleavened bread is מַצּוֺת ׳ל 2 Mos 29,2 (both P); (הַ)פָּנִים ׳ל bread of the face (of ׳י; i.e. in his presence, Di^{3 Mos 24,9} Dr^{1 Sam 21,7}); in the sanctuary 1 Sam 21,7; 1 Kong 7,48 = 2 Kron 4,19; 2 Mos 25,30; 2 Mos 35,13; 2 Mos 39,36, without ׳פ 2 Mos 40,23 (all P); = הַתָּמִיד ׳ל 4 Mos 4,7 (P), קֹדֶשׁ ׳ל 1 Sam 21,5 in Chronicles הַמַּעֲרָ֑כֶת ׳ל 1 Kron 9,32 compare 1 Kron 23,29; Neh 10,34, ׳ל ׳מ 2 Kron 13,11 opposed to חֹל ׳ל 1 Sam 21,5; תְּנוּפִה ׳ל 3 Mos 23,17 wave-loaf; (הַ)בִּכֻּרִים ׳ל v3 Mos 23,20; 2 Kong 4,42 bread of first-fruits.
\ \ b. = bread-corn, the material from which bread is made, i.e. wheat, barley, etc.: 1 Mos 41,54; 1 Mos 41,55 (E), 1 Mos 47,13; 1 Mos 47,15; 1 Mos 47,17 (twice in verse); 1 Mos 47,19 (J), 1 Mos 49,20 (poem in J), Es 28,28; Es 30,23; Es 55,10; Jer 5,17; Ezk 48,18; Job 28,5; Ord 28,3; Sl 104,14 הָאָרֶץ ׳ל 4 Mos 15,19 (P), ׳ארץ ל 2 Kong 18,32 = Es 36,17.

2. food in general:
\ \ a. of man, Dom 13,16 (kid, vDom 13,15) 1 Sam 14,24 (twice in verse); 1 Sam 14,28 (honey), 1 Sam 28,20; 1 Sam 30,12; Ord 22,9; Ord 27,27 (twice in verse) (goat's milk) +; ׳לְכָלבָּֿשָׂר נֹתֵן ל Sl 136,25. b. of animals, Ord 6,8; Ord 30,25; Ord 65,25; Job 24,5 + Sl 147,9
\ \ c. of God (in sacrifices): אֱלֹהֵיהֶם ׳ל (compare RS^{Semitic i. 207, 2nd ed., 224}) 3 Mos 21,6 compare v3 Mos 21,8 v3 Mos 21,17 v3 Mos 21,21 v3 Mos 21,22, 3 Mos 22,25 (all H), compare 4 Mos 28,2 (P), Ezk 16,19; Ezk 44,7, and מְגֹאָל ׳ל Mal 1,7, also (׳לי) אִשֶּׁה ׳ל 3 Mos 3,11; 3 Mos 3,16; 4 Mos 28,24 (all P).

3. other phrases and figurative uses are:
\ \ a. רֶשַׁע ׳ל Ord 4,17 (accusative of congnate meaning with verb with לָחַם), probably = food gained by wickedness ׅ || (יִיִן חֲמָסִים, compare שָׁ֑קֶר ׳ל Ord 20,17, כְּזָבִים ׳ל Ord 23,3 עַצְלוּת ׳ל Ord 31,27 = bread of idleness, i.e. unearned; חֻקִּי ׳לOrd 30,8 (opposed to riches and poverty, see חֹק); לַחַץ ׳ל 1 Kong 22,27 = 2 Kron 18,26, vid לַחַץ below; הָעֲצָבִים ׳ל Sl 127,2 see II. עֶצָב; אוֺנִים ׳ל Hos 9,4, vid אָוֶן. p.20 a; אֲנָשִׁים ׳ל Ezk 24,17; Ezk 24,22 of food offered to mourners, compare Jer 16,7 (where insert ׳ל ᵐ5 Gf Gie); שַׁלַּח לחמך עלפֿני המים Praed 11,1 usual interpration of benevolent giving (compare Now); De and others of sea-commerce in bread-stuffs, compare Ord 31,14.
\ \ b. figurative לַחְמֵנוּ הֵם 4 Mos 14,9 (JE) our food are they, i.e. we will devour, destroy, them (compare 5 Mos 7,16); ׳דִּמְעָתִּי ל Sl 42,4 compare Sl 80,6 (see אכל above); ׳ל of evil deeds of wicked Job 20,14 עֵץ בְּלַחְמוֺ Jer 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).