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אֹכֶל

𐤀𐤊𐤋

ʼôkel

H400 noun

SILEX Entry

Root אכל to eat, consume, devour

Definition

Anything eaten as nourishment, generally used for 'food' in the broadest sense, including both plant and animal substance. In some contexts refers to the act or practice of eating, or what is prepared for a meal, and at times to food that is taken as spoil or prey. The term does not distinguish between ritual, dietary, or common eating contexts without further specification.

Semantic Range

food, what is eaten, meal, sustenance, provision, prey, eating (act or substance), edible preparations

Root / Etymology

From the root אָכַל (א-כ-ל), meaning 'to eat' or 'consume'. The noun אֹכֶל derives directly from this root and denotes that which is eaten, i.e., food.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical usage, אֹכֶל refers broadly to food, whether as a staple sustenance, a preparation for a meal, or in reference to permissible versus forbidden foods per Israelite dietary laws; though in itself the term does not specify type or ritual status unless clarified by context. In narrative and legal texts, it can denote both plant-based and animal-based foods. When used in predatory or military contexts (e.g., prey), it emphasizes the outcome of consumption rather than the manner. In contrast to לֶחֶם ('leḥem', commonly translated 'bread' but often meaning 'food' or 'provision' in a broader sense) and מַאֲכָל ('maʾăkāl', 'foodstuff, that which is eaten'), אֹכֶל focuses on the edible nature of its object or the act of eating. In later Hebrew, the noun continues to specify 'food' without significant narrowing or expansion of meaning. English translations mostly render the term as 'food', but 'meat' (in older English sense as 'food in general') or 'victuals' also appear, which may obscure the original breadth of meaning.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from אָכַל; food; eating, food, meal(-time), meat, prey, victuals.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אכל (ʾ-k-l) — to eat, consume, devour

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H396 אֲכִילָה the edible provision
H3978 מַאֲכָל for food
H3979 מַאֲכֶלֶת the slaughter-knife
H398 אָכַל to eat
H3980 מַאֲכֹלֶת like an eating-implement of

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H400-07 אֹ֨כֶל֙ okhel HNcmsc food one who eats 27
H400-03 אָכְל֔/וֹ akhelo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his eating his food 5
H400-01 אָכְלָ֖/ם akhelam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their food their food 5
H400-05 הָ/אֹ֤כֶל haokhel HTd/Ncmsa the food the food 3
H400-06 לְ/אָכְל֑/וֹ leakhelo HR/Vqc/Sp3ms for him to eat for his eating 1
H400-02 אָכְלֶֽ/ךָ akhelekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your food I devour you 1
H400-08 וּֽ/לְ/אָכְלְ/כֶ֛ם uleakhelekhem HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp2mp and for your food and for your food 1
H400-04 בְּ/אֹ֖כֶל beokhel HR/Ncmsa for food in food 1

Occurrences in Scripture

44 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H400-01 Genesis 14:11 אָכְלָ֖/ם akhelam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their food their food
H400-07 Genesis 41:35 אֹ֨כֶל֙ okhel HNcmsc food one who eats
H400-07 Genesis 41:35 אֹ֥כֶל okhel-2 HNcmsa food one who eats
H400-05 Genesis 41:36 הָ/אֹ֤כֶל haokhel HTd/Ncmsa the food the food
H400-07 Genesis 41:48 אֹ֣כֶל okhel HNcmsc food one who eats
H400-07 Genesis 41:48 אֹ֖כֶל okhel-2 HNcmsa food one who eats
H400-07 Genesis 41:48 אֹ֧כֶל okhel-3 HNcmsc food one who eats
H400-07 Genesis 42:7 אֹֽכֶל okhel HNcmsa food one who eats
H400-07 Genesis 42:10 אֹֽכֶל okhel HNcmsa food one who eats
H400-07 Genesis 43:2 אֹֽכֶל okhel HNcmsa food one who eats
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