מִלְחָמָה (H4421) — Hebrew Lexicon

מִלְחָמָה

𐤌𐤋𐤇𐤌𐤄

milchâmâh

H4421 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

An armed conflict or struggle, typically between groups or nations; specifically, the actual act or state of war or battle. In context, can denote a singular engagement (battle), the sustained condition of armed hostilities (warfare), or the phenomenon of organized combat more generally. May further include figurative senses such as conflict, contest, or opposition.

Semantic Range

battle, act of fighting, armed conflict, war as an event or condition, campaign, contest, struggle, figurative conflict

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root לחם (to fight, do battle). The form מִלְחָמָה is a feminine noun formation (mi- prefix + qatl pattern), indicating a state, condition, or event relating to the root action. While לחם in later Hebrew also means 'to eat,' the martial sense is distinct, likely from a different root or semantic development.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In early Israelite texts (e.g., narratives in Judges and Samuel), מִלְחָמָה refers concretely to armed encounters between tribes, nations, or factions. Over time, the term becomes a general descriptor for warfare or persistent hostility, as seen in monarchic and prophetic texts. In legal and ceremonial contexts (e.g., Deuteronomy), it can indicate both the legal status of war and specific battles. Unlike English 'war,' which can sometimes mean a mere state of diplomatic hostility, מִלְחָמָה nearly always implies actual or impending combat. The semantic range overlaps with words like קרב (battle, combat), though קרב is more focused on the clash itself, while מִלְחָמָה can denote the broader campaign or state of war. Later, in post-exilic literature, figurative uses emerge, denoting struggles or spiritual conflicts. English translations often reduce the nuance of this term, commonly rendering both isolated battles and protracted wars as 'war.'

Translation Consistency

primary "battle" 49 occurrences

'Battle' is the most frequent P2 rendering (194 of 319 occurrences) and naturally covers both a single engagement and the broader sense of armed conflict or contest. It reads naturally in literal and figurative contexts and provides a consistent, idiomatic English equivalent for מִלְחָמָה across forms.

Alternatives (1 occurrence):

"war" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from לָחַם (in the sense of fighting); a battle (i.e. the engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare); battle, fight(-ing), war(-rior).

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

לחם (Lachemi) — to eat, to consume, to engage in battle

Root לחם to fight, engage in battle, wage war

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H3894	לָחוּם	his edible portion
H3898	לָחַם	in his waging-war
H3899	לֶחֶם	in the bread
H3900	לְחֶם	bread
H3901	לָחֶם	bread
H3902	לַחְמִי	my bread
H3903	לַחְמָס	and Lachmas

Word Forms

25 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H4421-07`	מִלְחָמָה֙	milechamah	`HNcfsa`	war	armed conflict	battle	92
`H4421-02`	הַ/מִּלְחָמָ֑ה	hamilechamah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the battle	the battle	the battle	69
`H4421-05`	לַ/מִּלְחָמָֽה	lamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	to battle	to the battle	to the battle	69
`H4421-01`	בַּ/מִּלְחָמָ֔ה	bamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in the battle	in the warfare	in the battle	32
`H4421-14`	מִלְחֲמ֥וֹת	milechamot	`HNcfpc`	wars	battles of	battles of	12
`H4421-19`	וּ/מִלְחָמָ֨ה	umilechamah	`HC/Ncfsa`	And war	and battle	and battle	10
`H4421-23`	בַ/מִּלְחָמָ֑ה	vamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in battle	in the battle	into the battle	5
`H4421-21`	וּ/בְ/מִלְחָמָ֗ה	uvemilechamah	`HC/R/Ncfsa`	and by war	and in battle	and in battle	3
`H4421-24`	וְ/הַ֨/מִּלְחָמָ֔ה	vehamilechamah	`HC/Td/Ncfsa`	and-the-battle	and the war	and the battle	3
`H4421-06`	לְ/מִלְחָמָ֛ה	lemilechamah	`HR/Ncfsa`	for war	for battle	for battle	2
`H4421-09`	מִלְחַמְתָּ/ם֩	milechametam	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	of war	their battle	their battle	2
`H4421-10`	מִלְחַמְתְּ/ךָ֧	milechametekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	your-battle	your battle	your battle	2
`H4421-11`	מִלְחַמְתֵּ֑/ךְ	milechametekhe	`HNcfsc/Sp2fs`	your war	your battle	your battle	2
`H4421-13`	מִלְחַמְתּ֖/וֹ	milechameto	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his warfare	his battle	his battle	2
`H4421-16`	מִלְחֲמֹתֵֽ/נוּ	milechamotenu	`HNcfpc/Sp1cp`	our battles	our battles	our battles	2
`H4421-18`	מִ/מִּלְחָמָֽה	mimilechamah	`HR/Ncfsa`	from war	from battle	from battle	2
`H4421-20`	וּ/מִלְחָמ֥וֹת	umilechamot	`HC/Ncfpa`	and wars	and armed conflicts	and battles	2
`H4421-03`	הַ/מִּלְחָמ֥וֹת	hamilechamot	`HTd/Ncfpa`	the battles	the battles	the battles	1
`H4421-04`	כַּ/מִּלְחָמָ֖ה	kamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	as the battle	as the battle	as the battle	1
`H4421-08`	מִלְחַמְתָּ֥/הּ	milechametah	`HNcfsc/Sp3fs`	her warfare	her battle	her battle	1
`H4421-12`	מִלְחַמְתִּ֔/י	milechameti	`HNcfsc/Sp1cs`	of my war	my battle	my battle	1
`H4421-15`	מִלְחֲמֹתָ֖י/ו	milechamotayv	`HNcfpc/Sp3ms`	his wars	his battles	his wars	1
`H4421-17`	מִלְחֶ֔מֶת	milechemet	`HNcfsa`	of battle	battle	battle	1
`H4421-22`	וּ/בְ/מִלְחֲמ֥וֹת	uvemilechamot	`HC/R/Ncfpc`	and in battles	and in wars-of	and in battles	1
`H4421-25`	בְ/מִלְחָמָֽה	vemilechamah	`HR/Ncfsa`	in battle	in battle	in battle	1

Occurrences in Scripture

319 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H4421-07`	Genesis 14:2	מִלְחָמָ֗ה	milechamah	`HNcfsa`	war	armed conflict	battle
`H4421-07`	Genesis 14:8	מִלְחָמָ֔ה	milechamah	`HNcfsa`	battle	armed conflict	battle
`H4421-07`	Exodus 1:10	מִלְחָמָה֙	milechamah	`HNcfsa`	war,	armed conflict	battle
`H4421-07`	Exodus 13:17	מִלְחָמָ֖ה	milechamah	`HNcfsa`	war	armed conflict	battle
`H4421-07`	Exodus 15:3	מִלְחָמָ֑ה	milechamah	`HNcfsa`	of war	armed conflict	battle
`H4421-07`	Exodus 17:16	מִלְחָמָ֥ה	milechamah	`HNcfsa`	war	armed conflict	battle
`H4421-07`	Exodus 32:17	מִלְחָמָ֖ה	milechamah	`HNcfsa`	of war	armed conflict	battle
`H4421-07`	Numbers 10:9	מִלְחָמָ֜ה	milechamah	`HNcfsa`	to war	armed conflict	battle
`H4421-14`	Numbers 21:14	מִלְחֲמֹ֣ת	milechamot	`HNcfpc`	of the wars	battles of	battles of
`H4421-05`	Numbers 21:33	לַ/מִּלְחָמָ֖ה	lamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	to battle	to the battle	to the battle
`H4421-02`	Numbers 31:14	הַ/מִּלְחָמָֽה	hamilechamah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the war	the battle	the battle
`H4421-05`	Numbers 31:21	לַ/מִּלְחָמָ֑ה	lamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	to the battle	to the battle	to the battle
`H4421-02`	Numbers 31:27	הַ/מִּלְחָמָ֔ה	hamilechamah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the battle	the battle	the battle
`H4421-02`	Numbers 31:28	הַ/מִּלְחָמָה֙	hamilechamah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the war	the battle	the battle
`H4421-02`	Numbers 31:49	הַ/מִּלְחָמָ֖ה	hamilechamah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the war	the battle	the battle
`H4421-05`	Numbers 32:6	לַ/מִּלְחָמָ֔ה	lamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	to war	to the battle	to the battle
`H4421-05`	Numbers 32:20	לַ/מִּלְחָמָֽה	lamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	for battle	to the battle	to the battle
`H4421-05`	Numbers 32:27	לַ/מִּלְחָמָ֑ה	lamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	to battle	to the battle	to the battle
`H4421-05`	Numbers 32:29	לַ/מִּלְחָמָה֙	lamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	for battle	to the battle	to the battle
`H4421-13`	Deuteronomy 1:41	מִלְחַמְתּ֔/וֹ	milechameto	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	of his war	his battle	his battle
`H4421-07`	Deuteronomy 2:9	מִלְחָמָ֑ה	milechamah	`HNcfsa`	to war	armed conflict	battle
`H4421-02`	Deuteronomy 2:14	הַ/מִּלְחָמָה֙	hamilechamah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of war	the battle	the battle
`H4421-02`	Deuteronomy 2:16	הַ/מִּלְחָמָ֛ה	hamilechamah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	war	the battle	the battle
`H4421-07`	Deuteronomy 2:24	מִלְחָמָֽה	milechamah	`HNcfsa`	battle	armed conflict	battle
`H4421-05`	Deuteronomy 2:32	לַ/מִּלְחָמָ֖ה	lamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	to battle	to the battle	to the battle
`H4421-05`	Deuteronomy 3:1	לַ/מִּלְחָמָ֖ה	lamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	to battle	to the battle	to the battle
`H4421-21`	Deuteronomy 4:34	וּ/בְ/מִלְחָמָ֗ה	uvemilechamah	`HC/R/Ncfsa`	and by war	and in battle	and in battle
`H4421-05`	Deuteronomy 20:1	לַ/מִּלְחָמָ֜ה	lamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	to battle	to the battle	to the battle
`H4421-02`	Deuteronomy 20:2	הַ/מִּלְחָמָ֑ה	hamilechamah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the battle	the battle	the battle
`H4421-05`	Deuteronomy 20:3	לַ/מִּלְחָמָ֖ה	lamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	to battle	to the battle	to the battle
`H4421-01`	Deuteronomy 20:5	בַּ/מִּלְחָמָ֔ה	bamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in the battle	in the warfare	in the battle
`H4421-01`	Deuteronomy 20:6	בַּ/מִּלְחָמָ֔ה	bamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in the battle	in the warfare	in the battle
`H4421-01`	Deuteronomy 20:7	בַּ/מִּלְחָמָ֔ה	bamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in the battle	in the warfare	in the battle
`H4421-07`	Deuteronomy 20:12	מִלְחָמָ֑ה	milechamah	`HNcfsa`	war	armed conflict	battle
`H4421-07`	Deuteronomy 20:20	מִלְחָמָ֖ה	milechamah	`HNcfsa`	war	armed conflict	battle
`H4421-05`	Deuteronomy 21:10	לַ/מִּלְחָמָ֖ה	lamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	to war	to the battle	to the battle
`H4421-05`	Deuteronomy 29:6	לַ/מִּלְחָמָ֖ה	lamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	for battle	to the battle	to the battle
`H4421-05`	Joshua 4:13	לַ/מִּלְחָמָ֔ה	lamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	for battle	to the battle	to the battle
`H4421-02`	Joshua 5:4	הַ/מִּלְחָמָ֗ה	hamilechamah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the-war	the battle	the battle
`H4421-02`	Joshua 5:6	הַ/מִּלְחָמָה֙	hamilechamah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	war	the battle	the battle
`H4421-02`	Joshua 6:3	הַ/מִּלְחָמָ֔ה	hamilechamah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of war	the battle	war
`H4421-02`	Joshua 8:1	הַ/מִּלְחָמָ֔ה	hamilechamah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of war	the battle	the battle
`H4421-02`	Joshua 8:3	הַ/מִּלְחָמָ֖ה	hamilechamah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the war	the battle	of the battle
`H4421-02`	Joshua 8:11	הַ/מִּלְחָמָ֜ה	hamilechamah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of war	the battle	the battle
`H4421-05`	Joshua 8:14	לַֽ/מִּלְחָמָ֞ה	lamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	for battle	to the battle	to the battle
`H4421-02`	Joshua 10:7	הַ/מִּלְחָמָה֙	hamilechamah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of war	the battle	the battle
`H4421-02`	Joshua 10:24	הַ/מִּלְחָמָה֙	hamilechamah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the war	the battle	the battle
`H4421-02`	Joshua 11:7	הַ/מִּלְחָמָ֨ה	hamilechamah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of war	the battle	the battle
`H4421-07`	Joshua 11:18	מִלְחָמָֽה	milechamah	`HNcfsa`	war	armed conflict	battle
`H4421-23`	Joshua 11:19	בַ/מִּלְחָמָֽה	vamilechamah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in battle	in the battle	in the battle

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