What does לֶחֶם (leḥem) mean in the Bible?
לֶחֶם (lechem) is the ordinary Hebrew noun for bread and can extend to food or sustenance more generally. Most occurrences are concrete and should remain concrete.
Hebrew · H3899
לֶחֶם
Food (for man or beast), especially bread , or grain (for making it)
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לֶחֶם H3899
Pronunciation leḥem
What does לֶחֶם (leḥem) mean in the Bible?
לֶחֶם (lechem) is the ordinary Hebrew noun for bread and can extend to food or sustenance more generally. Most occurrences are concrete and should remain concrete.
Reader summary
Full entry for לֶחֶם (H3899) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3899?
The BSB source-word alignment has 298 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include bread (52), food (43), of bread (24), . . . (21), the bread (20).
Where does לֶחֶם (leḥem) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 3:19. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Samuel (27), 1 Kings (24), Genesis (24), Leviticus (24).
What This Word Actually Means
לֶחֶם (lechem) is the ordinary Hebrew noun for bread and can extend to food or sustenance more generally. Most occurrences are concrete and should remain concrete. Genesis 3:19 speaks of eating bread through toil, household and hospitality scenes distribute food, priestly texts regulate holy bread, and wisdom texts can use bread figuratively for what a person consumes or pursues. The noun itself does not automatically mean divine provision, Scripture, or salvation.
Exodus 16 calls the manna bread from heaven. Its collection rules teach Israel to depend on the Lord and obey his instruction: ordinary daily gathering is limited, a double portion is gathered before the Sabbath, and a memorial portion is preserved at the Lord's command. The episode therefore teaches dependence without supporting an absolute claim that manna could never be stored.
Deuteronomy 8:3 explains that the wilderness hunger and manna taught Israel that human life does not depend on bread alone but on everything proceeding from the Lord's mouth. Jesus explicitly quotes this verse in the temptation narrative. That citation creates a direct canonical connection, but it does not make lechem a lexical synonym for God's word in every passage.
Isaiah 55:2 asks why people spend for what is not bread and does not satisfy, and Amos 8:11 announces a famine not of bread but of hearing the Lord's words. Both use physical hunger to clarify a deeper deprivation or invitation. John 6 later develops bread-from-heaven imagery around Jesus. These are passage-level canonical relationships, not secret meanings carried by every occurrence of the Hebrew noun.
Lexical sourcePassage contextCanonical parallel
How the Bible Uses It
The local artifact counts about 299 H3899 occurrences. Lechem normally names bread or food, while selected Torah, worship, wisdom, prophetic, and poetic passages use that concrete reality in larger theological arguments.
- Gen.3.19
By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread.
Bread belongs to the judgment of arduous cultivation after the ground is cursed. The verse speaks of subsistence through toil rather than defining all work or every meal as a symbol.
- Exod.16.4
I will rain down bread from heaven for you.
Manna is daily provision and a test of whether Israel will follow the Lord's instruction. The chapter includes both limits on ordinary keeping and commanded Sabbath and memorial preservation.
- Deut.8.3
Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Manna teaches dependence on the Lord who commands and provides. Jesus' explicit citation in Matthew 4:4 and Luke 4:4 supplies the direct cross-testament link.
- Exod.25.30
Place the bread of the Presence on the table before Me at all times.
The construct phrase names bread maintained before the Lord in the sanctuary. Its ritual meaning comes from the tabernacle instructions, not from lechem alone.
- Isa.55.2
Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy?
The prophetic invitation contrasts futile expenditure with listening to the Lord and receiving what truly gives life. The immediate passage should define the contrast without assigning one exhaustive referent to what is not bread.
- Amos.8.11
Not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.
Amos contrasts physical famine with the judicial absence of a sought prophetic word. The oracle is first a specific judgment against Israel.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It bread 52× Genesis 14:18, Genesis 21:14, Exodus 16:4, Exodus 16:29
food 43× Genesis 41:54, Genesis 47:15, Genesis 47:17, Genesis 49:20
of bread 24× Genesis 18:5, Exodus 16:3, Exodus 29:23, Leviticus 8:26
. . . 21× Genesis 31:54, Genesis 43:32, Exodus 2:20, 1 Samuel 20:24
the bread 20× Exodus 16:32, Exodus 25:30, Exodus 40:23, Leviticus 23:18
the food 11× Genesis 39:6, Leviticus 3:16, Leviticus 21:6, Leviticus 21:8
with food 11× Genesis 28:20, Genesis 47:12, Genesis 47:17, Ruth 1:6
your bread 8× Exodus 23:25, Leviticus 26:26, Ecclesiastes 9:7, Ecclesiastes 11:1
of food 7× Psalms 105:16, Proverbs 20:13, Isaiah 3:1, Jeremiah 44:17
and bread 6× Genesis 27:17, Genesis 45:23, Exodus 16:8, Leviticus 8:32
a meal 4× Genesis 31:54, Genesis 37:25, Genesis 43:25, Jeremiah 41:1
for bread 4× Psalms 37:25, Psalms 127:2, Jeremiah 42:14, Lamentations 1:11
his bread 4× Job 33:20, Proverbs 22:9, Ezekiel 18:7, Ezekiel 18:16
my bread 4× 1 Samuel 25:11, Psalms 41:9, Psalms 102:4, Proverbs 9:5
with the bread 4× Leviticus 8:31, Psalms 80:5, Psalms 105:40, Proverbs 30:8
and food 3× 1 Samuel 30:11, Isaiah 55:10, Jeremiah 5:17
and the bread 3× Exodus 29:32, Exodus 35:13, Exodus 39:36
his food 3× Leviticus 22:11, Job 20:14, Isaiah 33:16
[loaves] of bread 2× 1 Samuel 10:4, 1 Samuel 25:18
any food 2× 1 Samuel 14:24, 1 Samuel 20:34
as food 2× Leviticus 3:11, Job 15:23
for food 2× Genesis 41:55, 1 Samuel 2:5
loaves of bread 2× Leviticus 23:17, 1 Kings 14:3
of the showbread 2× 1 Chronicles 9:32, 1 Chronicles 23:29
only bread 2× 1 Kings 22:27, 2 Chronicles 18:26
some bread 2× Genesis 25:34, 1 Kings 13:15
the meal 2× Genesis 43:31, 1 Samuel 20:27
their bread 2× Ezekiel 12:19, Hosea 9:4
with bread 2× Exodus 16:12, Psalms 132:15
- 1× 1 Kings 13:23
[any] food 1× 1 Samuel 14:24
[his] bread 1× Isaiah 44:15
[Those who eat] your bread 1× Obadiah 1:7
[your] bread 1× Genesis 3:19
A feast 1× Ecclesiastes 10:19
and his bread 1× Isaiah 51:14
and the food 1× Isaiah 30:23
any bread 1× Leviticus 23:14
anything 1× 1 Samuel 28:20
are his food 1× Leviticus 22:7
as much food 1× Exodus 16:22
but the food 1× Isaiah 65:25
food to me 1× Job 6:7
food, however 1× Genesis 47:13
for the bread 1× Leviticus 24:7
for the showbread 1× Nehemiah 10:33
give him food 1× Proverbs 25:21
Grain for bread 1× Isaiah 28:28
her food 1× Proverbs 31:14
in exchange for food 1× Genesis 47:19
into bread 1× Ezekiel 4:9
is food 1× Job 24:5
is the bread 1× Exodus 16:15
its provisions 1× Proverbs 6:8
like bread 1× Psalms 102:9
like the bread 1× Hosea 9:4
loaves 1× 2 Kings 4:42
My food 1× Ezekiel 44:7
of showbread 1× 2 Chronicles 13:11
or any bread 1× Exodus 29:34
our bread 1× Lamentations 5:9
our own bread 1× Isaiah 4:1
provisions 1× 1 Kings 4:22
some food 1× 1 Kings 21:7
something 1× 2 Samuel 3:35
their food 1× Proverbs 30:25
they will be like bread for us 1× Numbers 14:9
to eat 1× 2 Samuel 13:5
to feed you 1× Proverbs 27:27
were their food 1× Job 30:4
with its fruit 1× Jeremiah 11:19
you with food 1× Deuteronomy 23:4
your food 1× Judges 13:16
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 3:19 לֶ֔חֶם to [your] bread Noun - masculine singular Genesis 14:18 לֶ֣חֶם to bread Noun - masculine singular Genesis 18:5 לֶ֜חֶם to of bread Noun - masculine singular Genesis 21:14 לֶחֶם֩ to bread Noun - masculine singular Genesis 25:34 לֶ֚חֶם to some bread Noun - masculine singular Genesis 27:17 הַלֶּ֖חֶם to and bread Article | Noun - masculine singular Genesis 28:20 לֶ֛חֶם to with food Noun - masculine singular Genesis 31:54 לָ֑חֶם to a meal Noun - masculine singular Genesis 31:54 לֶ֔חֶם to . . . Noun - masculine singular Genesis 37:25 לֶחֶם֒ to a meal Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 3:19
Aligned rows 298
Books represented 30
Genesis 24 Exodus 21 Leviticus 24 Numbers 7 Deuteronomy 8 Joshua 2 Judges 7 Ruth 2 1 Samuel 27 2 Samuel 13 1 Kings 24 2 Kings 8 1 Chronicles 4 2 Chronicles 3 Ezra 1 Nehemiah 6 Job 11 Psalms 19 Proverbs 23 Ecclesiastes 4 Isaiah 16 Jeremiah 10 Lamentations 4 Ezekiel 20 Daniel 1 Hosea 3 Amos 3 Obadiah 1 Haggai 1 Malachi 1
Source forms
לֶ֣חֶם 25x le·ḥem Genesis 14:18, Exodus 16:29, Leviticus 7:13, Leviticus 21:21
לָֽחֶם׃ 24x lā·ḥem Genesis 41:54, Genesis 43:25, Genesis 43:31, Exodus 2:20
לֶ֖חֶם 22x le·ḥem Genesis 47:12, Exodus 16:3, Exodus 16:4, Exodus 40:23
לֶ֔חֶם 20x le·ḥem Genesis 3:19, Genesis 31:54, Genesis 43:32, Genesis 47:15
לֶ֥חֶם 20x le·ḥem Exodus 25:30, Exodus 29:23, Exodus 35:13, Exodus 39:36
לֶ֙חֶם֙ 12x le·ḥem Exodus 16:22, Numbers 21:5, 1 Samuel 16:20, 1 Samuel 30:11
לֶ֤חֶם 11x le·ḥem Leviticus 3:16, Judges 7:13, 1 Samuel 21:4, 1 Samuel 21:6
לָ֑חֶם 11x lā·ḥem Genesis 31:54, Exodus 16:12, 1 Samuel 2:36, 2 Kings 4:8
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular 151x Genesis 3:19, Genesis 14:18, Genesis 18:5, Genesis 21:14
Noun - masculine singular construct 44x Exodus 16:22, Exodus 16:29, Exodus 25:30, Exodus 29:23
Article | Noun - masculine singular 16x Genesis 27:17, Genesis 39:6, Exodus 16:15, Exodus 16:32
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular 9x Genesis 45:23, Genesis 47:13, Exodus 16:8, Leviticus 23:14
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct 8x Exodus 29:2, Numbers 4:7, Psalms 105:40, Proverbs 9:17
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular 8x Numbers 28:2, 1 Samuel 25:11, Job 3:24, Job 6:7
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular 8x Genesis 49:20, Leviticus 22:7, Job 20:14, Isaiah 33:16
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular 7x Exodus 23:25, Ecclesiastes 9:7, Ecclesiastes 11:1, Isaiah 58:7
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not use Deuteronomy 8:3 to minimize physical hunger or the duty to care for people who lack food.
- Apply the manna pattern as passage-specific formation in dependence, not as a universal prohibition on saving or planning.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that bread is unimportant because life does not depend on bread alone.
- Do not claim that every H3899 occurrence points directly to Jesus, the Supper, or Scripture.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Staple sustenance representing basic human need; metaphorically signifies livelihood, covenant provision, and dependence on God.
Source Gloss
food (for man or beast), especially bread , or grain (for making it)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Staple sustenance representing basic human need; metaphorically signifies livelihood, covenant provision, and dependence on God.
food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it) BDB: bread Usage: (shew-) bread, × eat, food, fruit, loaf, meat, victuals.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Sustenance obtained through honest labor and cultivation of land
Basic provision for survival during imprisonment and hardship
Charitable sustenance given to an enemy as act of mercy and kindness
Daily necessities requested in prayer, neither excess nor deprivation
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 299 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
לֶחֶם is built from these roots:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Lechem lets teachers hold bodily provision and dependence on the Lord together without turning physical bread into a mere metaphor. The noun usually names real food, and Scripture treats that food as a genuine creaturely good. Exodus 16 then uses manna to train Israel in trust and obedience, while Deuteronomy 8 explains that the Provider's command is more basic to life than bread considered by itself.
Isaiah 55 and Amos 8 use hunger and bread to expose deeper satisfaction and deprivation. The New Testament connections should follow explicit texts: Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8 in the wilderness, and John 6 develops manna and bread-from-heaven imagery. Bethlehem means house of bread, but connecting that place-name with Jesus as the bread of life is a later homiletical wordplay, not an etymological prophecy or an argument supplied by H3899.
Anchor passage
Deut.8.3
Doctrinal connections
- Exodus 16:4: manna as bread from heaven and a test of obedient dependence
- Deuteronomy 8:3: life depends on the Lord's word and provision, not bread alone
- Exodus 25:30: bread of the Presence within tabernacle worship
- Isaiah 55:2: bread and satisfaction in the prophetic invitation
- Amos 8:11: bread contrasted with a famine of hearing the Lord's words
- John 6: bread-from-heaven imagery developed around Jesus
Lechem can denote a loaf, bread as a staple, or food more broadly. Bethlehem, בֵּית לֶחֶם, means house of bread. That place-name meaning is real, but later bread-of-life associations are theological wordplay rather than evidence for the historical naming or lexical meaning of the town.
From Old to New Testament
Matthew 4:4 and Luke 4:4 explicitly quote Deuteronomy 8:3. John 6 explicitly discusses manna, bread from heaven, and Jesus as the bread of life. The Lord's Prayer and the Supper add other New Testament bread settings, but each must be interpreted in its own context rather than treated as a direct fulfillment of every H3899 occurrence.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain