μᾰχ-η G3163
A fight, quarrel, or conflict; strife arising from disputes or clashing interests.
Derived from the verb machomai (to fight), this noun covers the full range from physical combat to verbal disputes and interpersonal strife. In the New Testament it appears exclusively in the figurative sense of quarrels and contentions rather than military battles. James 4:1 memorably asks where these 'wars and fights' come from, pointing to inner desires as the root. Paul uses it to describe both external conflicts (2 Cor 7:5) and the fruitless disputes that arise from foolish controversies (2 Tim 2:23, Titus 3:9).
Senses
1. sense 1 — Quarrels, disputes, and conflicts between people, whether verbal contention or broader interpersonal strife. The multilingual evidence uniformly points to strife and contention rather than military combat: Spanish 'contiendas, disputas, luchas,' German 'Streit,' and French 'combat.' In James 4:1 it appears alongside 'wars' (polemoi) to describe the bitter feuds that spring from selfish desires, while in 2 Timothy 2:23 and Titus 3:9 Paul warns against the pointless fights generated by foolish controversies. 4×
AR["المُخاصَماتُ", "المُخاصَماتِ", "حُروبٌ", "مُشاجَراتٍ"]·ben["বিবাদ", "বিবাদ।", "যুদ্ধ,"]·DE["Streit"]·EN["conflicts", "fights", "quarrels"]·FR["combat", "μάχαι", "μάχας"]·heb["מְרִיבוֹת", "מַאֲבָקִים", "מַדָנִים", "מַחֲלֹקוֹת"]·HI["झगड़े", "झगदोन.", "लड़ाइयाँ", "लदऐयोन"]·ID["pertempuran", "pertengkaran", "pertengkaran-pertengkaran"]·IT["lotta", "machai", "machas"]·jav["padudon", "padudon.", "pasulayan"]·KO["다투들", "다툼들-이", "싸움들-을", "싸움들을."]·PT["combates", "contendas", "lutas"]·RU["сражения", "ссор", "ссоры"]·ES["contiendas", "disputas", "luchas", "peleas"]·SW["mabishano", "mapigano,", "ugomvi"]·TR["dıştan", "kavgalar", "kavgaları"]·urd["جھگڑے", "لڑائیاں", "لڑائیوں-سے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
μᾰχ-η, ἡ, (μάχομαι) battle, combat, frequently in Refs 8th c.BC+; sometimes of single combat, Refs; μ. καὶ δηϊοτήςRefs 5th c.BC+ fight a battle, Refs 8th c.BC+; ἀντιάζειν τινὶ μάχανRefs 5th c.BC+; μ. συμβάλλειν τινί engage battle with.., Refs 5th c.BC+; διὰ μάχης τινὶ ἀπικέσθαι, ἔρχεσθαι, ἥκειν, Refs 5th c.BC+; εἰς μάχην πρός τινα ἐλθεῖν, μολεῖν, Refs 5th c.BC+; μάχῃ κρατῆσαι conquer in battle,…