Biblical Lexicon

H3978 H3978

N-ms | 30× in 1 sense

food, nourishment — edible substance or provision for eating, including fruit, grain, and prepared meals

Ma'akhal, derived from the root akhal ('to eat'), is a general-purpose noun for food that appears 30 times across a wide range of contexts. It first occurs in Eden, where every tree pleasant to sight is described as 'good for food' (tov lema'akhal, Gen 2:9; 3:6), establishing the word's association with desirability and provision. Noah stores ma'akhal aboard the ark for every creature (Gen 6:21). The word extends to fruit trees designated as food-bearing (Lev 19:23; Deut 20:20; Ezek 47:12), royal banquets (1 Kgs 10:5), and the laborer's daily bread (Dan 1:10). Habakkuk uses it figuratively of conquered peoples as 'food' for the Chaldean net (Hab 1:16). Translations converge on a single nutritive concept: Spanish 'comida/alimento,' French 'nourriture,' German 'Speise.'

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Senses

1. food, nourishment — Edible substance or nourishment in the broadest sense, covering raw produce, prepared meals, and provisions. First appears describing Eden's trees as 'good for food' (Gen 2:9; 3:6), then Noah's ark provisions (Gen 6:21), fruit-bearing trees in legal codes (Lev 19:23; Deut 20:20), and royal fare (1 Kgs 10:5). Habakkuk extends it figuratively to conquered peoples devoured like fish (Hab 1:16). Samson's riddle plays on the word: 'out of the eater came food' (Judg 14:14). 30×

FOOD_DRINK › Foods and Condiments › Food and Nourishment

AR["طَعاماً", "طَعامٍ", "طَعَامًا", "طَعَامٌ", "طَعَامٍ", "لِ-طَعَامٍ", "لِـ-طَعَامٍ", "لِلْمَأْكَلِ", "مَأْكَلٍ", "مَأْكُولٍ", "وَ-طَعَامًا", "وَطَعامَ"]·ben["-খাদ্য-রূপে", "আর-খাদ্য", "ও-খাদ্য", "খাদ্য", "খাদ্য-হতে", "খাদ্যর-জন্য", "খাদ্যের", "খাদ্যের-জন্য", "খাবার", "খাবার-হিসেবে"]·DE["Speise", "[ומאכל]", "[מאכל]", "fuer-Speise", "von-ass", "wie-Speise", "zum-Essen", "zur-Speise"]·EN["and-food", "and-the-food-of", "as-food", "food", "for-food"]·FR["[ומאכל]", "[מאכל]", "de-manger", "de-nourriture", "en-nourriture", "nourriture", "pour-nourriture"]·heb["ו-מאכל", "ל-מאכל", "מאכל"]·HI["और-भोजन", "और-भोजन-को", "के-लिए-खाने", "को-भोजन", "खाना", "खाने-का", "खाने-के-लिए", "खाने-को", "खाने-योग्य", "फल", "फलों-का", "भोजन", "भोजन-के", "भोजन-के-लिए"]·ID["dan-makanan", "dan-minyak", "makanan", "menjadi-makanan", "sebagai-makanan", "untuk-dimakan"]·IT["[ומאכל]", "[מאכל]", "cibo", "per-cibo"]·jav["Lan-dhaharan", "dados-dhaharan", "dados-tedha", "dhaharan", "kangge-tedha", "kanggé-dhaharan", "kanggé-tedha", "lan-dhaharan", "langit", "tedha", "tedhan"]·KO["(전)-먹이로", "그리고-음식", "먹을-것의", "먹을-것이", "먹이-가", "먹이-로", "먹이로", "에-먹기", "에게-먹이", "에게-먹이로", "음식", "음식-을", "음식-의", "음식의"]·PT["alimento", "comida", "e-comida", "e-comida-de", "para-comer", "para-comida", "por-comida"]·RU["в-пищу", "для-пищи", "еда", "и-еду", "и-пищу", "пищевое", "пищевых", "пищей", "пищи", "пищу"]·ES["Y-comida-de", "alimento", "comida", "como-comida", "para-alimento", "para-comer", "para-comida", "por-comida", "y-comida"]·SW["chakula", "kwa-chakula", "na-chakula", "wa-chakula"]·TR["Ve-yemeğini", "için-yiyecek", "ve-yiyecek", "yem", "yem-olarak", "yiyecek", "yiyecek-için", "yiyecek-olarak", "yiyeceğe-", "yiyeceğin"]·urd["اور-کھانا", "خوراک", "خوراک-کا", "خوراک-کو", "خوراک-کے", "خوراک-کے-لیے", "لِ-خوراک", "لِ-کھانا", "پھل-کا", "کھانا", "کھانے", "کھانے-کا", "کھانے-کو"]

Gen 2:9, Gen 3:6, Gen 6:21, Gen 40:17, Lev 19:23, Deut 20:20, Deut 28:26, Judg 14:14, 1 Kgs 10:5, 1 Chr 12:40, 2 Chr 9:4, 2 Chr 11:11 (+18 more)

BDB / Lexicon Reference

† מַאֲכָל n.m. Ju 14:14 (f. Hb 1:16) food—מ׳ Gn 2:9 + 21 textual; cstr. מַאֲכַל Gn 40:7 + 3 textual; sf. מַאֲכָֽלְךָ Ez 4:10; מַאֲכָלוֹ Hb 1:16; מַאֲכָלָהּ Pr 6:8; מַאֲכַלְכֶם Dn 1:10—food, in genl. Gn 6:21 1 K 10:5 = 2 Ch 9:4 Hg 2:12; opp. drink Ezr 3:7 2 Ch 11:11 Dn 1:10; מַאֲכַל תַּאֲוָה Jb 33:20; fig. of peoples as fishes, food for Chaldeans Hb 1:16; appl. to fruit Gn 2:9; 3:6 (of tree טוֹב…