A primitive root; to feed on; figuratively, to consume; by implication, to battle (as destruction) -- devour, eat, X ever, fight(-ing), overcome, prevail, (make) war(-ring).
H3898. lacham
I. [לָחַם]171 verb fight, do battle (Late Hebrew Hithpa`el; ואלתחם MI11.15.19 perhaps = order the battle, compare NöZMG xl. 1886, 721; Arabic fit close together, so Late Hebrew לחם Pi`el, Syriac Pa`el unite, fit also threaten; GerberVerb. Denom. 59 thinks verb in Hebrew denominative from מִלְחָמָה battle-line, but dubious); —
Qal (poetry) only Imperative masculine singular and Participle active — fight, do battle with, rare, only Psalms, apparently later usage: — אֶתלֹֿחֲמָ֑י לְחַם Psalm 35:1 do battle with those battling with me (dubious whether את is accusative sign compare preposition with, compare Ol; "" אֶתיְֿרִיבַי רִיבָה); לִי לֹחֲמִים 56:3 doing battle against me; לֹחֵם 56:2 as substantive fighter.
Niph`al167 Perfect נִלְחַם Judges 9:17 +, וְנִלְחַמְתָּ֫ 11:8; 1 Samuel 15:18, וְנִלְחַמְנוּ Deuteronomy 1:41 consecutive, etc.; Imperfect יִלָּהֵם Exodus 14:14; Deuteronomy 1:30; לָ֑נוּ יִלָּ֫חֶם Nehemiah 4:14, וַיִּלָּ֫חֶם Exodus 17:8 19t.; 3 feminine singular תִּלָּחֵם Zechariah 14:14; 3masculine plural תִּיִּלָּֽחֲמוּ Judges 1:5 13t.; suffix וַיִּלָּֽחֲמוּנִי Psalm 109:3; 2masculine plural תִּלָּֽחֲמוּ 1 Kings 22:31 4t.; תִּלָּֽחֲמוּן 12:24.; etc.; Imperative הִלָּחֵם Exodus 17:9; 1 Samuel 18:17; בּוֺ הִלָּ֫חֶם Judges 9:38; plural הִלָּֽחֲמוּ 2 Kings 10:3; Nehemiah 4:8; Infinitive absolute נִלְחֹם Judges 11:25; construct הִלָּחֵם 1:9 35t.; בּוֺ הִלָּ֫חֶם etc., Numbers 22:11 6t.; suffix הִלָּחֲמוֺ 2 Kings 8:29 3t.; Participle נִלְחָם Exodus 14:24 10t.; plural נִלְחָמִים Joshua 10:25 10t. (but 1 Samuel 31:1 read rather נִלְחֲמוּ, so "" 1 Chronicles 10:1 We Klo Bu, compare Dr); — engage in battle (reciprocal), sometimes wage war (Joshua 10:5; Judges 11:5; 1 Kings 14:19; 22:46; 2 Kings 6:8; 14:28 etc.), often with בְּ of enemy (60 t.) Exodus 1:10; 17:9-10, Numbers 21:23, 26; 22:11 (all E), Judges 11:8, 25; 1 Samuel 15:18; 2 Samuel 8:10 + (49 t.); less often with בְּ of city attacked or besieged Judges 9:45; 1 Samuel 23:1; 2 Samuel 12:26-27, 29; Isaiah 20:1; Joshua 10:31 (D), 1 Kings 20:1; Nehemiah 4:2; of tower Judges 1:52; followed by בְּאַרְצִי Judges 11:12; also with עִם of enemy (26 t.): 5:20; 11:4-5, 20; Joshua 11:5 (JE), 1 Samuel 13:5; 17:19, also 17:32-33, (of single combat), Deuteronomy 20:4; Joshua 9:2 (both D), 2 Kings 13:12; 14:15; 2 Chronicles 11:1; 17:10; 27:5; Daniel 10:20; 11:11 +; with עִם of city Joshua 10:29 (D), 19:47 (JE); c אֶתֿ = with, of enemy, 24:8 (E), 1 Samuel 17:9 (single combat), Jeremiah 21:5; 1 Kings 20:23; 2 Kings 19:9 = Isaiah 37:9; Jeremiah 37:10; also Judges 12:4; 2 Samuel 11:17; 21:15; 1 Kings 22:31; 2 Kings 8:2; 9:15; Jeremiah 21:4; 32:5; 33:5; 2 Chronicles 18:30; 22:6, and with אוֺתָם (= אִתָּם) Joshua 10:25 (D), 1 Kings 20:25 (KöLgb. ii, 296); with עִל, against, of enemy only Jeremiah 21:2; elsewhere (16 t.) of city: Joshua 10:5 (JE), Isaiah 7:1; 2 Kings 12:18; 19:8 = Isaiah 37:8; especially D and Je: Deuteronomy 20:10, 19; Joshua 10:34, 36, 38 (all D), Jeremiah 32:24, 29; 34:1, 7, 8, 22; with אֶלֿ of enemy 1:19; 15:20; with suffix וַיִּלָּֽחֲמוּנִי Psalm 109:3 and they have fought against me; with יָ֑חַד i.e. fight together = with (against) one another 1 Samuel 17:10; absolute with accusative of congnate meaning with verb מִלְחָמוֺת fight battles 8:20; 18:17; 25:28; 2 Chronicles 32:8; absolute elsewhere Judges 5:19 (twice in verse); 5:20; Deuteronomy 1:41; Zechariah 10:5 26t. + לְהִלָּחֵ֑ם עָלָיו וַיָּסֻרוּ 1 Kings 22:32; with עַל for, in behalf of, Judges 9:17; 2 Kings 10:3; Nehemiah 4:8; with לְ = id., Exodus 14:14 (J), 14:25 (J; + בְּ of enemy), Deuteronomy 1:30; 3:22; 20:4 (+ עִם of enemy, see above), Joshua 10:14, 42; 23:3, 10 (all D), Nehemiah 4:14 לְהִלּ ׳יָכֹל be able to fight, with את of enemy 1 Samuel 17:9, with בְּ of enemy Numbers 22:11, = be successful in fighting, prevail against; so with עַל of city Isaiah 7:1, and absolute 2 Kings 16:5 (after עָל וַיָּצֻרוּ besiege).
II. [לָחַם] verb use as food, eat, poetic (so Thes Buhl, compare Frä30 GuidiDella Sede 33; this would explain different between לֶחֶם and ; yet verb rare and chiefly late); —
Qal Perfect3plural לָֽחֲמוּ Proverbs 4:17; Imperfect2masculine singular תִּלְחַם 23:6, 1singular אֶלְחַם Psalm 141:4; Imperative masculine plural לַחֲמוּ Proverbs 9:5; Infinitive construct לְחוֺם 23:1; Passive participle plural construct לְחֻמֵי Deuteronomy 32:24; eat (mostly Proverbs), absolute Proverbs 23:1; followed by accusative of congnate meaning with verb לֶחֶם 4:17; 23:6; followed by בְּלַחְמִי 9:5; followed by בְּמַנְעַמֵּיהֶם Psalm 141:4 eat of their dainties; רֶשֶׁף לְחֻמֵי Deuteronomy 32:24 (poem) eaten up with the Fire-bolt, figurative of pestilence (Dr).