3978. maakal

Lexicon

maakal: Food, nourishment, meal

Original Word: מַאֲכָל
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: ma'akal
Pronunciation: mah-ak-AWL
Phonetic Spelling: (mah-ak-awl')
Definition: Food, nourishment, meal
Meaning: an eatable

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

food, fruit, victual

From 'akal; an eatable (includ. Provender, flesh and fruit) -- food, fruit, ((bake-)) meat(-s), victual.

see HEBREW 'akal

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from akal
Definition
food
NASB Translation
eaten (1), food (26), fruit (2), provision (1), something to eat (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

מַאֲכָל₃₀ noun masculine^{Judges 14:14} (feminine Habakkuk 1:16) food — ׳מ Genesis 2:9 21t.; construct מַאֲכַל Genesis 40:7 3t.; suffix מַאֲכָֽלְךָ Ezekiel 4:10; מַאֲכָלוֺ Habakkuk 1:16; מַאֲכָלָהּ Proverbs 6:8; מַאֲכַלְכֶם Daniel 1:10 — food, in Genl. Genesis 6:21; 1 Kings 10:5 2Chronicles 9:4; Haggai 2:12; opposed to drink Ezra 3:7; 2Chronicles 11:11; Daniel 1:10; מַאֲכַל תַּאֲוָה Job 33:20; figurative of peoples as fishes, food for Chaldeans Habakkuk 1:16; applied to fruit Genesis 2:9; Genesis 3:6 (of tree ׳טוֺב לְמ) compare ׳עֵץמֿ Leviticus 19:23; Deuteronomy 20:20; Nehemiah 9:25; Ezekiel 47:12 (twice in verse); applied to דָּגָן Isaiah 62:8; applied to honey Judges 14:14; to flour 1 Chronicles 12:41 where apposition קֶמַח; to food of ants Proverbs 6:8 ("" לֶחֶם); to baker's work Genesis 40:17 compare Ezekiel 4:10; applied to carcasses, as food for beasts & birds of prey Deuteronomy 28:26; Psalm 79:2; compare Psalm 44:12 (׳צאֹן מ, simile of suffering people) Jeremiah 7:33; Jeremiah 16:4; Jeremiah 19:7; Jeremiah 34:20; Psalm 74:14.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the root אָכַל (akal), meaning "to eat" or "to consume."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G1034: βρῶμα (brōma) • This Greek term is used in the New Testament to refer to food or that which is eaten. It shares a similar semantic range with מַאֲכָל, often appearing in discussions about dietary practices and spiritual nourishment. For example, in Romans 14:20, Paul writes, "Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble."

This lexical entry provides a comprehensive understanding of the Hebrew term מַאֲכָל, its origins, usage, and significance within the biblical narrative, as well as its Greek counterpart in the New Testament.

Usage: The term מַאֲכָל is used in the Hebrew Bible to refer to food or provisions, often in the context of what is permissible or available for consumption. It can denote both literal food and metaphorical sustenance.

Context: • מַאֲכָל appears in various contexts throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, often highlighting the provision of food or the dietary laws given to the Israelites. It is used to describe the sustenance provided by God, such as manna in the wilderness, as well as the food laws that distinguish clean from unclean animals.
• In Leviticus 11:34, מַאֲכָל is used in the context of dietary laws: "Any food that could be eaten but has water on it from such a vessel will be unclean, and any drink that could be drunk from it will be unclean."
• The term also appears in Genesis 1:29, where God provides food for humanity: "Then God said, 'Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food.'"
• מַאֲכָל is significant in understanding the cultural and religious practices of ancient Israel, particularly in relation to the covenantal relationship with God, where obedience to dietary laws was a sign of faithfulness.

Forms and Transliterations

וּמַאֲכַ֣ל וּמַאֲכָ֨ל וּמַאֲכָֽלְךָ֙ וּמַאֲכָל֖וֹ ומאכל ומאכלו ומאכלך לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל לְמַאֲכָ֑ל לְמַאֲכָ֔ל לְמַאֲכָ֜ל למאכל מַ֝אֲכָ֗ל מַ֠אֲכָל מַ֭אֲכָל מַֽאֲכָל֙ מַאֲכַ֥ל מַאֲכַלְכֶ֖ם מַאֲכָ֑ל מַאֲכָ֔ל מַאֲכָ֖ל מַאֲכָל֙ מַאֲכָלָֽהּ׃ מאכל מאכלה׃ מאכלכם lə·ma·’ă·ḵāl ləma’ăḵāl lemaaChal ma’ăḵal ma’ăḵāl ma’ăḵālāh ma’ăḵalḵem ma·’ă·ḵā·lāh ma·’ă·ḵal ma·’ă·ḵāl ma·’ă·ḵal·ḵem maaChal maachaLah maachalChem Maachol ū·ma·’ă·ḵā·lə·ḵā ū·ma·’ă·ḵā·lōw ū·ma·’ă·ḵal ū·ma·’ă·ḵāl ūma’ăḵal ūma’ăḵāl ūma’ăḵāləḵā ūma’ăḵālōw umaaChal umaachaleCha umaachaLo

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 2:9
HEB: לְמַרְאֶ֖ה וְט֣וֹב לְמַאֲכָ֑ל וְעֵ֤ץ הַֽחַיִּים֙
NAS: and good for food; the tree
KJV: and good for food; the tree
INT: to the sight and good food the tree of life

Genesis 3:6
HEB: טוֹב֩ הָעֵ֨ץ לְמַאֲכָ֜ל וְכִ֧י תַֽאֲוָה־
NAS: was good for food, and that it was a delight
KJV: [was] good for food, and that it
INT: was good the tree food for A delight

Genesis 6:21
HEB: לְךָ֗ מִכָּל־ מַֽאֲכָל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵֽאָכֵ֔ל
NAS: of all food which
KJV: And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten,
INT: take of all food which is edible

Genesis 40:17
HEB: הָֽעֶלְי֔וֹן מִכֹּ֛ל מַאֲכַ֥ל פַּרְעֹ֖ה מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה
NAS: sorts of baked food for Pharaoh,
KJV: basket [there was] of all manner of bakemeats
INT: the top of all food Pharaoh act

Leviticus 19:23
HEB: כָּל־ עֵ֣ץ מַאֲכָ֔ל וַעֲרַלְתֶּ֥ם עָרְלָת֖וֹ
NAS: kinds of trees for food, then you shall count
KJV: all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count
INT: all of trees food shall count forbidden

Deuteronomy 20:20
HEB: לֹא־ עֵ֤ץ מַאֲכָל֙ ה֔וּא אֹת֥וֹ
NAS: you know are not fruit trees
KJV: that they [be] not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy
INT: not trees fruit he shall destroy

Deuteronomy 28:26
HEB: וְהָיְתָ֤ה נִבְלָֽתְךָ֙ לְמַאֲכָ֔ל לְכָל־ ע֥וֹף
NAS: Your carcasses will be food to all
KJV: And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls
INT: become your carcasses will be food to all birds

Judges 14:14
HEB: מֵהָֽאֹכֵל֙ יָצָ֣א מַאֲכָ֔ל וּמֵעַ֖ז יָצָ֣א
NAS: came something to eat, And out of the strong
KJV: came forth meat, and out of the strong
INT: of the eater came something of the strong came

1 Kings 10:5
HEB: וּמַאֲכַ֣ל שֻׁלְחָנ֡וֹ וּמוֹשַׁ֣ב
NAS: the food of his table, the seating
KJV: And the meat of his table,
INT: the food of his table the seating

2 Chronicles 9:4
HEB: וּמַאֲכַ֣ל שֻׁלְחָנ֡וֹ וּמוֹשַׁ֣ב
NAS: the food at his table, the seating
KJV: And the meat of his table,
INT: the food his table the seating

2 Chronicles 11:11
HEB: נְגִידִ֔ים וְאֹצְר֥וֹת מַאֲכָ֖ל וְשֶׁ֥מֶן וָיָֽיִן׃
NAS: in them and stores of food, oil
KJV: in them, and store of victual, and of oil
INT: officers and stores of food oil and wine

Ezra 3:7
HEB: לַחֹצְבִ֖ים וְלֶחָרָשִׁ֑ים וּמַאֲכָ֨ל וּמִשְׁתֶּ֜ה וָשֶׁ֗מֶן
NAS: and carpenters, and food, drink
KJV: and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink,
INT: to the masons and carpenters and food drink and oil

Nehemiah 9:25
HEB: וְזֵיתִ֛ים וְעֵ֥ץ מַאֲכָ֖ל לָרֹ֑ב וַיֹּאכְל֤וּ
NAS: olive groves, Fruit trees
KJV: and oliveyards, and fruit trees
INT: olive trees Fruit abundance ate

Job 33:20
HEB: לָ֑חֶם וְ֝נַפְשׁ֗וֹ מַאֲכַ֥ל תַּאֲוָֽה׃
NAS: And his soul favorite food.
KJV: and his soul dainty meat.
INT: bread and his soul food favorite

Psalm 44:11
HEB: תִּ֭תְּנֵנוּ כְּצֹ֣אן מַאֲכָ֑ל וּ֝בַגּוֹיִ֗ם זֵרִיתָֽנוּ׃
NAS: us as sheep to be eaten And have scattered
KJV: us like sheep [appointed] for meat; and hast scattered
INT: give sheep to be eaten the nations scattered

Psalm 74:14
HEB: לִוְיָתָ֑ן תִּתְּנֶ֥נּוּ מַ֝אֲכָ֗ל לְעָ֣ם לְצִיִּֽים׃
NAS: You gave him as food for the creatures
KJV: in pieces, [and] gavest him [to be] meat to the people
INT: of Leviathan gave food the creatures the wilderness

Psalm 79:2
HEB: נִבְלַ֬ת עֲבָדֶ֗יךָ מַ֭אֲכָל לְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם
NAS: of Your servants for food to the birds
KJV: have they given [to be] meat unto the fowls
INT: the dead of your servants food to the birds of the heavens

Proverbs 6:8
HEB: אָגְרָ֥ה בַ֝קָּצִ֗יר מַאֲכָלָֽהּ׃
NAS: [And] gathers her provision in the harvest.
KJV: [and] gathereth her food in the harvest.
INT: gathers the harvest her provision

Isaiah 62:8
HEB: דְּגָנֵ֨ךְ ע֤וֹד מַֽאֲכָל֙ לְאֹ֣יְבַ֔יִךְ וְאִם־
NAS: your grain [as] food for your enemies;
KJV: thy corn [to be] meat for thine enemies;
INT: your grain again food enemies Nor

Jeremiah 7:33
HEB: הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל לְע֥וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם
NAS: people will be food for the birds
KJV: of this people shall be meat for the fowls
INT: people of this will be food the birds of the sky

Jeremiah 16:4
HEB: וְהָיְתָ֤ה נִבְלָתָם֙ לְמַאֲכָ֔ל לְע֥וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם
NAS: will become food for the birds
KJV: and their carcases shall be meat for the fowls
INT: will become and their carcasses food the birds of the sky

Jeremiah 19:7
HEB: אֶת־ נִבְלָתָם֙ לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל לְע֥וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם
NAS: over their carcasses as food for the birds
KJV: will I give to be meat for the fowls
INT: will give their carcasses food the birds of the sky

Jeremiah 34:20
HEB: וְהָיְתָ֤ה נִבְלָתָם֙ לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל לְע֥וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם
NAS: And their dead bodies will be food for the birds
KJV: and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowls
INT: become and their dead will be food the birds of the sky

Ezekiel 4:10
HEB: וּמַאֲכָֽלְךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּאכֲלֶ֔נּוּ
NAS: Your food which you eat
KJV: And thy meat which thou shalt eat
INT: your food which eat

Ezekiel 47:12
HEB: כָּל־ עֵֽץ־ מַ֠אֲכָל לֹא־ יִבּ֨וֹל
NAS: [kinds of] trees for food. Their leaves
KJV: all trees for meat, whose leaf
INT: all trees food will not wither

29 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 3978
29 Occurrences

lə·ma·’ă·ḵāl — 8 Occ.
ma·’ă·ḵāl — 12 Occ.
ma·’ă·ḵā·lāh — 1 Occ.
ma·’ă·ḵal·ḵem — 1 Occ.
ma·’ă·ḵāl — 2 Occ.
ū·ma·’ă·ḵal — 3 Occ.
ū·ma·’ă·ḵā·lə·ḵā — 1 Occ.
ū·ma·’ă·ḵā·lōw — 1 Occ.