Part of Speech: Noun
Strong's Number: H4421
Original Word: milh?amâ
Usage Notes: "war; battle; skirmish; combat." This word has a cognate only in Ugaritic. Biblical Hebrew attests it 315 times and in all periods.
This word means "war," the over-all confrontation of two forces (Gen 14:2). It can refer to the engagement in hostilities considered as a whole, the "battle": "…And they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim" (Gen 14:8). This word is used not only of what is intended but of the hand-to-hand fighting which takes place: "And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp" (Exod 32:17). Milh?amâ sometimes represents the art of soldiering, or "combat": "The Lord is a man of war…" (Exod 15:3). There are several principles which were supposed to govern "war" in the Old Testament. Unjust violence was prohibited, but "war" as a part of ancient life was led (Judg 4:13) and used by God (Num 21:14). If it was preceded by sacrifices recognizing His leadership and sovereignty (1Sam 7:9) and if He was consulted and obeyed (Judg 20:23), Israel was promised divine protection (Deut 20:1-4). Not one life would be lost (Josh 10:11). God's presence in "battle" was symbolized by the ark of the covenant (1Sam 4:3-11). His presence necessitated spiritual and ritualistic cleanliness (Deut 23:9-14). Before and during "battle," trumpets were blown placing the cause before God in anticipation of the victory and gratitude for it (Num 10:9-10), as well as to relay the orders of the commanders. A war cry accompanied the initiation of "battle" (Josh 6:5). At the beginning Israel's army consisted of every man over twenty and under fifty (Num 1:2-3). Sometimes only certain segments of this potential citizens' army were summoned (Num 31:3-6).
There were several circumstances which could exempt one from "war" (Num 1:48-49; Deut 20:5-8). Under David and Solomon there grew a professional army. It was especially prominent under Solomon, whose army was renowned for its chariotry. Cities outside Palestine were to be offered terms of surrender before being attacked. Compliance meant subjugation to slavery (Deut 20:10-11). Cities and peoples within the Promised Land were to be utterly wiped out. They were under the ban (Deut 2:34; Deut 3:6; Deut 20:16-18). This made these battles uniquely holy battles (a holy war) where everything was especially devoted and sacrificed to God. Israel's kings were admonished to trust in God as their strength rather than in a great many horses and chariots (Deut 17:16). Her armies were forbidden to cut down fruit trees in order to build siege equipment (Deut 20:19-20). Soldiers were paid by keeping booty won in "battle" (Num 31:21-31). The entire army divided the spoil, even those in the rear guard (Num 31:26-47; Judg 5:30). God, too, was appointed a share (Num 31:28-30).
Usage Number: 2
Part of Speech: Verb
Strong's Number: H3898
Original Word: lah?am
Usage Notes: "to engage in battle, fight, wage war." This verb occurs 171 times in biblical Hebrew. The first appearance is in Exod 1:10: "Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land."
