FW-H4421 (war)
מִלְחָמָה (milḥāmâ)
The complex feminine noun derived from lāḥam (see FW-H3898). Unlike ṣāḇā (see FW-H6635), milḥāmâ unambiguously describes war and battle. Very infrequently, it is attached to îš (H376) to become “man of war” or “warrior.” This construction rarely applies to individual persons, such as God (Ex.15:3, Is.42:13), David (1Sam.16:18, 2Sam.17:8), Machir of Manasseh (Josh.17:1), and Hadadezer (2Sam.8:10). When milhama is attached to individuals, it is not always in a positive sense, as with Goliath (1Sam.17:33) and when David is denied the opportunity to build the Temple (1Chr.28:3). More frequently, it is coupled with ĕnôš (H582) to become “people of war.” Only a handful of times with am (H5971) to become “nation of war,” or āśâ (H6213) to become “do-ers of war.”
Occurrences
The word appears just 37 times in the Torah, the first five foundation books of the Hebrew Scriptures, often with double-sided implications. Egypt is afraid the Hebrew slaves will join their enemies if milḥāmâ breaks out (Ex.1:10), but God points out that they prefer enslavement to milḥāmâ (Ex.13:17). Interestingly, the priestly book of Leviticus contains no references whatsoever to milḥāmâ or lāḥam. Some instances;
Exodus 15:3 YHWH is a man of milḥāmâ, YHWH is his name.
Numbers 31:14 Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, who had come from ṣāḇā milḥāmâ.
1 Chronicles 28:3 But God said to [David], "You may not build a house for my name, for you are a man of milḥāmâ and have shed blood.
Conclusion
Several verses distinguish milḥāmâ from ṣāḇā and/or emphasize God’s agency, over and against humanity’s, in undertaking milḥāmâ. This serves to remind Israel that 1) assembling is not necessarily for war or armed service and 2) war is God’s exclusive domain. Often, Israel attempts to assert their own interests through armed conflict only to have their defeat classified as God’s judgment against them for the sin of idolatry.
More H4421
Exodus
1:10 Let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if milḥāmâ breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us
13:17 God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see milḥāmâ and return to Egypt.”
17:16 The LORD will have milḥāmâ with Amalek from generation to generation.
32:17 When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of milḥāmâ in the camp.”
Numbers
10:9 And when you go to milḥāmâ in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the LORD your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies.
31:14 And Moses was angry with the officers of the ḥayil, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who had come from ṣāḇā milḥāmâ.
31:27 Divide the plunder into two parts between 1) those who brought milḥāmâ from the ṣāḇā and 2) all the congregation.
32:6 But Moses said to the people of Gad and to the people of Reuben, “Shall your brothers go to milḥāmâ while you sit here?
Deuteronomy
2:14 And the time from our leaving Kadesh-barnea until we crossed the brook Zered was thirty-eight years, until the entire generation, that is, the ĕnôš milḥāmâ, had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them.
20:1 When you milḥāmâ against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. 2 And when you draw near to milḥāmâ, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people 3 and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for milḥāmâ against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, 4 for the LORD your God is he who goes with you to lāḥam against your enemies, to give you the victory.’
Isaiah
42:13 The LORD goes out like a mighty man, like a man of milḥāmâ he stirs up his zeal; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes.
