Contend vs Befight - What's the difference?

As verbs the difference between contend and befight

is that contend is to strive in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight while befight is to deprive of by fighting.

(Webster 1913)

(en verb)

to strive in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight.

* Bible, Deuteronomy ii. 9

The Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle.

* Shakespeare

For never two such kingdoms did contend without much fall of blood.

to struggle or exert one's self to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend.

* Dryden

You sit above, and see vain men below / Contend for what you only can bestow.

to strive in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue.

* John Locke

The question which our author would contend for.

* Dr H. More

Many things he fiercely contended about were trivial.

* struggle, fight, combat, vie, strive, oppose, emulate, contest, litigate, dispute, debate

* *

(obsolete) To deprive of by fighting.

(transitive, dialectal, or, obsolete) To fight against; contend; do battle with.