Dictionary of Bible Themes: 5661 brothers

5661 brothers

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Dictionary of Bible Themes » 5000 Humanity » 5650 Human relationships » 5661 brothers

The son of one's parents, or of either mother or father. God's people may be referred to collectively as brothers, all being children of one heavenly Father.

Close relationship between brothers

Leviticus 21:1-3 See also Numbers 6:6-7; Deuteronomy 28:54; Proverbs 18:24; Ezekiel 44:25

Duties of brothers

Levirate marriage

Deuteronomy 25:5-10 See also Genesis 38:6-11; Matthew 22:23-30 pp Mark 12:18-25 pp Luke 20:27-36

Participation in arrangement of marriages for sisters

Genesis 34:11-17 See also Genesis 24:50-60

Protection of sisters

2 Samuel 13:1-33 See also Genesis 34:24-31; Leviticus 21:3

Younger brothers taking news of older brothers to their father

1 Samuel 17:17-18 See also Genesis 37:12-17

The priority of the eldest brother

Deuteronomy 21:15-17 See also Genesis 43:33; Genesis 44:12; 1 Samuel 20:29; 1 Chronicles 5:1-2; 2 Chronicles 21:1-3; Psalm 89:27; Hebrews 12:16

Examples of younger brothers superseding their elder brothers

Genesis 25:21-23 See also Genesis 48:8-20; Deuteronomy 33:13-17; 1 Samuel 16:6-13; 1 Kings 2:22

Brothers as heirs

Numbers 27:8-11 See also Ecclesiastes 4:8

Twin brothers

Genesis 25:24-26 See also Genesis 38:27-30; Malachi 1:2-3

Half-brothers

Judges 11:1-2 See also Genesis 21:8-9; Judges 8:30-31; Judges 9:1-6

Brothers-in-law

Numbers 10:29-32 See also Genesis 38:8; Deuteronomy 25:5,7; Judges 4:11

Examples of brothers failing to live up to expectations of them

Genesis 4:8-12 See also Genesis 37:3-4,12-33; Genesis 38:6-10; Judges 9:1-5; 2 Chronicles 21:4

Application of the term “brothers”

To siblings

Genesis 42:32 See also Genesis 16:9-12; Genesis 25:18; Judges 16:31; 1 Samuel 17:17-22; Samuel 22:1; 2 Chronicles 21:13; Nehemiah 1:2; Nehemiah 5:14; Job 19:17; Job 42:11; Proverbs 17:17; Matthew 10:21 pp Mark 13:12 pp Luke 21:16; Matthew 13:55 pp Mark 6:3; John 7:3-5

To relatives

To members of the same tribe

2 Samuel 19:11-12 See also Numbers 8:26

To Israelites

Deuteronomy 3:18 See also Deuteronomy 10:9; Deuteronomy 17:15; Judges 20:23; 2 Samuel 19:41; 1 Chronicles 13:2; Jeremiah 7:15

To descendants of a common ancestor

Numbers 20:14 See also Deuteronomy 2:4; Deuteronomy 23:7

To equals and fellow-citizens

Leviticus 19:17 See also Deuteronomy 1:16; Deuteronomy 15:3; Deuteronomy 22:1; Deuteronomy 23:19; 2 Samuel 2:26; Matthew 5:22-24; Matthew 7:3-5 pp Luke 6:41-42

Love for God must exceed love for brothers

Jesus Christ calls his disciples his “brothers”

Matthew 12:49-50 pp Mark 3:34-35 pp Luke 8:21 See also Matthew 25:34-40; Matthew 28:10; John 20:17; Hebrews 2:11

The fraternal relationship among God's people

Fellow Christians called brothers

Matthew 23:8 See also Acts 15:23; Acts 28:14; 1 Corinthians 5:11; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Corinthians 9:3; Corinthians 11:9; Corinthians 12:18; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Philemon 1

Believers urged to love each other

1 Thessalonians 4:10 See also Romans 12:10; James 2:14-17; 1 Peter 2:17; 2 Peter 1:5-9

The church referred to as “the brothers”

Brother as an honorific term

Equals called “brothers”

Genesis 29:4 See also 1 Samuel 30:22-23; 2 Samuel 1:26; Samuel 20:9; 1 Kings 13:29-30; Acts 1:16; Acts 2:37; Acts 3:17; Acts 7:2; Acts 22:1; Acts 28:17

Fellow Christians called “brothers”

1 Corinthians 1:10 See also Acts 9:17; Acts 22:13; Romans 8:12; Romans 11:25; 1 Corinthians 2:1; Corinthians 7:24; 2 Corinthians 8:1; Galatians 4:31; 1 Thessalonians 2:14; Hebrews 3:1; James 1:16; James 5:10