Brother

How Nave’s arranged it

• Signifies
• a relativeGenesis 14:16Genesis 29:12
• a neighborDeuteronomy 23:7Judges 21:6Nehemiah 5:7
• any IsraeliteJeremiah 34:9Obadiah 1:10
• mankindGenesis 9:5Matthew 18:351 John 3:15
• a companion2 Samuel 1:261 Kings 13:301 Kings 20:33
• Love of So 8:1Proverbs 17:17Proverbs 18:24
• UnfaithfulProverbs 27:10
• Reuben's love for JosephGenesis 37:21Genesis 37:22
• Joseph's, for his brethrenGenesis 43:30–34Genesis 45:1–5Genesis 50:19–25
• A fraternal epithet, especially among Christians
• Instituted by ChristMatthew 12:50Matthew 25:40Hebrews 2:11Hebrews 2:12

The passages, in Bible order (37)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Genesis 9:5

   And surely I will require the life of any man or beast by whose hand your lifeblood is shed. I will demand an accounting from anyone who takes the life of his fellow man:

   ›Commentary on Genesis 9:52 voices

   “Indeed, I will require your blood, and the blood of your souls from all beasts, and from the hand of man (Gen. IX, 5). He compared it to bestial malice, or rather even accumulated the wickedness of man beyond the ferocity of beasts, by saying: From the hand of the brother of man. Indeed, beasts have nothing in common with us in nature, and they are not bound by any brotherly right. If they harm humans, they harm them as strangers.

   “And He changed the food of men, giving them leave to eat flesh: for from Adam the first-formed until the Flood men ate only of seeds and the fruit of trees, and to eat flesh was not permitted to them.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 9:5→

   Verse page →Original language →

2. Genesis 14:16

   He retrieved all the goods, as well as his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the rest of the people.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 14:161 voice

   “And he brought back - the women also - This is brought in by the sacred historian with peculiar interest and tenderness. All who read the account must be in pain for the fate of wives and daughters fallen into the hands of a ferocious, licentious, and victorious soldiery. Other spoils the routed confederates might have left behind; and yet on their swift asses, camels, and dromedaries, have carried off the female captives. However, Abram had disposed his attack so judiciously, and so promptly executed his measures, that not only all the baggage, but all the females also, were recovered.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 14:16→

   Verse page →Original language →

3. Genesis 29:12

   He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 29:121 voice

   “Jacob told Rachel, &c.--According to the practice of the East, the term "brother" is extended to remote degrees of relationship, as uncle, cousin, or nephew.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 29:12→

   Verse page →Original language →

4. Genesis 37:21

   When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue Joseph from their hands. “Let us not take his life,” he said.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 37:212 voices

   Indeed, Reuben and Judah observed the holy bonds of brotherhood and desired to free Joseph from their hands. Judah receives the preference by his father's blessing, and rightly so, when it is said to him, "The sons of your father shall bow down to you. A lion's whelp is Judah, and he is the expectation of nations."

   “Reuben heard it - Though Reuben appears to have been a transgressor of no ordinary magnitude, if we take Gen 35:22 according to the letter, yet his bosom was not the habitation of cruelly. He determined, if possible, to save his brother from death, and deliver him safely to his father, with whose fondness for him he was sufficiently acquainted.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 37:21→

   Verse page →Original language →

5. Genesis 37:22

   “Do not shed his blood. Throw him into this pit in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this so that he could rescue Joseph from their hands and return him to his father.

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Genesis 43:30–34

   Joseph hurried out because he was moved to tears for his brother, and he went to a private room to weep.

   Verse page →Original language →

7. Genesis 45:1–5

   Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me!” So none of them were with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 45:1–51 voice

   “And whereas it thus bursts forth in tears, this softness or tenderness is more deserving of praise than if he had maintained an equable temper. Therefore the stoics speak foolishly when they say, that it is an heroic virtue not to be touched with compassion.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 45:1–5→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. Genesis 50:19–25

   But Joseph replied, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God?

   ›Commentary on Genesis 50:19–252 voices

   “Joseph wept and said, "Do not be afraid of me, for although your father has died, the God of your father, on account of whom I will never strike you, is still alive.

   “Am I in the place of God? - These words may be understood either as a question, or an affirmative proposition. How should I take any farther notice of your transgression? I have passed it by, the matter lies now between God and you.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 50:19–25→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Leviticus 19:17

   You must not harbor hatred against your brother in your heart. Directly rebuke your neighbor, so that you will not incur guilt on account of him.

   ›Commentary on Leviticus 19:171 voice

   “Not suffer sin upon him - Rather, not hear sin on his account; that is, either by bearing secret ill-will Eph 4:26, or by encouraging him to sin in withholding due rebuke Rom 1:32.

   Everything gathered on Leviticus 19:17→

   Verse page →Original language →

10. Deuteronomy 22:1–4

    If you see your brother’s ox or sheep straying, you must not ignore it; be sure to return it to your brother.

    ›Commentary on Deuteronomy 22:1–41 voice

    “Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ox or his sheep go astray - The same humane, merciful, and wise regulations which we met with before, Exo 23:4, Exo 23:5, well calculated to keep in remembrance the second grand branch of the law of God, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. A humane man cannot bear to see even an ass fall under his burden, and not endeavor to relieve him; and a man who loves his neighbor as himself cannot see his property in danger without endeavoring to preserve it.

    Everything gathered on Deuteronomy 22:1–4→

    Verse page →Original language →

11. Deuteronomy 23:7

    Do not despise an Edomite, for he is your brother. Do not despise an Egyptian, because you lived as a foreigner in his land.

    ›Commentary on Deuteronomy 23:72 voices

    “The Edomite, as descended from Esau the twin brother of Jacob (compare Deu 2:4), and the Egyptian, as of that nation which had for long shown hospitality to Joseph and his brethren, were not to be objects of abhorrence. The oppression of the Egyptians was perhaps regarded as the act of the Pharaohs rather than the will of the people Exo 11:2-3; and at any rate was not to cancel the memory of preceding hospitality. Deu 23:8 In their third generation - i. e. the great grandchildren of the Edomite or Egyptian alien: compare the similar phrase in Exo 20:5.

    “At any rate [Scripture] says openly, "You shall not loathe Egyptians, since you lived as strangers in Egypt." By Egyptian it means "Gentile," in fact anyone from anywhere in the world. It is further forbidden to think of enemies as enemies, even if they are presently besieging your walls in the effort to capture your city, until you have sent them an envoy to invite them to peace.

    Everything gathered on Deuteronomy 23:7→

    Verse page →Original language →

12. Deuteronomy 25:5–10

    When brothers dwell together and one of them dies without a son, the widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother is to take her as his wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law for her.

    ›Commentary on Deuteronomy 25:5–102 voices

    “One - Any of them, for the words are general, and the reason of the law was to keep up the distinction of tribes and families, that so the Messiah might be discovered by the family from which he was appointed to proceed; and also of inheritances, which were divided among all the brethren, the first-born having only a double portion.

    “The law of levirate marriage. The law on this subject is not unique to the Jews, but is found (see Gen 38:8) in all essential respects the same among various Oriental nations, ancient and modern. The rules in these verses, like those upon divorce, do but incorporate existing immemorial usages, and introduce various wise and politic limitations and mitigations of them.

    Everything gathered on Deuteronomy 25:5–10→

    Verse page →Original language →

13. Judges 21:6

    And the Israelites grieved for their brothers, the Benjamites, and said, “Today a tribe is cut off from Israel.

    Verse page →Original language →

14. 2 Samuel 1:26

    I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were delightful to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.

    ›Commentary on 2 Samuel 1:261 voice

    “For, besides the loss of a true friend, which is inestimable; he lost him who both could, and undoubtedly would have given him a speedy, and quiet, and sure possession of the kingdom, whereas now, he met with long and troublesome interruptions. Of women - That is, that love wherewith they love their husbands, or children for their affections are usually more ardent than mens.

    Everything gathered on 2 Samuel 1:26→

    Verse page →Original language →

15. 1 Kings 13:30

    Then he laid the body in his own tomb, and they lamented over him, “Oh, my brother!”

    ›Commentary on 1 Kings 13:302 voices

    “And he laid his carcass in his own grave,.... Which he had prepared for himself; for, as he came from Samaria, it could not be the sepulchre of his fathers; and this was showing all the respect, and doing all the honour to him, he well could: and they mourned over him; the prophet and his sons: saying, alas, my brother; which was an usual form of lamentation at funerals in later times, see Jer 22:18.

    “Alas, my brothers - This lamentation is very simple, very short, and very pathetic. Perhaps the old prophet said it as much in reference to himself, who had been the cause of his untimely death, as in reference to the man of God, whose corpse he now committed to the tomb. But the words may be no more than the burden of each line of the lamentation which was used on this occasion. See instances of this among the Asiatics in the note on Jer 22:18 (note).

    Everything gathered on 1 Kings 13:30→

    Verse page →Original language →

16. 1 Kings 20:33

    Now the men were looking for a sign of hope, and they quickly grasped at this word and replied, “Yes, your brother Ben-hadad.” “Go and get him!” said the king. Then Ben-hadad came out, and Ahab had him come up into his chariot.

    ›Commentary on 1 Kings 20:331 voice

    “The meaning of this verse is that the men from the first moment of their arrival were on the watch to note what Ahab would say; and the moment he let fall the expression “He is my brother,” they caught it up and repeated it, fixing him to it, as it were, and preventing his retreat.

    Everything gathered on 1 Kings 20:33→

    Verse page →Original language →