What does brother (ach) mean in the Hebrew Bible?
Hebrew Bible ABCs - Aleph
Aleph is for אח
In this new series, I will take simple, elementary-level Hebrew words and explain how they're used in context. These are words with hundreds of occurrences in the Hebrew Bible. At the same time, you can learn the Hebrew Alphabet (or, more accurately, alephbet), as I'll be going in order from aleph to tav. Today's letter is Aleph. Aleph is for אח (ach), which means brother. The usages and categories from this article are taken from HALOT, but the analysis is mine.
By reading sentences featuring ach, you'll find that the simplest of words are used to imply entire conceptual frameworks. We learn this subconsciously as we use language and communicate with others. Even as toddlers, we learn how signs refer to objects, such as where to look where our parents point their fingers at an object. Eventually, we learn that one symbol can mean a lot of things, and one word can refer to a lot of things. We don't mean what we say. So, what do we mean when we say ach?
Ach and blood relatives
The most literal usage of ach has to do with blood relatives. When we hear brother, we most immediately directly think of a male blood sibling, as in, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”. Here are a couple more examples of ach referring to a blood relative.
Level One: No abstraction
At the most literal, ach refers to one’s male sibling, full or half.
Genesis 4:8 - Cain spoke to Abel his brother.
At this level, ach never refers to a female sibling (at least, it's not attested as far as I know).
Level Two: Mostly Literal
At the next level of abstraction, we have ach meaning kinsman (relative).
Gen 14:16 - Then he brought back all the possessions and also brought back his brother Lot with his possessions
Abraham was Lot’s uncle, but refers to Lot as his brother. There are several dimensions to the title. First, Abraham loves Lot and cares for him. So, ach represents familial affection. Secondly, Lot’s father is dead, so Lot takes over his father’s role in society. Ach symbolizes the loyalty, respect, and obligations of familial bonds.
Level Three: Some abstraction
Here, ach refers to any kinsman, regardless of gender.
Gen 24:48 - to take the brother of my master's kinsman for his son
This is our first example of ach that refers to a female person. This is Abraham’s servant's prayer, when he thanks Yahweh for helping him find Rebekah to be Isaac's wife. In this quote, ach refers to Rebekah.
Like the previous example, ach evokes the strong familial bonds of extended family, with the added dimension of the marriage relationship. For example, a husband might call his wife “sister” as a term of endearment. Rebekah is related to Isaac and from the same generation. Abraham’s servant assumes that their shared blood will result in shared values and lifestyles. This concept of “close family shares values” shows up more strongly in usages of ach that are even more figurative.
Ach and Distant Relations
These next two examples involve tribe and nation -level identities. There are blood relations to some degree, but the relations are too distant to be the main focus.
Level Four: Mostly abstract
This example involves extended relatives from different generations.
Gen 31:32 - Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our brothers point out what I have that is yours
Laban’s family gods are missing right after Jacob and his household depart from Laban. Jacob assures his uncle that he did not take Laban’s idols. Ach refers to Laban and his relatives, who are also Jacob’s relatives. Jacob uses the familial term ach to appeal to Laban’s sense of loyalty - we are on the same side. I am not hiding anything from you. I am not stealing from you. We are family.
Level Five: Mostly abstract
Similarly, ach often refers to any Israelite or Hebrew, as in fellow countryman.
Deut 15:12 - If your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you…
This passage discusses laws regarding slaves and freeing them. Here, ach represents the moral obligation to fellow countryman. This kind of usage stirs up patriotism. The underlying worldview is: you cannot own someone is your equal.
Ach & Social Distance
Based on our survey of ach in the Hebrew Bible, we see that “brother” has more to do with social identity than actual siblinghood. Calling someone “brother” is a way of decreasing social distance between someone less senior than the other. For example, Abraham, the senior (and thus the one owed more respect), decreases the social distance between himself and his nephew Lot when he calls Lot ach. Ach is also a metaphor for nearness, familiarity, and affection. For example, David calls Jonathan his brother because he loves him so much that he is as dear to him as a brother. David, the "lesser" in this situation, uses ach to decrease the social distance between himself and Jonathan. They are not prince and commoner; they are brother and brother.
Ach is also used figuratively in official messaging. In Numbers 20:14, Moses is sending a message to the king of Edom. He opens his message with: “Thus says your brother Israel.” Here, ach represents shared humanity: I respect you as a fellow human being so you are my brother. Moses and the king of Edom are both leaders of their respective people groups, so Moses speaks as Israel, and addresses the king of Edom as though he were addressing all the people of Edom. While Moses and the king of Edom theoretically share the same social status as leaders, they are aligned primarily with separate people groups. The Israelites and the Edomites share a common ancestor in Isaac, but are not exactly on good terms. Moses uses ach to endear himself to the king and to highlight their similarities. Ach is used to decrease social distance.
Conclusion
Who we call ach and the situations in which we use ach reveal so much about our worldview. The word “brother” shows us how we see our place in the world and how we see our relationships with the people around us. Even today, the contexts where we use “bro,” “brother,” or even “braddah” make a difference depending on who we’re talking to. When we say ach, we’re usually not talking about our actual siblings. We’re talking about our conceptual, constructed family: who are we indebted to? who do we have emotional bonds to? who is our brother?
Next up in the Alephbet is Bet! Let’s see if you have any guesses on what word I’ll do (Hint: it’s a part of the name of a very huge Evangelical church network). Until then, you can check out this post about ben, or “son of,” which is also a word that starts with Bet.
Next: Bet is for Bayit