H0251 H0251
Brother (blood sibling sharing parents); by extension kinsman, fellow countryman, or national brethren.
At its core, ach is the Hebrew word for a male sibling — a brother by blood (Gen 4:2). But like its cognates across Semitic languages (Arabic akh, Assyrian akhu, Ethiopic ekhw), it expands naturally to cover wider kinship: tribal relatives, fellow Israelites, and covenant partners. When Lot is called Abraham's 'brother' though actually his nephew (Gen 14:14), or when Moses addresses all Israel as 'brothers' (Deut 1:16), the word moves from biology to solidarity. Arabic glosses helpfully distinguish ikhwan (brethren/fellows) from akh (blood brother), confirming this broadened relational sense.
1. brother (blood sibling) — A literal brother sharing one or both parents — the primary kinship sense covering full brothers, half-brothers, and siblings. Universally rendered hermano (Spa.), frère (Fra.), Bruder (Ger.), akh (Arabic). Dominates at 573 occurrences, from Cain and Abel (Gen 4:9) to the sons of Jacob to tribal genealogies (1 Chr 5:7; 15:5). 573×
AR["وَ-إخوَتُهُ","وَ-إِخْوَتُهُ","وَ-إِخْوَتِهُ","وَ-إِخْوَتِهِ","وَإِخْوَتُهُ"]·ben["আর-তার-ভাইরা","এবং-তাঁর-ভাইয়েরা","ও-কে","ও-তার-ভাইরা","ও-ভাইরা-তাঁর","প্রধান","হাত"]·DE["und-sein-Bruder","und-sein-Brueder"]·EN["and-his-brothers"]·FR["et-frère","et-son-frères"]·heb["ו-אח-ו","ו-אחיו"]·HI["-और-उसके-भाई","और-उसके-भाइयों-के","और-उसके-भाई","और-भाई-उसके"]·ID["-dan-saudara-saudaranya","Dan-saudara-saudaranya","dan-saudara-saudaranya"]·IT["e-fratello","e-suoi-fratelli"]·jav["Lan-sadèrèkipun","lan-para-sadhèrèk-ipun","lan-para-sadèrèk-ipun","lan-sadhèrèk-ipun","lan-sedherek-sedherekipun"]·KO["그-와-형제들-그-의","그리고-그의-형제들","그리고-형제들-그의","그리고-형제들-그의-가"]·PT["E-irmãos-seus","e-irmãos-seus","e-seus-irmãos"]·RU["и-братьев-его","и-братья-его"]·ES["Y-sus-hermanos","y-hermanos-de-él","y-hermanos-suyos","y-sus-hermanos"]·SW["Na-ndugu-zake","na-ndugu-zake"]·TR["ve-kardeşleri","ve-kardeşleri-onun","ve-kardeşlerini","ve-kardeşlerinin"]·urd["اور-اس-کے-بھائی","اور-اُس-کے-بھائی","اور-اُس-کے-بھائیوں-کے","اور-بھائی-اُس-کے"]
Judg 9:26, Judg 9:31, 1 Chr 5:7, 1 Chr 9:19, 1 Chr 15:5, 1 Chr 15:6, 1 Chr 15:7, 1 Chr 15:8, 1 Chr 15:9, 1 Chr 15:10, 1 Chr 16:7, 1 Chr 16:39 (+38 more)
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
2. kinsman, fellow countryman, brethren — A broader relational sense extending beyond blood to encompass kinsmen, tribal relatives, fellow Israelites, or national brethren. Arabic glosses favor ikhwan (brethren/fellows) over akh (brother) in these contexts, revealing the semantic shift. Used when Moses adjudicates between Israelite 'brothers' (Deut 1:16), when Levites serve alongside priestly 'brothers' (Num 18:6), and in covenant address (Num 20:3). 57×
AR["إِخْوَتِهِمْ","وَ-إخوَتُهُم","وَ-إِخوَتُهُم","وَ-إِخْوَتُهُم","وَ-إِخْوَتُهُمْ","وَ-إِخْوَتِهُمْ","وَ-إِخْوَتِهِمْ","وَ-لِ-إِخْوَتِهِم","وَ-لِ-إِخْوَتِهِمْ","وَإِخْوَتُهُم"]·ben["আর-তাদের-ভাইদের","আর-তাদের-ভাইয়েরা","আর-তাহাদের-ভাইয়েরা","ও-তাদের-ভাইরা","ও-ভাইদের-তার","ও-ভাইয়েরা-তাদের","ও-ভাইরা-তাদের","ও-ভ্রাতাদের-তাদের-জন্য","তাদের-ভাইদের"]·DE["ihr-Brueder","und-Bruder"]·EN["and-for-their-brothers","and-their-brothers","and-to-their-brothers","their-brothers"]·FR["et-frère","leur-frères"]·heb["אחיהם","ו-אח","ו-אח-ם","ו-ל-אח-ם"]·HI["और-उनके-भाइयों","और-उनके-भाइयों-के-लिए","और-उनके-भाई","और-उसके-भाई","और-भाई-अपने","और-भाई-उनके","भाइयों-उनके"]·ID["Dan-saudara-saudara-mereka","dan-saudara-saudara-mereka","dan-saudara-saudaranya","dan-untuk-saudara-saudara-mereka","dan-untuk-saudara-saudaranya","saudara-saudara-mereka"]·IT["e-fratello","loro-fratelli"]·jav["Lan-para-sadhèrèk-ipun","Lan-sadherek-ipun","Lan-sadèrèkipun","lan-kangge-sederekipun","lan-para-sadherèkè","lan-para-sadhèrèk-ipun","lan-sadherek-ipun","lan-sadhèrèk-ipun","lan-sedherek-sedherekipun","sedhèrèkipun"]·KO["그-와-형제들-그들-의","그들의-형제들","그리고-그들-의-형제들","그리고-그들의-형제들","그리고-그들의-형제들의","그리고-그들의-형제들이","그리고-에게-그들-의-형제들","그리고-위해-그들-의-형제들"]·PT["E-irmãos-deles","E-seus-irmãos","e-para-seus-irmãos","e-seu-irmão","e-seus-irmãos","seus-irmãos"]·RU["братьев-их","и-братья-их","и-для-братьев-их"]·ES["Y-hermanos-de-ellos","Y-sus-hermanos","sus-hermanos","y-de-sus-hermanos","y-hermanos-de-ellos","y-para-sus-hermanos","y-sus-hermanos"]·SW["Na-ndugu-zao","na-kwa-ndugu-zao","na-ndugu-zao","ndugu-zao"]·TR["Ve-kardeşleri-onların","kardeşlerinin","ve-kardesleri","ve-kardeslerine","ve-kardeşleri","ve-kardeşleri-onların","ve-kardeşlerine-onların"]·urd["اور-ان-کے-بھائی","اور-اُن-کے-بھائی","اور-اُن-کے-بھائیوں","اور-بھائی-ان-کے","اور-بھائی-اُن-کے","اور-لے-بھائیوں-ان-کے","اُن-کے-بھائیوں-کے"]
Related Senses
H0376 1. man, person, human male (2130×)H0001 1. father, immediate male parent (1031×)H0120 1. man, human being (individual/generic) (527×)H0802 1. woman, female person (519×)G0444 1. human being, person (469×)G3962 1. father or divine Father (413×)G0080 1. brother, fellow believer (343×)H0802 2. wife, spouse (255×)H0517 1. mother, female parent (217×)G0435 1. man, male person (202×)G1135 1. woman, adult female (190×)H2233 1. offspring, descendants (172×)H0001 2. ancestor, forefather (146×)H5288 1. Youth, young man (122×)H0269 1. sister (female sibling) (113×)H1755 1. generation, contemporaries (96×)G5043 1. child, offspring (89×)G0444 2. people, humankind (86×)H3206 1. child, boy, youth (86×)H2145 1. male (human being) (79×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
I. אָח630 n.m. brother (Ph. אח, Arabic أَخٌ (cstr. أَخُو etc.), Sab. אחֿ (sf. אחֿיהו) CISiv, 1, 17 and 24 al., Ethiopic እኅው Assyrian aḫu cf. DlW, Aramaic אַח, ܐܰܚܳܐ; Palm., Nab. sf. אחוהי, אחיה);—abs. אָח Gn 24:29 + (Ez 18:10 del. Co cf. 𝔊 𝔖 𝔙; Ew Sm אַךְ; Dl Ba Ez x defends as = one cf. Assyrian aḫu) never c. art.; cstr. אֲחִי Gn 10:21 +; sf. אָחִי Gn 4:9 +; אָחִיךָ Gn 4:9 +; אָחִיו Gn 4:2 +;…