51 Bible Verses about Brothers

And LORD said to Moses, Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them, There shall none defile himself for the dead among his people, except for his kin, who is near to him: for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother. And for his sister a virgin, who is near to him, who has had no husband, for her he may defile himself.

He shall not come near to a dead body all the days that he separates himself to LORD. He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die, because his separation to God is upon his head.

The man who is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his sons whom he has remaining,

He who makes many friends [does it] to his own destruction, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

And they shall go in to no dead person to defile themselves. But for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister who has had no husband, they may defile themselves.

If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies, and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside to a stranger. Her husband's brother shall go in to her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of a And it shall be, that the first-born who she bears shall succeed in the name of his brother who is dead, that his name be not blotted out of Israel. And if the man does not want to take his brother's wife, then his brother's wife shall go up to the gate to the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuses to raise up to his brother a name in Israel. He will not perform the dutyread more.
Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak to him. And if he stands, and says, I do not want to take her, then his brother's wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face. And she shall answer and say, So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother's h And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him who has his shoe loosed.

And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of LORD, and LORD killed him. And Judah said to Onan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her, and raise up seed to thy brother.read more.
And Onan knew that the seed would not be his. And it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of LORD, and he killed him also. Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow in thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown up, for he said, Lest he also die, like his brothers. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.

On that day Sadducees came to him, those who claim to be no resurrection. And they questioned him, saying, Teacher, Moses said, If some man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed to his brother. Now there were with us seven brothers. And the first having married perished. And having no seed left his wife to his brother.read more.
Likewise also the second, and the third, until the seventh. And last of all, the woman also died. In the resurrection therefore, which of the seven will she be wife? For they all had her. But having answered, Jesus said to them, Ye are led astray, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as agents of God in heaven.

And Sadducees come to him, who say there is no resurrection. And they questioned him, saying, Teacher, Moses wrote to us, If a man's brother dies, and leaves behind a wife, and leaves no child, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed for his brother. There were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.read more.
And the second took her, and died, neither did he leave seed behind, and the third likewise. And the seven took her, and left no seed. Last of all the woman also died. In the resurrection when they rise, whose wife will she be of them? For the seven had her as wife. And having answered, Jesus said to them, Are ye not led astray because of this: not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as agents in the heavens.

And some of the Sadducees having approached, those who say there is no resurrection, they questioned him, saying, Teacher, Moses wrote to us, if any brother dies, having a wife, and this man dies childless, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed to his brother. There were therefore seven brothers. And the first having taken a wife, died childless.read more.
And the second took the woman, and this man died childless. And the third likewise took her, and likewise also the seven; they left behind no children, and died. And last of all the woman also died. In the resurrection therefore whose wife of them does she become? For the seven had her as wife. And having answered, Jesus said to them, The sons of this age marry, and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage. For neither can they die any more, for they are like the heavenly agents, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.

And Shechem said to her father and to her brothers, Let me find favor in your eyes, and what ye shall say to me I will give. Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say to me, but give me the damsel to wife. And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father with guile, and spoke, because he had defiled Dinah their sister,read more.
and said to them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to a man who is uncircumcised, for that is a reproach to us. Only on this condition will we consent to you: If ye will be as we are, that every male of you be circumcised. Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to us. And we will dwell with you, and we will become one people. But if ye will not hearken to us, to be circumcised, then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone.

Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceeds from LORD; we cannot speak to thee bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as LORD has spoken. And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself down to the earth to LORD.read more.
And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother. And they ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and tarried all night. And they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away to my master. And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us [a few] days, at the least ten. After that she shall go. And he said to them, Do not hinder me, since LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master. And they said, We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth. And they called Rebekah, and said to her, Will thou go with this man? And she said, I will go. And they sent Rebekah their sister away, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men. And they blessed Rebekah, and said to her, Our sister, be thou [the mother] of thousands of ten thousands, and let thy seed possess the gate of those who hate them.

And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister whose name was Tamar. And Amnon the son of David loved her. And Amnon was so frustrated that he fell sick because of his sister Tamar. For she was a virgin, and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her. But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother. And Jonadab was a very sly man.read more.
And he said to him, Why, O son of the king, are thou emaciated this way from day to day? Will thou not tell me? And Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister. And Jonadab said to him, Lay down on thy bed, and feign thyself sick. And when thy father comes to see thee, say to him, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may se So Amnon lay down, and feigned himself sick. And when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand. Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and make food for him. So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house, and he was laid down. And she took dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. And she took the pan, and poured them out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have all men out from me. And they went out every man from him. And Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the food into the chamber that I may eat from thy hand. And Tamar took the cakes that she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. And when she had brought them near to him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to her, Come, lay with me, my sister. And she answered him, No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Do not do thou this folly. And I, where shall I carry my shame? And as for thee, thou will be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from thee. However he would not hearken to her voice, but being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her. Then Amnon hated her with exceedingly great hatred, for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, Arise, be gone. And she said to him, Not so, because this great wrong in putting me forth is [worse] than the other that thou did to me. But he would not hearken to her. Then he called his servant who ministered to him, and said, Put this woman out from me now, and bolt the door after her. And she had a garment of various colors upon her, for with such robes were the king's daughters who were virgins appareled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her. And Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her garment of various colors that was on her. And she laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went. And Absalom her brother said to her, Has Amnon thy brother been with thee? But now hold thy peace, my sister. He is thy brother. Do not take this thing to heart. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house. But when king David heard of all these things, he was very angry. And Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar. And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheep-shearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king's sons. And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant has sheep-shearers. Let the king, I pray thee, and his servants go with thy servant. And the king said to Absalom, No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to thee. And he pressed him. However he would not go, but blessed him. Then Absalom said, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with thee? But Absalom pressed him, and he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. And Absalom commanded his servants, saying, Notice ye now, when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, Smite Amnon, then kill him. Fear not; have I not commanded you? Be courageous, and be valiant. And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man got up upon his mule, and fled. And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that the news came to David, saying, Absalom has slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left. Then the king arose, and tore his garments, and lay on the earth, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn. And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king's sons, for Amnon only is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined fr Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead, for only Amnon is dead.

And all who went out of the gate of his city hearkened to Hamor and to Shechem his son, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city. And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took each man his sword, and came upon the city unawares, and killed all the males. And they killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went forth.read more.
The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister. They took their flocks and their herds and their donkeys, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field, and all their wealth, and all their little ones and their wives, they took captive and made a prey, even all that was in the house. And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me, to make me odious to the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. And, I being few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and smit And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with a harlot?

And for his sister a virgin, who is near to him, who has had no husband, for her he may defile himself.

And Jesse said to David his son, Take now for thy brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry [them] quickly to the camp to thy brothers. And bring these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand. And look how thy brothers fare, and take their pledge.

And his brothers went to feed their father's flock in Shechem. And Israel said to Joseph, Are not thy brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send thee to them. And he said to him, Here I am. And he said to him, Go now, see whether it is well with thy brothers, and well with the flock, and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.read more.
And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, What do thou seek? And he said, I am seeking my brothers. Tell me, I pray thee, where they are feeding. And the man said, They are departed from here, for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brothers, and found them in Dothan.

If a man has two wives, the one beloved, and the other regarded inferior, and they have borne him sons, both the beloved and the one regarded inferior, and if the first-born son be hers who was regarded inferior, then it shall be, in the day that he causes his sons to inherit that which he has, that he may not make the son of the beloved the first-born before the son of the one regarded inferior, who is the first-born. But he shall acknowledge the first-born, the son of the one regarded inferior, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength. The right of the first-born is his.

And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth. And the men marveled one with another.

And he searched, [and] began at the eldest, and left off at the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

And he said, Let me go, I pray thee, for our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother, he has commanded me. And now, if I have found favor in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brothers. Therefore he has

And the sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel (for he was the first-born, but, inasmuch as he defiled his father's couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, and so the genealogy is not to be reckone Now Judah prevailed above his brothers, and the ruler came from him, but the birthright was Joseph's.)

And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead. And he had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah. All these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. And their father gave them great gifts, of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fortified cities in Judah. But the kingdom he gave to Jehoram, because he was the first-born.

I also will make him first-born, the highest of the kings of the earth.

lest a fornicator or profane man like Esau, who, in place of one meal sold his birthright.

And Isaac entreated LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And LORD was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. And the children struggled together within her. And she said, If it be so, why do I live? And she went to inquire of LORD. And LORD said to her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be separated from thy bowels. And the one people shall be stronger than the other people. And the elder shall serve the younger.

And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these? And Joseph said to his father, They are my sons, whom God has given me here. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, to me, and I will bless them. Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near to him, and he kissed them, and embraced them.read more.
And Israel said to Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face, and, lo, God has let me see thy seed also. And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near to him. And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands deliberately, for Manasseh was the firstborn. And he blessed Joseph, and said, The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day, the [heavenly] agent who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads, and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him. And he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. And Joseph said to his father, Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn, put thy right hand upon his head. And his father refused, and said, I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. However, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee will Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh. And he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

And of Joseph he said, Blessed of LORD be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that couches beneath, and for the precious things of the fruits of the sun, and for the precious things of the growth of the moons, and for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the everlasting hills,read more.
and for the precious things of the earth and the fullness of it, and the good will of him who dwelt in the bush. Let [it] come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers. The firstling of his herd, majesty is his. And his horns are the horns of the wild-ox. With them he shall push the peoples, all of them, [even] the ends of the earth. And they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thou

And it came to pass, when they came, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely LORD's anointed is before him. But LORD said to Samuel, Do not look on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For [LORD sees] not as man sees, for man looks on the outward appearance, but LORD looks on the heart. Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither has LORD chosen this man.read more.
Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither has LORD chosen this man. And Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, LORD has not chosen these men. And Samuel said to Jesse, Are all thy sons here? And he said, There remains yet the youngest, and, behold, he is keeping the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and fetch him, for we will not sit down till he comes here. And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and of a beautiful countenance, and fine to look upon. And LORD said, Arise, anoint him, for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

And king Solomon answered and said to his mother, And why do thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is my elder brother, even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of

And thou shall speak to the sons of Israel, saying, If a man dies, and has no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter. And if he has no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance to his brothers. And if he has no brothers, then ye shall give his inheritance to his father's brothers.read more.
And if his father has no brothers, then ye shall give his inheritance to his kinsman who is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it. And it shall be to the sons of Israel a statute [and] ordinance, as LORD commanded Mose

And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. And the first came forth red all over like a hairy garment, and they called his name Esau. And after that his brother came forth, and his hand had hold on Esau's heel, and his name was called Jacob. And Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb. And it came to pass, when she travailed, that one put out a hand. And the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first. And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out. And she said, Why have thou made a breach for thyself? Therefore his name was called Perez.read more.
And afterward his brother came out, who had the scarlet thread upon his hand. And his name was called Zerah.

I have loved you, says LORD. Yet ye say, How have thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother, says LORD. Yet I loved Jacob, but Esau I regarded inferior, and made his mountains a desolation, and [gave] his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness.

Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of a harlot, and Gilead begot Jephthah. And Gilead's wife bore sons to him. And when his wife's sons grew up, they drove out Jephthah, and said to him, Thou shall not inherit in our father's house, for thou are the son of another woman.

And the child grew, and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.

And Gideon had seventy sons begotten from his body, for he had many wives. And his concubine who was in Shechem, she also bore him a son, and he called his name Abimelech.

And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's brothers, and spoke with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying, Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Which is better for you, that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are seventy men, rule over you, or that one rule over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh. And his mother's brothers spoke of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words. And their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, He is our brother.read more.
And they gave him seventy [pieces] of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and unstable fellows who followed him. And he went to his father's house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy men, upon one stone, but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. And all the men of Shechem assembled themselves together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem.

And Moses said to Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, We are journeying to the place of which LORD said, I will give it to you. Come thou with us, and we will do thee good, for LORD has spoken good concerni And he said to him, I will not go, but I will depart to my own land, and to my kindred. And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee, inasmuch as thou know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou shall be to us instead of eyes.read more.
And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that whatever good LORD shall do to us, the same we will do to thee.

And Judah said to Onan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies, and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside to a stranger. Her husband's brother shall go in to her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of a

Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, even from the sons of Hobab the brother-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far as the oak in Zaanannim, which is by Kedesh.

And Cain told Abel his brother. And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and killed him. And LORD said to Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not. Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What have thou done? The voice of thy brother's blood cries to me from the ground.read more.
And now cursed are thou from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand. When thou till the ground, it shall not henceforth yield to thee its strength. A fugitive and a wanderer thou shall be on the earth.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made for him a coat of many colors. And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers. And they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.

And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of LORD, and LORD killed him. And Judah said to Onan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her, and raise up seed to thy brother.read more.
And Onan knew that the seed would not be his. And it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of LORD, and he killed him also.