אָח
ach
brother: male-sibling
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Supported# Understanding the Hebrew Word "Ach" (Brother) The Hebrew word *ach* is a straightforward familial term referring to a male sibling—a brother in the literal sense of a male child sharing the same parents. With 363 occurrences throughout the biblical text, this word represents one of the fundamental kinship terms in Hebrew vocabulary. Its frequent appearance reflects the central role that family relationships played in ancient Israelite society and narratives. The high frequency of this term across biblical literature suggests its importance extended beyond mere biological description. Brothers appear regularly as key figures in biblical narratives, whether as companions, rivals, or subjects of moral concern. The word's consistent definition across its numerous occurrences indicates that Hebrew speakers used *ach* with semantic stability—it carried a clear, recognized meaning that readers could reliably understand regardless of context. Based solely on the lexical data provided, *ach* functioned as a core vocabulary item for expressing male sibling relationships in biblical Hebrew. Its substantial frequency of use demonstrates that brother-relationships were a recurring concern in the texts that comprise the Hebrew Bible, whether in genealogies, narratives, laws, or wisdom literature.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
363 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah. All these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.
2 Chronicles 21:4Now when Jehoram had risen up over the kingdom of his father, and had strengthened himself, he killed all his brothers with the sword, and also some of the princes of Israel.
2 Chronicles 21:13but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the prostitute like Ahab’s house did, and also have slain your brothers of your father’s house, who were better than yourself,
2 Chronicles 22:8When Jehu was executing judgment on Ahab’s house, he found the princes of Judah and the sons of the brothers of Ahaziah, serving Ahaziah, and killed them.
2 Chronicles 29:15They gathered their brothers, sanctified themselves, and went in, according to the commandment of the king by Yahweh’s words, to cleanse Yahweh’s house.
2 Chronicles 30:7Don’t be like your fathers and like your brothers, who trespassed against Yahweh, the God of their fathers, so that he gave them up to desolation, as you see.
2 Chronicles 30:9For if you turn again to Yahweh, your brothers and your children will find compassion before those who led them captive, and will come again into this land, because Yahweh your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him.”
2 Chronicles 31:12They brought in the offerings, the tithes, and the dedicated things faithfully. Conaniah the Levite was ruler over them, and Shimei his brother was second.
2 Chronicles 31:13Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers under the hand of Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of Hezekiah the king and Azariah the ruler of God’s house.
Genesis 19:7He said, “Please, my brothers, don’t act so wickedly.
2 Chronicles 35:9Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, the chiefs of the Levites, gave to the Levites for the Passover offerings five thousand small livestock and five hundred head of cattle.
2 Chronicles 36:4The king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. Neco took Joahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.
2 Chronicles 36:4The king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. Neco took Joahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.
2 Chronicles 36:10At the return of the year, king Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the valuable vessels of Yahweh’s house, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.
Ezra 3:9Then Jeshua stood with his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to have the oversight of the workmen in God’s house: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brothers the Levites.
Ezra 3:9Then Jeshua stood with his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to have the oversight of the workmen in God’s house: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brothers the Levites.
Genesis 27:30As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had just gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting.
Ezra 8:17I sent them out to Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia; and I told them what they should tell Iddo, and his brothers the temple servants, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God.
Ezra 10:18Among the sons of the priests there were found who had married foreign women: of the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brothers, Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.
Nehemiah 5:10I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please let us stop this usury.
Nehemiah 5:14Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor.
Nehemiah 7:2I put my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the governor of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem; for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.
Genesis 44:19My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’
Job 1:13It fell on a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
Job 1:18While he was still speaking, there came also another, and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
Job 6:15My brothers have dealt deceitfully as a brook, as the channel of brooks that pass away;
Job 19:13“He has put my brothers far from me. My acquaintances are wholly estranged from me.
Job 22:6For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
Job 30:29I am a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches.
Job 42:11Then came there to him all his brothers, and all his sisters, and all those who had been of his acquaintance before, and ate bread with him in his house. They comforted him, and consoled him concerning all the evil that Yahweh had brought on him. Everyone also gave him a piece of money, and everyone a ring of gold.
Job 42:15In all the land were no women found so beautiful as the daughters of Job. Their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.
Psalms 22:22I will declare your name to my brothers. Among the assembly, I will praise you.
Psalms 35:14I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother.
Psalms 50:20You sit and speak against your brother. You slander your own mother’s son.
Psalms 69:8I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother’s children.
Psalms 122:8For my brothers’ and companions’ sakes, I will now say, “Peace be within you.”
Psalms 133:1See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity!
Proverbs 6:19a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
Proverbs 17:2A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who causes shame, and shall have a part in the inheritance among the brothers.
Proverbs 17:17A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 18:9One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction.
Proverbs 18:19A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city. Disputes are like the bars of a fortress.
Proverbs 18:24A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 19:7All the relatives of the poor shun him: how much more do his friends avoid him! He pursues them with pleas, but they are gone.
Proverbs 27:10Don’t forsake your friend and your father’s friend. Don’t go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster. A neighbor who is near is better than a distant brother.
Proverbs 27:10Don’t forsake your friend and your father’s friend. Don’t go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster. A neighbor who is near is better than a distant brother.
Ecclesiastes 4:8There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. “For whom then, do I labor and deprive my soul of enjoyment?” This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.
Song of Solomon 8:1Oh that you were like my brother, who nursed from the breasts of my mother! If I found you outside, I would kiss you; yes, and no one would despise me.
Isaiah 3:6Indeed a man shall take hold of his brother in the house of his father, saying, “You have clothing, you be our ruler, and let this ruin be under your hand.”
Isaiah 41:6Everyone helps his neighbor. They say to their brothers, “Be strong!”