the Fourth Week of Advent
Click here to learn more!
Bible Encyclopedias
KINDRED.
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or I. The following are the Hebrew terms thus rendered in the English Bible:
1. מַשְׁפָּחָה, mishpachah', usually rendered "family," answering to the Latin gens, except that it more distinctly includes the idea of original affinity or derivation from a common stock; it corresponds exactly with our word clan. It is used of the different tribes of the Canaanites (Genesis 10:18); of the subdivisions of the Hebrew people (Exodus 6:14; Numbers 1:20, etc.); sometimes for one of the tribes (Joshua 7:17; Judges 13:2, etc.), and in the later books tropically for a people or nation (Jeremiah 8:3; Jeremiah 25:9; Ezekiel 20:32; Micah 2:3). It is translated kindred in the A.V. at Genesis 24:41; Joshua 6:23; Ruth 2:3; Job 32:2 -in all of which it refers to relationship by consanguinity, more or less remote.
2. מוֹלֶדֶת , mnole'deth, conveys primarily the idea of birth, nativity; hence a person born, a child (Genesis 28:9; Leviticus 18:9; Leviticus 18:11), and persons of the same family or lineage (Genesis 12:1; Genesis 24:4; Genesis 31:3; Genesis 43:7; Numbers 10:30; Esther 2:10; Esther 8:6 -in all which passages it is translated kindred in the A.V.). In some of these instances, however, the kinship is only the remote one of common nationality arising out of common descent.
3. מוֹדִעִת, moda'ath, literally knowledge, is used to express blood- relationship in Ruth 3:2; compare מוֹדִע (Ruth 2:1; Proverbs 7:4).
4. גְּאֻלָּה , geillah', redemption, a word which properly designated such near relationship by blood as would confer the rights and obligations of a גֹּאֵל, or kinsman, avenger, and redeemer, on the party. (See GOEL). As commonly used, however, it denotes either the thing redeemed (Ruth 4:6), or the right of redeeming (Leviticus 25:29, etc.), or the redemption price (Leviticus 25:26, etc.). The only passage in which it is translated kindred in the A.V. is Ezekiel 11:15. Hengstenberg (Christol. 3:9, E. 1'.) and Havernick (Conmment. ad loc.) contend that גאלה is to be taken here not in the sense of relationship, but in that of suretyship or substitutionary action, and they would translate the passage, " Thy brethren are the men of thy suretyship," or "redemption," i.e. the men whom it lies on them to redeem or act for. The Sept. seems to have read גּוֹלָתֶךָ, for they give αἰχμαλωσαίς here.
5. אָח, ach, which properly means brother, occurs only once with the rendering kindred in the A. V., in 1 Chronicles 12:29. It is frequently used elsewhere in a wide sense, and may be understood of nearly all collateral relationships whatever, whether by consanguinity, affinity, or simple association. From this comes אִחֲוָה, brotherhood (Zechariah 11:14). Besides these terms, the Hebrews expressed consanguinity by such words and phrases as בָּשָׂר, flesh (Genesis 37:27; Isaiah 58:7); עִצְמַי וּבְשָׂרַי, my bone and my flesh (Genesis 29:14; Judges 9:2; 2 Samuel 5:1, etc.); שְׁאֵר, flesh (Leviticus 18:12-13, etc.; Numbers 27:41), with שִׁאֲרָה, coll. kinswomen (Leviticus 18:17); and שְׁאֵר
בֵּשָׂרוֹ , flesh of his flesh (A. V. near of kin, Leviticus 18:6; nigh of kin, 25:49).
II. In the New Test. we have the following Greek words thus rendered: γένος , the most general and frequent term, our kin, i.e. birth relationship, with its derivative συγγένεια, co-relationship; πατριά (Acts 3:25), descent in a direct line ("lineage," Luke 2:4; "fam ily," Ephesians 3:15); and φυλή (Revelation 5:9; Revelation 7:9; Revelation 11:9; Revelation 13:7; Revelation 14:6), a tribe (as elsewhere rendered).
In addition to these Heb. and Greek words, various others of cogilate derivation or similar signification are frequently rendered " kin,"" "kinship," etc.
III. The terms expressive of immediate relationship are FATHER, MOTHER, BROTHER, SISTER, SON, DAUGHTER; those expressing collateral consanguinity are UNCLE, AUNT, NEPHEW (niece does not occur in the A.V., but brother's or sister's daughter), COUSIN; those expressive of affinity are FATHER-IN-LAW, MOTHER-IN-LAW, SON- IN- LAW, DAUGHTER-IN-LAW, BROTHER-IN-LAW, SISTER-IN- LAW. See each of these in their place.
IV. The relations of kindred, expressed by few words, and imperfectly defined in the earliest ages, acquired in course of time greater significance and wider influence. The full list of relatives either by consanguinity, i.e. as arising from a common ancestor, or by affinity, i.e. as created by marriage, may be seen detailed in the Corpus Juris Civ. Digest. lib. 38:tit. 10, de Gradibus; see also Corp. Jur. Canon. Decr. ii, c. 35:9, 5. (See AFFINITY).
The domestic and economical questions arising out of kindred may be classed under the three heads of MARRIAGE, INHERITANCE, and BLOOD-REVENGE, and the reader is referred to the articles on those subjects for information thereon. It is clear that the tendency of the Mosaic law was to increase the restrictions on marriage, by defining more precisely the relations created by it, as is shown by the cases of Abraham and Moses. For information on the general subject of kindred and its obligations, see Selden, De Jure Naturali, lib. v; Michaelis, Laws of Moses, ed. Smith, ii, 36; Knobel on Leviticus 18; Philo, De Spec. Leg. 3:3, 4, 5, vol. ii . 301- 304, ed.Mangey; Burckhardt, Arab Tribes, i, 150; Keil, Bibl. Arch. ii, 50, § 106, 107. (See KINSMAN).
These files are public domain.
McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'KINDRED.'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/k/kindred.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
