Bible Lexicons

אָח construct אֲחִי, with suff. אָחִי (“my brother”), אָחִיךָ, אֲחִיכֶם pl. אַחִים (with dag. occult), const. אֲחֵי, with light suff. אַחֶיךָ, with grave suff. אֲחֵיכֶם, with suff. 3 pers. אֶחָיו for אַהָיו (comp. Lehrg. p. 602), a brother. This word is undoubtedly primitive. Arab. أَخُ, const. st. أَخُو, أَخِى, أَخَا Syr. ܐܰܚܳܐ, Chald. אַח. It follows sometimes the analogy of verbs, לח֞, sometimes that of verbs, עע֞; comp. Lehrg. § 118. When used in a sense not quite strict, it is applied also to those who are not own brothers, as those who are children of one father by different mothers (Genesis 42:15, 43:3 ), or vice versâ to brothers by the same mother but by different fathers (Judges 8:19 ), who when greater exactness is used, are called בֶּן אָב, בֶּן אֵם; see בֵּן. Sometimes emphatically used of brethren, both by the father and mother (Genesis 44:20), comp. Genesis 49:5, שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי אַחִים “Simon and Levi are (true) brethren,” i.e. not only children of one mother, but brethren truly in disposition also.

The word brother is also of wider use amongst the Hebrews, and is used for

(1) any relative, kinsman, Genesis 14:16, “his brother Lot,” prop. his brother’s son, Genesis 13:8, 29:12, 15 Genesis 29:15.

(2) a man of the same tribe, 2 Samuel 19:13 e.g. used of the Levites, Numbers 8:26, 16:10 Nehemiah 3:1.

(3) one of the same people, Judges 14:3; Exodus 2:11, 4:18 used even of cognate peoples, e.g. of the Edomites and Hebrews, Genesis 9:25, 16:12 25:18 Numbers 20:14.

(4) an ally, confederate; used of people that were allied, as of the Tyrians and Hebrews, Amos 1:9 or of the same religion, Isaiah 66:20 [here of the same nation].

(5) any friend; thus used of the friends of Job, Job 6:15, perhaps also Job 19:13, and of Solomon, who calls Hiram his brother, 1 Kings 9:13 comp. Nehemiah 5:10, 14.

(6) any other man, united to us only by the tie of the human race, i.q. רֵעַ Leviticus 19:17. Hence when preceded by אִישׁ, one … another. Genesis 13:11, וַיּפָּֽרְדוּ אִישׁ מֵעַל אָחִיו “and they separated the one from the other,” Genesis 26:31 and indeed in this phrase it is even used of inanimate things resembling each other, if they be of the masculine gender (of feminines, in the same sense is used אָחוֹת-אִשָּׁה), Exodus 25:20, אִישׁ אֶל־אָחִיו וּפְנֵיהֶם “and their faces (of the cherubim) shall be turned one to another” (gegeneinander), Exodus 37:9.

(7) tropically it expresses some similarity of disposition or manners, Job 30:29, “I am become a brother of the jackals,” i.e. I am forced to howl like a jackal; Proverbs 18:9. Comp. fem. אָחוֹת [also אַחֲוָה], and many compound proper names, as אֲחִימֶלֶךְ and the like [which follow almost immediately].

II. אָח interj. of lamentation (from the sound made), ah! alas! const. with a dat. Ezekiel 6:11, 21:20. In Arabic there is a root derived from this, أَحْأَحَ to cry out, ah! again and again: see below, under אָחַח.

III. אָח f. Arab. إِخُّ a great pot, in which a fire was kept burning in the king’s winter apartment, Jeremiah 36:22, 23 Jeremiah 36:23. The orientals still use pots of this kind for warming instead of fire places, called in Pers. and Turk. تنّور They have the form of a large pitcher, and they are usually placed in a cavity in the middle of the room. When the fire is out, a frame like a table is put over the pot, covered with a carpet; and those who wish to warm themselves, sit on the ground, and cover their feet, legs, and even their belly, with the carpet. The root is אָחַה No. II.