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TO BREAK
(
, 7665), “to break, shatter, smash, crush.” This word is frequently used
in ancient Akkadian and Ugaritic, and is common throughout Hebrew. It is found almost
150 times in the Hebrew Bible. The first biblical occurrence of
is in Gen. 19:9,
which tells how the men of Sodom threatened to “break” Lot’s door to take his house
guests.
The common word for “breaking” things,
describes the breaking of earthen
vessels (Judg. 7:20; Jer. 19:10), of bows (Hos. 1:5), of swords (Hos. 2:18), of bones
(Exod. 12:46), and of yokes or bonds (Jer. 28:10, 12-13). Sometimes it is used
figuratively to describe a “shattered” heart or emotion (Ps. 69:20; Ezek. 6:9). In its
intensive sense,
connotes “shattering” something, such as the tablets of the Law
(Exod. 32:19) or idol images (2 Kings 11:18), or the “shattering” of trees by hail (Exod.
9:25).
BREATH
(
, 1892), “breath; vanity; idol.” Cognates of this noun occur in Syriac, late
Aramaic, and Arabic. All but 4 of its 72 occurrences are in poetry (37 in Ecclesiastes).
First, the word represents human “breath” as a transitory thing: “I loathe it; I would
not live always: let me alone; for my days are vanity [literally, but a breath]” (Job 7:16).
Second,
means something meaningless and purposeless: “Vanity of vanities,
saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity” (Eccl. 1:2).
Third, this word signifies an “idol,” which is unsubstantial, worthless, and vain:
“They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to
anger with their vanities …” (Deut. 32:21—the first occurrence).
BROTHER
( , 251), “brother.” This word has cognates in Ugaritic and most other Semitic
languages. Biblical Hebrew attests the word about 629 times and at all periods.
In its basic meaning,
represents a “male sibling,” a “brother.” This is its meaning
in the first biblical appearance: “And she again bare his brother Abel” (Gen. 4:2). This
word represents a full brother or a half-brother: “And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see
whether it be well with thy brethren …” (Gen. 37:14).
In another nuance,
can represent a “blood relative.” Abram’s nephew is termed
his “brother”: “And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot,
and his goods, and the women also, and the people” (Gen. 14:16). This passage, however,
might also reflect the covenantal use of the term whereby it connotes “ally” (cf. Gen.
13:8). In Gen. 9:25,
clearly signifies “relative”: “Cursed be Canaan; a servant of
servants shall he be unto his brethren.” Laban called his cousin Jacob an
: “And
Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me
for nought?” (Gen. 29:15). Just before this, Jacob described himself as an
of
Rachel’s father (Gen. 29:12).