Lexical Summary achavah: Brotherhood, fellowship, kinship Original Word: אַחֲוָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance brotherhood From 'ach; fraternity -- brotherhood. see HEBREW 'ach NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as ach Definition brotherhood NASB Translation brotherhood (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs אַחֲוָה noun feminine brotherhood ׳הָא Zechariah 11:14 (between Judah & Israel). Topical Lexicon Definition and Scope אַחֲוָה designates the bond of brotherhood, fellowship, or covenantal union that knits people together as kin. While the term can describe any close fraternity, its single biblical appearance focuses the reader on the unique, God-ordained solidarity of the tribes of Israel. Prophetic Context in Zechariah “Then I broke my second staff called Union, breaking the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.” (Zechariah 11:14) Zechariah’s enacted prophecy uses two staffs—Favor and Union—to dramatize the Lord’s dealings with His flock. By snapping the staff named Union, the prophet signals a divinely wrought dissolution of the national brotherhood. The act is not a mere comment on past history (the division of the kingdom after Solomon) but an oracle of impending judgment on faithless leaders and people alike. God Himself severs the ties He once formed, underscoring that covenant unity is a privilege sustained only by obedience and trust. Historical Significance 1. The divided monarchy (1 Kings 12) had already demonstrated how fragile Israel’s unity could be when covenant fidelity waned. Zechariah’s vision amplifies that lesson more than three centuries later, reminding post-exilic Judah that renewed temple worship must be matched by renewed hearts or the nation will splinter again. Theological Themes • Covenant Fellowship: Union among God’s people is covenantal before it is ethnic or political. The staff’s name testifies that brotherhood is a divine gift, not a human achievement. Related Biblical Motifs Psalm 133:1—“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!” Proverbs 17:17—“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” These texts celebrate the ideal that Zechariah laments as lost. Together they set brotherhood in the context of divine blessing, wisdom, and communal resilience. New Testament Resonance Though אַחֲוָה itself does not appear in the Greek Scriptures, its thought-world reaches fulfillment in Christ: Ministry Application 1. Guarding Unity: Congregations should treat fellowship as a staff entrusted to them by God, recalling that careless shepherding provokes divine displeasure. Summary אַחֲוָה in Zechariah 11:14 crystallizes the biblical conviction that brotherhood is both a gracious gift and a solemn responsibility. Its prophetic breaking warns against complacency, its theological depth points to Christ’s reconciling work, and its enduring call summons God’s people to cherish and cultivate the unity secured by the Shepherd who laid down His life for the flock. Forms and Transliterations הָֽאַחֲוָ֔ה האחוה hā’aḥăwāh hā·’a·ḥă·wāh haachaVahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Zechariah 11:14 HEB: לְהָפֵר֙ אֶת־ הָֽאַחֲוָ֔ה בֵּ֥ין יְהוּדָ֖ה NAS: to break the brotherhood between KJV: that I might break the brotherhood between Judah INT: band to break the brotherhood between Judah 1 Occurrence |
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