OT usages of 'bone and flesh'

tonychanyt · Nov 15, 2024

Gen 2:

23 The man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

Eve was Adam's wife.

Gen 29:

14 Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.

Laban was Jacob's uncle through Rebekah (Ge 29:13). They were close biological relatives.

Judges 9:

1 Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s relatives and said to them and to the whole clan of his mother’s family, 2 - “Say in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one rule over you?’ Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.”

Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem were biological relatives, likely his uncles.

2S 5:

1 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh.

All the tribes wanted to emphasize that they were descendants of Jacob.

The parallel account in 1Ch 11:

1 All Israel gathered together to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh.

2S 19:

11 King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests: “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house, when the word of all Israel has come to the king? 12 You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’

They were all descendants of Judah.

13 And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if you are not commander of my army from now on in place of Joab.’”

Amasa was David's nephew, being the son of Abigail, David's sister (2S 17:25).

12 - You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’

David told the elders of Judah they were closer relatives than the other tribes.

The ancient Hebrew idiom of 'bone and flesh' was similar to today's English idiom of 'flesh and blood', indicating blood relatives.

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OT usages of 'bone and flesh'

tonychanyt

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