A unit ordained by God for the comfort and protection of its members. It is usually a group of relatives, but the people of God are also seen as a family.
The scope of the family in Scripture
The family unit
Genesis 43:7 See also Exodus 1:1, Exodus 12:3; Judges 11:2; 1 Samuel 1:21, 1 Samuel 27:3; 2 Samuel 2:3; 1 Kings 17:15; 1 Chronicles 13:14 The family of Obed-Edom is blessed by the presence of the ark; Proverbs 27:27, Proverbs 31:15 The wife of noble character provides for her family; Mark 3:21; Luke 12:52; Acts 16:33–34 The Philippian jailer and his family are baptised; 1 Timothy 5:8
They replied, “The man questioned us in detail about ourselves and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother here’?”
The extended family or clan
Genesis 24:37–38 See also Genesis 24:40, Genesis 46:27, Genesis 50:22; Numbers 2:2, Numbers 18:1 the priesthood of Aaron and his family; Deuteronomy 25:5 Levirate marriage provides for the continuity of the family; Joshua 2:17–18, Joshua 6:23, Joshua 6:25; 1 Samuel 22:22; 1 Kings 14:14; 2 Kings 11:1 parallel 2 Chronicles 22:10 Athaliah destroys the royal family of Judah; Ezra 10:16; Jeremiah 35:3, Jeremiah 38:17; Daniel 1:3
My master made me swear an oath and said, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I dwell, but you shall go to my father’s house and to my kindred to take a wife for my son.’
The descendants of any individual
John 7:42 See also Deuteronomy 25:10; Joshua 13:29; 1 Samuel 2:31–32, 1 Samuel 2:36, 1 Samuel 3:11–13; Daniel 11:7
Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”
The people of God
Hebrews 2:10–15 See also Psalm 22:22; Amos 3:1; Galatians 6:10; 1 Peter 4:17
In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting for God, for whom and through whom all things exist, to make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. For both the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says: “I will proclaim Your name to My brothers; I will sing Your praises in the assembly.” And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And once again: “Here am I, and the children God has given Me.” Now since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity, so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
Marriage obligations and restrictions within the family
Marriage within the wider family circle was preferable in early times
Judges 14:3 See also Genesis 24:1–9, Genesis 24:37, Genesis 24:40, Genesis 27:46–28:2, Genesis 28:6–9; Exodus 2:1
But his father and mother replied, “Can’t you find a young woman among your relatives or among any of our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me, for she is pleasing to my eyes.”
Incestuous marriage was forbidden
Leviticus 18:6–18 See also Leviticus 20:17, Leviticus 20:19–21; Deuteronomy 27:20–23; Matthew 14:3 parallel Mark 6:17; 1 Corinthians 5:1–5
The obligation to marry the widow of a dead brother
Deuteronomy 25:5–10 See also Genesis 38:8–10; Ruth 2:19–20, Ruth 4:1–10; Matthew 22:23–32 parallels Mark 12:18–27, Luke 20:27–38
When brothers dwell together and one of them dies without a son, the widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother is to take her as his wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law for her. The first son she bears will carry on the name of the dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel. But if the man does not want to marry his brother’s widow, she is to go to the elders at the city gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to preserve his brother’s name in Israel. He is not willing to perform the duty of a brother-in-law for me.” Then the elders of his city shall summon him and speak with him. If he persists and says, “I do not want to marry her,” his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal, spit in his face, and declare, “This is what is done to the man who will not maintain his brother’s line.” And his family name in Israel will be called “The House of the Unsandaled.”
Laws of inheritance kept property within the family
Numbers 27:1–11 See also Leviticus 25:25–28; Job 42:13–15
Examples of family solidarity
Genesis 14:8–16 Abraham and Lot; 2 Samuel 18:31–33 David and Absalom; Ruth 1:11–18 Naomi and Ruth; Nehemiah 4:13; Acts 23:12–24; 1 Timothy 5:3–4 Family solidarity is encouraged.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.