The Meaning of שֶׁבֶת אַחִים גַּם יָחַד in Ps 133:1

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Introduction

The Masoretic Text of Ps 133:1 reads as follows:[1]

הִנֵּ֣ה מַה־טּ֭וֹב וּמַה־נָּעִ֑ים
שֶׁ֖בֶת אַחִ֣ים גַּם־יָֽחַד׃

"Look, how good and how delightful is brothers' dwelling—even together!"

The interpretation of this opening verse is much debated.[2] It could refer to any of the following:

  1. Festive gathering: Fellow Israelites experiencing fraternal fellowship in Jerusalem during a feast day.
  2. Family unity: Brothers dwelling together on an undivided piece of property after their father's death.
  3. National unity: The unification of northern and southern tribes.
  4. Something else.[3]

Argument Maps

Festive gathering (preferred)

"Brothers' dwelling even together" refers to fellow Israelites fellowshipping together in Jerusalem during a feast day. 


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[Festive gathering]: "Brothers' dwelling even together" refers to the fraternal fellowship that Israelites experienced during their feasts in Jerusalem (cf. Baethgen 1904 :C:; Keel 1976 :A:).
 + <Israelites as brothers>: The term 'brother' is used not only to refer to a literal brother, but also to a "fellow countryman" (HALOT :L:).
  + [Israelites as brothers]: "You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor" (Lev 19:17–18, ESV; cf. Deut 15:12 Ps 122:8).
 + <Brotherly relations >: During festive gatherings in Zion, Israelites related to one another in a brotherly way (cf. Keel 1976 :A:).
  + [Ps. 55:14f]: "But it is you, a man like myself, my companion (אַלּוּפִי), my close friend (מְיֻדָּעִי), with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship at the house of God, as we walked about among the worshipers" (Ps 55:14ff, NIV).
 + <Cultic imagery (v. 2)>: The high-priestly imagery in v. 2 suggests a cultic setting for the psalm (cf. Keel 1976 :A:; Baethgen 1904, 395 :C:).
  + [v. 2]: כַּשֶּׁ֤מֶן הַטּ֨וֹב׀ עַל־הָרֹ֗אשׁ יֹרֵ֗ד עַֽל־הַזָּקָ֥ן זְקַֽן־אַהֲרֹ֑ן שֶׁ֝יֹּרֵ֗ד עַל־פִּ֥י מִדּוֹתָֽיו׃
 + <Zion (v. 3)>: The explicit mention of 'Zion' in v. 3 as the place of blessing suggests that the brothers in v. 1 are dwelling (not just anywhere) but on Zion (cf. Keel 1976 :A:; Baethgen 1904, 395 :C:).
  + [v. 3]: כְּטַל־חֶרְמ֗וֹן שֶׁיֹּרֵד֮ עַל־הַרְרֵ֪י צִ֫יּ֥וֹן כִּ֤י שָׁ֨ם׀ צִוָּ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אֶת־הַבְּרָכָ֑ה חַ֝יִּ֗ים עַד־הָעוֹלָֽם׃
 + <Songs of Ascents>: The 'Songs of Ascents' (Pss 120-134) are probably a collection of songs for the use of pilgrims going up to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast days (cf. Allen 2002, 193 :C:).


Argument Mapn0Festive gathering"Brothers' dwelling even together" refers to the fraternal fellowship that Israelites experienced during their feasts in Jerusalem (cf. Baethgen 1904 🄲; Keel 1976 🄰).n1Israelites as brothers"You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor" (Lev 19:17–18, ESV; cf. Deut 15:12 Ps 122:8).n5Israelites as brothersThe term 'brother' is used not only to refer to a literal brother, but also to a "fellow countryman" (HALOT 🄻).n1->n5n2Ps. 55:14f"But it is you, a man like myself, my companion (אַלּוּפִי), my close friend (מְיֻדָּעִי), with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship at the house of God, as we walked about among the worshipers" (Ps 55:14ff, NIV).n6Brotherly relations During festive gatherings in Zion, Israelites related to one another in a brotherly way (cf. Keel 1976 🄰).n2->n6n3v. 2כַּשֶּׁ֤מֶן הַטּ֨וֹב׀ עַל־הָרֹ֗אשׁ יֹרֵ֗ד עַֽל־הַזָּקָ֥ן זְקַֽן־אַהֲרֹ֑ן שֶׁ֝יֹּרֵ֗ד עַל־פִּ֥י מִדּוֹתָֽיו׃n7Cultic imagery (v. 2)The high-priestly imagery in v. 2 suggests a cultic setting for the psalm (cf. Keel 1976 🄰; Baethgen 1904, 395 🄲).n3->n7n4v. 3כְּטַל־חֶרְמ֗וֹן שֶׁיֹּרֵד֮ עַל־הַרְרֵ֪י צִ֫יּ֥וֹן כִּ֤י שָׁ֨ם׀ צִוָּ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אֶת־הַבְּרָכָ֑ה חַ֝יִּ֗ים עַד־הָעוֹלָֽם׃n8Zion (v. 3)The explicit mention of 'Zion' in v. 3 as the place of blessing suggests that the brothers in v. 1 are dwelling (not just anywhere) but on Zion (cf. Keel 1976 🄰; Baethgen 1904, 395 🄲).n4->n8n5->n0n6->n0n7->n0n8->n0n9Songs of AscentsThe 'Songs of Ascents' (Pss 120-134) are probably a collection of songs for the use of pilgrims going up to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast days (cf. Allen 2002, 193 🄲).n9->n0


Family unity

"Brothers' dwelling even together" refers to an old Israelite custom of (literal) brothers living together on an undivided piece of property after their father's death. 


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[Family unity]: "Brothers' dwelling even together" refers to an old custom in Israel of brothers living together on an undivided piece of property after their father's death (cf. Ruah 1907, 36 :M:; Gunkel 1926 :C:). #dispreferred
 + <Usage of ישב יחד>: Elsewhere the phrase ישב יחד or ישב יחדו refers to blood relatives living on an undivided land-holding. #dispreferred
  + [Usage of ישב יחד]: כִּֽי־יֵשְׁב֨וּ אַחִ֜ים יַחְדָּ֗ו (Deut 25:5a; cf. Gen 13:6; 36:7). #dispreferred
 - <Family life in the Psalms>: "Praise of family life, in itself not a common theme in Psalms, is more likely to speak of wife and children... than of brothers" (Berlin 1987, 142 :A:). 
  + [Family life in the Psalms]: Pss 127-128.
 - <Disconnected from end of psalm (v. 3)>: "In this interpretation, the end of the psalm has little to do with the beginning" (Booij 2002, 261 :A:).
  + [v. 3]: כְּטַל־חֶרְמ֗וֹן שֶׁיֹּרֵד֮ עַל־הַרְרֵ֪י צִ֫יּ֥וֹן כִּ֤י שָׁ֨ם׀ צִוָּ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אֶת־הַבְּרָכָ֑ה חַ֝יִּ֗ים עַד־הָעוֹלָֽם׃
  <_ <Metaphorical> 
 - <Too distinctive>: "By its specific subject Psalm 133 would be fairly exceptional among the 'Songs of Ascents'. Generally, these texts deal with matters that concern, or might concern, any Israelite" (Booij 2002, 261 :A:).
  <_ <Metaphorical>
 - <Difficult to dwell together>: "The exuberant praise of the 'dwelling together' would seem somewhat odd... Of course, 'dwelling together', as mentioned in Deut 25,5, could be 'good' and 'pleasant'. Yet it was aimed at something else, namely the maintenance of family property. In fact, this form of dwelling must often have caused tensions" (Booij 2002, 261 :A:).
  <_ <Metaphorical>: The image of brothers living together on undivided land-holdings is not to be understood literally. It is "a metaphor for an undivided kingdom" (Berlin 1987, 142 :A:).#dispreferred


Argument Mapn0Family unity"Brothers' dwelling even together" refers to an old custom in Israel of brothers living together on an undivided piece of property after their father's death (cf. Ruah 1907, 36 🄼; Gunkel 1926 🄲). n1Usage of ישב יחדכִּֽי־יֵשְׁב֨וּ אַחִ֜ים יַחְדָּ֗ו (Deut 25:5a; cf. Gen 13:6; 36:7). n4Usage of ישב יחדElsewhere the phrase ישב יחד or ישב יחדו refers to blood relatives living on an undivided land-holding. n1->n4n2Family life in the PsalmsPss 127-128.n5Family life in the Psalms"Praise of family life, in itself not a common theme in Psalms, is more likely to speak of wife and children... than of brothers" (Berlin 1987, 142 🄰). n2->n5n3v. 3כְּטַל־חֶרְמ֗וֹן שֶׁיֹּרֵד֮ עַל־הַרְרֵ֪י צִ֫יּ֥וֹן כִּ֤י שָׁ֨ם׀ צִוָּ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אֶת־הַבְּרָכָ֑ה חַ֝יִּ֗ים עַד־הָעוֹלָֽם׃n6Disconnected from end of psalm (v. 3)"In this interpretation, the end of the psalm has little to do with the beginning" (Booij 2002, 261 🄰).n3->n6n4->n0n5->n0n6->n0n7MetaphoricalThe image of brothers living together on undivided land-holdings is not to be understood literally. It is "a metaphor for an undivided kingdom" (Berlin 1987, 142 🄰).n7->n6n8Too distinctive"By its specific subject Psalm 133 would be fairly exceptional among the 'Songs of Ascents'. Generally, these texts deal with matters that concern, or might concern, any Israelite" (Booij 2002, 261 🄰).n7->n8n9Difficult to dwell together"The exuberant praise of the 'dwelling together' would seem somewhat odd... Of course, 'dwelling together', as mentioned in Deut 25,5, could be 'good' and 'pleasant'. Yet it was aimed at something else, namely the maintenance of family property. In fact, this form of dwelling must often have caused tensions" (Booij 2002, 261 🄰).n7->n9n8->n0n9->n0


National unity

"Brothers' dwelling even together" refers to national unity, to the unification of the northern and southern tribes. 


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[National unity]: "Brothers' dwelling even together" refers to "the reunification of the north and south with Jerusalem as the capital of a united kingdom" (Berlin 2023, 69-70 :C:; cf. Theodoret 2001, 311 :C:). #dispreferred
 + <Undivided land holdings as metaphor>: "The idiom שׁבת יחד/יחדיו, 'to dwell together,' is a legal term for joint tenancy of land, undivided landholdings" (Berlin 2023, 69-70 :C:), and in Ps 133 this "is a metaphor for an undivided kingdom" (Berlin 2023, 70 :C:). #dispreferred
  + [ישב יחדו/יחד as technical expression]: כִּֽי־יֵשְׁב֨וּ אַחִ֜ים יַחְדָּ֗ו (Deut 25:5a; cf. Gen 13:6; 36:7). #dispreferred
  + <Metaphor for undivided kingdom>: "Hermon in the north, and Zion in the south, may... suggest the union of the northern and southern tribes" (Perowne 1886, 420 :C:). #dispreferred
   - <Oil comparison (v. 2)>: "In the comparison in v. 2 references to Israel and Judah cannot be found" (Booij 2002, 260 :A:).
    - <Aaron and the northern tribes>: The psalm refers to the time of Hezekiah, when Aaron's priesthood was associated with worship in the north (cf. 1 Kgs 12:28) (cf. Norin :A:, cited in Booij 2002 :A:). #dispreferred
     - <'Beard'>: "Then it is hard to understand why the beard is first mentioned by itself ('...the beard, the beard of Aaron')" (Booij 2002, 260 :A:).
 + <Date of the psalm>: Ps 133 is postexilic (see e.g., Allen 2002, 193 :C:, among others), a time in which hope for restored unity abounded (Jer 31:24).#dispreferred
  + [Jer 31:24]: The phrase "And Judah and all its cities shall dwell there together (וְיָ֥שְׁבוּ ... יַחְדָּ֑ו)" (ESV) is found after "For there shall be a day when watchmen will call in the hill country of Ephraim: ‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion (וְנַעֲלֶ֣ה צִיּ֔וֹן; cf. Ps 133:1, 3), to the LORD our God’” (Jer 31:6, ESV); "For the LORD has ransomed Jacob ... They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion" (Jer 31:11-12) and "Return, O virgin Israel, return to these your cities" (Jer 31:21; cf. the prophetic hope of Isa 2:3: וְנַעֲלֶ֣ה אֶל־הַר־יְהוָ֗ה "let us go up to the mountain of YHWH").#dispreferred
 + <Royal hope>: Hezekiah appealled for the reconciliation of the Northern Kingdom to Judah and the renewed, united worship in Jerusalem/Zion (2 Chr 30:1-27).#dispreferred


Argument Mapn0National unity"Brothers' dwelling even together" refers to "the reunification of the north and south with Jerusalem as the capital of a united kingdom" (Berlin 2023, 69-70 🄲; cf. Theodoret 2001, 311 🄲). n1ישב יחדו/יחד as technical expressionכִּֽי־יֵשְׁב֨וּ אַחִ֜ים יַחְדָּ֗ו (Deut 25:5a; cf. Gen 13:6; 36:7). n3Undivided land holdings as metaphor"The idiom שׁבת יחד/יחדיו, 'to dwell together,' is a legal term for joint tenancy of land, undivided landholdings" (Berlin 2023, 69-70 🄲), and in Ps 133 this "is a metaphor for an undivided kingdom" (Berlin 2023, 70 🄲). n1->n3n2Jer 31:24The phrase "And Judah and all its cities shall dwell there together (וְיָ֥שְׁבוּ ... יַחְדָּ֑ו)" (ESV) is found after "For there shall be a day when watchmen will call in the hill country of Ephraim: ‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion (וְנַעֲלֶ֣ה צִיּ֔וֹן; cf. Ps 133:1, 3), to the LORD our God’” (Jer 31:6, ESV); "For the LORD has ransomed Jacob ... They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion" (Jer 31:11-12) and "Return, O virgin Israel, return to these your cities" (Jer 31:21; cf. the prophetic hope of Isa 2:3: וְנַעֲלֶ֣ה אֶל־הַר־יְהוָ֗ה "let us go up to the mountain of YHWH").n8Date of the psalmPs 133 is postexilic (see e.g., Allen 2002, 193 🄲, among others), a time in which hope for restored unity abounded (Jer 31:24).n2->n8n3->n0n4Metaphor for undivided kingdom"Hermon in the north, and Zion in the south, may... suggest the union of the northern and southern tribes" (Perowne 1886, 420 🄲). n4->n3n5Oil comparison (v. 2)"In the comparison in v. 2 references to Israel and Judah cannot be found" (Booij 2002, 260 🄰).n5->n4n6Aaron and the northern tribesThe psalm refers to the time of Hezekiah, when Aaron's priesthood was associated with worship in the north (cf. 1 Kgs 12:28) (cf. Norin 🄰, cited in Booij 2002 🄰). n6->n5n7'Beard'"Then it is hard to understand why the beard is first mentioned by itself ('...the beard, the beard of Aaron')" (Booij 2002, 260 🄰).n7->n6n8->n0n9Royal hopeHezekiah appealled for the reconciliation of the Northern Kingdom to Judah and the renewed, united worship in Jerusalem/Zion (2 Chr 30:1-27).n9->n0


Conclusion (B)

The cultic imagery in v. 2 and the mention of Zion in v. 3 suggest that "brothers' dwelling even together" in v. 1 refers to Israelite pilgrims fellowshipping in Jerusalem during a festival. This interpretation is also consistent with the semantic range of the word "brother" and with what some scholars have argued is the setting of the Psalms of Ascent as a whole. Furthermore, it is compatible with interpretations involving return from exile and the restoration of a united kingdom, since the peoples' worshiping together in Zion would be an apt manifestation of such realities. That is, they were not just dwelling in the land once again, but were dwelling even together, in Zion.

Research

Secondary Literature

Allen, Leslie. 2002. Psalms 101-150. Dallas: Word Incorporated.
Baethgen, Friedrich. 1904. Die Psalmen. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht.
Berlin, Adele. 1987. “On the Interpretation of Psalm 133.” In Directions in Biblical Hebrew Poetry, edited by Elaine R. Follis, 141ff. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament. Supplement Series, 40. Sheffield, England: JSOT Press.
Berlin, Adele. 2023. The JPS Bible Commentary: Psalms 120-150. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.
Booij, Thijs. 2002. “Psalm 133: ‘Behold, How Good and How Pleasant.’” Biblica 83 (2): 258–67.
Gunkel, Hermann. 1926. Die Psalmen. 4th ed. Göttinger Handkommentar Zum Alten Testament 2. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.
HALOT = Ludwig Koehler, Ludwig & Baumgartner, Walter et al. 1994-2000. The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. Leiden: Brill.
Ibn Ezra, Abraham. Ibn Ezra on Psalms
Keel, Othmar. 1976. “Kultische Brüderheit.” Freiburger Zeitschrift für Philosophie und Theologie 23: 68–80.
Perowne, J. J. Stewart. 1886. The Book of Psalms: A New Translation with Introductory Notes, vol II. London: George Bell & Sons.
Ruah, Sigismund. 1907. “Hebräisches Familienrecht in Vorprophetischer Zeit.” Berlin: Friedrich Wilhelms Universität.
Radak. Radak on Psalms.
Theodoret, and Robert C. Hill. 2001. Commentary on the Psalms. The Fathers of the Church, a New Translation, v. 101-102. Washington, D.C: Catholic University of America Press.
Zenger, Erich. "Psalm 133," in Hossfeld, Frank-Lothar & Zenger, Erich. 2011. Psalms 3: A Commentary on Psalms 101-150. Edited by Klaus Baltzer. Translated by Linda M. Maloney. Hermeneia. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress.

References

133:1

  1. ↑ Hebrew text from OSHB.
  2. ↑ This exegetical issue is concerned with the contextual reference of the verb phrase יָשַׁב יַחַד "dwell together," rather than that grammar of the clause. For discussion of the quite unexpected גַּם, see our grammar notes for this verse.
  3. ↑ Many other views have been proposed. Some early Jewish interpreters, for example, understood the verse to refer to Jerusalem and Zion (Targum Psalms), to Aaron and Moses (Tractate Horayot 12a), to the royal Messiah and the high priest (Radak) or to the sons of David in the days of Solomon (Ibn Ezra). For other, more modern views, see Booij (2002, 259-261) and Zenger (2011).