flesh of slaves in order to prevent escape. Paul mentions a branding iron at 1 Timothy 4:2. Idol worshipers on occasion had the name, emblem or image of their idol god reproduced upon themselves to display the fact that they were devoted to that god. Deliberate disfigurement of the flesh was prohibited under the Mosaic law. (Lev. 19:28) Under the Law the only mark ever put on a slave was the piercing of the ear of one who voluntarily requested slavery to his master “to time indefinite.”—Deut. 15:16, 17.

Paul wrote to the Galatians: “I am carrying on my body the brand marks of a slave of Jesus.” (Gal. 6:17) Many were the physical abuses administered to Paul’s fleshly body because of his Christian service, some of which undoubtedly left him scarred, testifying to the authenticity of his claim as a faithful slave of Jesus Christ. (2 Cor. 11:23-27) These things may have been the marks alluded to. Or he may have had reference to the life he lived as a Christian, under influence of holy spirit, ‘browbeating his body and leading it as a slave,’ displaying the fruitage of the spirit, carrying out the work of his Christian ministry.—1 Cor. 9:27; see MARK II.

BRASS

See COPPER.

BRAZIER

Generally, a heating device consisting of a panlike receptacle elevated off the ground by means of legs and designed for holding burning coals or charcoal. The Hebrew word rendered brazier (ʼahh) is thought to be of Egyptian origin, suggesting that the brazier itself may have been an innovation from Egypt.

It appears that in the better homes the brazier was preferred to a depression in the floor of the house, in which a fire could be built. King Jehoiakim had a brazier, likely one made of metal, in his winter house.—Jer. 36:22, 23.

Some suggest that the brazier was a pitcherlike container placed in a depression in the center of the floor. In more recent times such an arrangement for heating has been used in the Middle East. After the fire goes out in the container, a tablelike frame is placed over it and this frame is, in turn, covered by a carpet. Those desiring to warm themselves stick their feet and legs and sometimes the lower part of their body under the carpet.

BREAD

Bread was a staple in the diet of the Jews and other peoples of antiquity, the art of bread making being common knowledge among the Israelites, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and others. Even in modern times in some parts of the East bread is of chief importance and other types of food are of secondary significance. At times the Bible seems to use “bread” for food in general, as at Genesis 3:19 and in the model prayer, which contains the request: “Give us today our bread for this day.”—Matt. 6:11.

In making bread the Hebrews generally used wheat flour or barley flour. Wheat was more expensive, so persons might often have to content themselves with barley bread. Reference is made to barley bread at Judges 7:13; 2 Kings 4:42 and John 6:9, 13. Some flour was rather coarse, being prepared by the use of pestle and mortar. However, “fine flour” was also in use. (Gen. 18:6; Lev. 2:1; 1 Ki. 4:22) The manna Jehovah God provided for the Israelites during their wilderness trek was ground in hand mills or pounded in a mortar.—Num. 11:8.

It was customary to grind the grain and bake fresh bread daily, and often the bread was unleavened (Heb., mats·tsahʹ). The flour was simply mixed with water, and no leaven was added before the kneading of the dough. In making leavened bread the general practice was to take a piece of dough retained from a previous baking and use it as a leavening agent by crumbling it into the water prior to the mixing in of the flour. Such a mixture would be kneaded and permitted to stand until it leavened.—Gal. 5:9; see LEAVEN; LOAF.

Offerings made to Jehovah by the Israelites consisted of some baked things. (Lev. 2:4-13) It was not permissible to use leaven in offerings made by fire to Jehovah, though certain offerings were not burned on the altar and could contain leaven. (Lev. 7:13; 23:17) The use of leavened bread was not allowed during the Passover and the festival of unfermented cakes associated with it.—Ex. 12:8, 15, 18.

The prominence of bread in the daily diet of Biblical times is indicated by repeated references to it throughout the Scriptures. For example, Melchizedek “brought out bread and wine” before blessing Abram. (Gen. 14:18) When Abraham sent away Hagar and Ishmael he “took bread and a skin water bottle and gave it to Hagar.” (Gen. 21:14) Imprisoned Jeremiah was given a daily ration of “a round loaf of bread.” (Jer. 37:21) On two occasions Jesus Christ miraculously multiplied bread to feed vast crowds. (Matt. 14:14-21; 15:32-37) Jesus taught his followers to pray for “bread for the day according to the day’s requirement.” (Luke 11:3) And the psalmist fittingly identified Jehovah God as the One providing “bread that sustains the very heart of mortal man.”—Ps. 104:15.

FIGURATIVE USE

The term “bread,” as used in the Bible, has a number of figurative applications. For instance, Joshua and Caleb told the assembled Israelites that the inhabitants of Canaan “are bread to us,” apparently meaning that they could easily be conquered and that the experience would sustain or strengthen Israel. (Num. 14:9) Great sorrow that might be associated with divine disfavor seems to be reflected in Psalm 80:5, where it is said of Israel’s Shepherd Jehovah: “You have made them eat the bread of tears.” Jehovah is also spoken of as giving his people “bread in the form of distress and water in the form of oppression,” evidently referring to conditions they would experience under siege and that would be as common to them as bread and water.—Isa. 30:20.

In speaking of those who are so wicked that they “do not sleep unless they do badness,” the book of Proverbs says: “They have fed themselves with the bread of wickedness.” (Prov. 4:14-17) Yes, they seem to sustain themselves on wicked deeds. Of one who may acquire the material provisions for life by deceit or fraud, Proverbs 20:17 states: “Bread gained by falsehood is pleasurable to a man, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.” But regarding the good and industrious wife it is said: “The bread of laziness she does not eat.”—Prov. 31:27.

The Bible also uses “bread” figuratively in a favorable sense. Isaiah 55:2 shows that Jehovah’s spiritual provisions are far more important than material things, stating: “Why do you people keep paying out money for what is not bread, and why is your toil for what results in no satisfaction? Listen intently to me, and eat what is good, and let your soul find its exquisite delight in fatness itself.”

When instituting the new meal that would commemorate his death (on Nisan 14, 33 C.E.), “Jesus took a loaf and, after saying a blessing, he broke it and, giving it to the disciples, he said: ‘Take, eat. This means my body.’” (Matt. 26:26) The loaf meant Jesus’ own fleshly body “which is to be given in your behalf.” (Luke 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:23, 24) Earlier, Jesus Christ had contrasted “bread that comes down from heaven” with the manna eaten by the Israelites in the wilderness and had plainly stated: “I am the bread of life.” He showed that he was the “living bread that came down from heaven,” adding: “If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever; and, for a fact, the bread that I shall give is my flesh in behalf of the life of the world.” (John 6:48-51) Jesus presented the merit of his ransom sacrifice to his Father Jehovah God upon his ascension to heaven. By means of this merit Christ can give life to all obedient ones of mankind. As foretold under divine inspiration, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, which means ‘house or place of bread’ (Mic. 5:2; Luke 2:11), and through Jesus Christ life-giving “bread” is provided for all believing mankind.—John 6:31-35; see SHOWBREAD.

BREAST, BOSOM

The human breast is used figuratively in the Scriptures to denote closeness, intimacy and favor (Song of Sol. 1:13; John 13:25; 21:20); maturity (Song of Sol. 8:8, 10; Ezek. 16:7); beauty, symbolic of spiritual beauty (Song of Sol. 4:5; 7:3, 7, 8); sexual intercourse (“between her breasts” [Hos. 2:2]; “breasts were squeezed,” ‘bosoms pressed’ [Ezek. 23:3, 21]); fertility (Gen. 49:25; Hos. 9:14); exultation and prosperity. (Isa. 60:16; 66:11) ‘Beating the breasts’ or ‘tearing out the breasts’ signified extreme humiliation, distress and grief.—Isa. 32:12; Ezek. 23:34; Luke 18:13; 23:48.

A woman hearing Jesus speak cried out: “Happy is the womb that carried you and the breasts that you sucked!” Since it was every woman’s desire to have a worthy son, and Jewish women desired the privilege of being the mother of a prophet and particularly the Messiah, it is understandable that this Jewish woman made such a remark. But Jesus’ answer, “No, rather, Happy are those hearing the word of God and keeping it!” showed that it was not being close to Jesus in a fleshly way that counted; spirituality was the important thing. This principle precludes any veneration of Mary as the mother of our Lord.—Luke 11:27, 28.

Because of the nearness of Jerusalem’s destruction, accompanied by the appalling slaughter of its inhabitants, Jesus said: “Look! days are coming in which people will say, ‘Happy are the barren women, and the wombs that did not give birth and the breasts that did not nurse!’”—Luke 23:29; compare Jeremiah 16:1-4.

The Hebrew Scriptures, by using a different term, make a distinction between the human breast and the breast of animals, which is anatomically different. The breast of a sacrificial animal was the portion that became the priest’s for his food, in communion sacrifices made by the Israelites.—Lev. 7:29-35; 10:14, 15.

BOSOM

The word is used in a manner very similar to the usage of breast, although it has more specific reference to the fold in the upper part of the robe than to the breast itself. A dearly beloved or cherished one would be held close to one’s bosom, as Naomi did with Ruth’s baby Obed, in acknowledging him as the legal heir of Naomi’s dead husband Elimelech. (Ruth 4:16) In the custom of reclining at meals the one in front of the bosom of another was in a position or intimacy with him, generally the favored position. (John 13:23) Jesus employed this well-known custom in illustrating Lazarus as being in “the bosom position of Abraham,” signifying favor with God. (Luke 16:22, 23) The apostle John described Jesus as being “in the bosom position with the Father,” as the intimate of Jehovah, the one person who could explain God to a fuller and more thorough extent than any other.—John 1:18.

The garment worn by Israelites in Bible times was quite voluminous over the chest, so that in its folds a person could hide his hands, place money or other articles and even carry a baby or a young lamb. (Ex. 4:6, 7; Num. 11:12; 2 Sam. 12:3) Jehovah says he will carry his lambs in his bosom, an illustration of his tender love and care for them. (Isa. 40:11) The expression “wife of [one’s] bosom,” as in some translations (AV; Ro; RS; AT), is given clearer meaning when rendered, “wife thou dost cherish in thy bosom” (Kx), “your cherished wife.” (NW) (Deut. 13:6; 28:54; Mic. 7:5) Intercourse is sometimes referred to.—Gen. 16:5; 2 Sam. 12:8.

To “render the reward into their own bosom” or to ‘measure out their wages into their own bosom’ are understandable expressions when we appreciate that the pockets of garments were not in one’s skirts or the lower part of the garment as today. (Isa. 65:6, 7; Ps. 79:12; Jer. 32:18) Similarly, the expressions ‘carrying reproach in one’s bosom,’ ‘raking fire together into his bosom,’ ‘taking a bribe from the bosom’ and “a bribe in the bosom” have reference to the use of the upper folds of the garment.—Ps. 89:50; Prov. 6:27; 17:23; 21:14; see BOSOM POSITION.

BREASTBAND

A sash or girdle worn by a bride on her wedding day. It marked her status as a married woman. Jehovah as a “husband” to Israel illustrates the sin and extreme disregard of Israel toward him, saying: “Can a virgin forget her ornaments, a bride her breastbands? And yet my own people—they have forgotten me days without number.” Israel’s God should have been her greatest ornament, but she had forsaken him for other gods.—Jer. 2:32; Isa. 3:20; compare Isaiah 49:18.

BREASTPIECE

The sacred embroidered pouch worn by Israel’s high priest over his heart whenever he entered the Holy. The breastpiece was to serve as a “memorial,” and was apparently referred to as the “breastpiece of judgment” because of containing the Urim and Thummim by means of which Jehovah’s judgments were revealed.—Ex. 28:15, 29, 30.

Like the ephod, the breastpiece was made of the finest materials, gold, blue thread, wool dyed reddish purple, coccus scarlet material and fine twisted linen. (Ex. 28:15) The same fabrics were used in making the ten tent cloths embroidered with cherubs, the curtain separating the Holy from the Most Holy and the screen for the entrance of the tent, the needed materials having been voluntarily contributed by the Israelites and fashioned into final form either directly by Bezalel and Oholiab or under their direction.—Ex. 26:1, 31, 36; 31:2-6; 35:21-29.

The fabric for the breastpiece was evidently a cubit in length and a span in width so as to make a square when folded, thus forming a pouch into which the Urim and Thummim may have been placed. The front of the breastpiece was adorned with twelve precious stones fitted into sockets of gold and arranged in four rows of three stones each. On each stone the name of one of the tribes of Israel was engraved. (Ex. 28:15-21, 28; 39:8-14; Lev. 8:8) The jewels in each row may have been arranged as listed from right to left (as in reading Hebrew). It cannot be stated with any certainty which precious stone corresponded to which tribe. All attempts to do so are merely conjectures.—See the precious stones under their individual headings.

The breastpiece was securely mounted on the ephod in the following manner: Two wreathed chains of pure gold were attached to two gold rings at opposite corners of the upper part of the breastpiece. These chains, in turn, were fastened to the two gold settings of the shoulder pieces of the ephod. Two other gold rings were affixed at opposite extremities of the bottom edge of the breastpiece upon the side facing the ephod. These rings were tied by means of a blue string to the two gold rings on the forefront of the ephod just above its girdle.—Ex. 28:22-28; 39:15-21.

BREASTPLATE

See ARMS, ARMOR.

BREATH

See SPIRIT.

BRIBE

Generally a valuable consideration given with a view to influencing its recipient to act, usually unjustifiably or corruptly, in behalf of the giver. The Scriptures indicate that the accepting of bribes led not only to the perversion of justice but even to bloodshed.—Deut. 16:19; 27:25; Ezek. 22:12.

Accepting bribes was specifically prohibited by