A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
A person who wants to have friends must be friendly to others, and there is a friend who stays closer to you than even a brother would.
This verse is saying that if you want good friendships, you need to be a good friend yourself, and some friends can become closer than family.
📚 Historical Context
This proverb comes from King Solomon's collection of wise sayings, written around 950 BC when strong family bonds were essential for survival in ancient Israel. In that culture, brotherhood represented the strongest possible human relationship, so comparing friendship to brotherhood would have been understood as the highest compliment. The proverb reflects the importance of both giving and receiving loyalty in relationships.
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