Family’s Are Born for… Fighting?
Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
This verse is the oddest verse in Proverbs 17. It just doesn’t seem to fit the rest of the context. Before and after this statement are verses describing a fool in their lifestyle, character, and dealings with money and other people.
This verse is so commonly to mean that a friend will love at all times and family is born to help in time of need. Kinda like a “blood is thicker than water” statement. In fact, the New English Translation puts a note at the bottom stating: “…is born for adversity.” This is not referring to sibling rivalry but to the loyalty a brother shows during times of calamity. This is not to say that a brother only shows loyalty when there is trouble, nor that he always does in these times.”
However, I tend to think that given the context of Proverbs 17 and even reading the history of families in Genesis that it isn’t too far reaching to suggest the verse means “a friend loves at all times, and a brother is born so you can have someone to fight with.”
Growing up with a twin brother (we fought when we were young a lot but always had a great relationship) and hearing of all the family issues that every family deals with, the application and understanding of the verse this way is somewhat reassuring. And you can’t but laugh a little inside knowing that Solomon understood family feuds. They were in every family since Adam and Eve. And if we didn’t have family to fight with, we would fight with our friends, but then we wouldn’t have any friends. Praise God for families.
