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