The father-in-law on the bride’s side, the wife’s father, is designated by a masculine participial form of the Hebrew verb hha·thanʹ. Its feminine participial form refers to mother-in-law. (Deut. 27:23) Other forms of the word hha·thanʹ are also translated “marriage alliance.”—Deut. 7:3; 1 Sam. 18:20-27; 1 Ki. 3:1; 2 Chron. 18:1.

Because an engaged couple were considered as bound although the couple had not yet come together in marriage, the woman was spoken of as the man’s wife. (Judg. 14:20) Therefore, the man was called “son-in-law” (a noun drawn from hha·thanʹ being used) regardless of whether the marriage alliance had been fully consummated (Judg. 19:5; 1 Sam. 22:14; Neh. 6:18; 13:28) or was only contemplated, as in the case of Lot’s “sons-in-law.” (Gen. 19:12, 14; compare Judges 15:6.) Lot’s daughters were only betrothed; otherwise they would most likely have been with their husbands and not living in their father’s house. That the two men were only prospective, not actual, sons-in-law (engaged to Lot’s daughters but not as yet married to them) is indicated by the Hebrew, which allows for the rendering: “[Lot’s] sons-in-law who were to take his  daughters.”—Gen. 19:14, NW; Mo; Ro; compare JB; RS.

In the Christian Greek Scriptures, pen·the·rosʹ is translated “father-in-law” (John 18:13); the feminine form, pen·the·raʹ, is rendered “mother-in-law.”—Matt. 8:14; 10:35; Mark 1:30; Luke 4:38; 12:53; see DAUGHTER-IN-LAW.

FATHERLESS BOY

With no man in the house to support them and protect their interests, the fatherless boy and the widow might more easily become subject to oppression and difficulties. Their welfare was, therefore, provided for under the Law, which not only ensured justice for the fatherless boy, the widow and the alien resident, but also included provisions for their sustenance. (Ex. 22:22-24; Deut. 24:17) Gleanings left in the field, on the olive tree and in the vineyard were available to these poor ones. (Deut. 24:19-21) A special invitation was extended to them to participate in the bounteous yearly Festival of Ingathering (Festival of Booths), during which they could enjoy the feasting that accompanied the celebration. (Deut. 16:9-14) Every third year the special tithe that the Israelites normally ate at Jerusalem was deposited within the gates of their home cities. From this tithe the fatherless boy was legally entitled to a portion.—Deut. 14:28, 29; 26:12, 13.

Since it was easy to lose sight of these bereaved and defenseless ones, Jehovah used the expression “fatherless boy” in describing the degree of Israel’s righteousness or of its deviation therefrom. When the nation was enjoying good spiritual health, the fatherless boy was cared for. When justice became perverted in the land, the fatherless boy was sure to be neglected, and this was a symptom of national decay. (Ps. 82:3; 94:6; Isa. 1:17, 23; Jer. 7:5-7; 22:3; Ezek. 22:7; Zech. 7:9-11; Mal. 3:5) Jehovah’s curse was on those who oppressed the fatherless boy. (Deut. 27:19; Isa. 10:1, 2) Jehovah describes himself as the Redeemer (Prov. 23:10, 11), Helper (Ps. 10:14) and Father (Ps. 68:5) of such ones. He is the One executing judgment in their behalf (Deut. 10:17, 18), showing them mercy (Hos. 14:3), giving them relief (Ps. 146:9) and preserving them alive.—Jer. 49:11.

One of the identifying marks of real Christianity is its consideration for those bereaved by loss of husband or parents. The disciple James writes to Christians: “The form of worship that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation, and to keep oneself without spot from the world.”—Jas. 1:27.

FATHER’S HOUSE

[Heb., behth ʼav; pl., behth ʼa·vohthʹ].

These Hebrew expressions could refer (1) to a dwelling place (Deut. 22:21); (2) to the household of one’s father at his place of dwelling (Gen. 31:30; 38:11); (3) to those making up the household itself, even in a location away from the ancestral home (Gen. 46:31; Judg. 9:18); (4) or, as variously translated, to a “father’s (or fathers’) house,” “chief house,” “ancestral house,” “paternal house,” which, in some cases, took in several families; for example, at the time of numbering the Israelites in the wilderness, four families were considered as making up the paternal house of Kohath. (Num. 3:19, 30; see also Exodus 6:14; Numbers 26:20-22; Joshua 7:17.) Several paternal houses constituted a tribe (such as the tribe of Levi, made up of the paternal houses of Gershon, Kohath and Merari).

The terms “paternal house” or “fathers’ house,” “house of our father,” and so forth, were not always limited to the above usages, however. (For a broader use of “paternal house” see Numbers 17:2, 6, where a paternal house is a tribe.)

As the population of Israel increased, and as various areas of the Promised Land became settled, paternal houses also increased in number. The priests were organized by David into twenty-four divisions of service according to their paternal houses, sixteen divisions for Eleazar and eight for Ithamar. The twenty-four headmen were called “heads for their paternal houses.” (1 Chron. 24:4-6) The rest of the Levites were selected for certain duties by lot, without regard to any priority of age of the heads of their paternal houses.—1 Chron. 24:20-31.

Each Israelite paternal house was represented by its hereditary head in connection with official tribal business and the administration of justice. (Neh. 7:70, 71; 11:13) At the celebration of the Passover in Jerusalem in King Josiah’s time, the people apparently entered the court of the temple by their paternal houses to offer their sacrifices. The Levites, by their divisions based on paternal houses, received the sacrifices of the people, prepared them and delivered them to the priests officiating at the altar.—2 Chron. 35:4, 5, 12.

Jesus Christ promised his followers that he was going his way to prepare a place for them in his ‘Father’s house,’ by which he had reference to the heavenly dwelling place of Jehovah.—John 14:2; see FAMILY.

FATHOM

A unit for measuring the depth of water. The fathom is commonly viewed as being four cubits (c. 6 feet; c. 1.8 meters) and approximately corresponds to the distance between the fingertips of a man’s two hands when his arms are stretched in opposite directions.—Acts 27:28.

FAULT, FAULTFINDING

A “fault” is a neglect, failing, defect, error, imperfection; it can mean failure to do what is right; also, responsibility for failure or for wrongdoing. Pilate, after examining Jesus Christ on the charges brought by the Jews, found no evidence of guilt and announced to the Jews three times: “I find no fault in him.”—John 18:38; 19:4, 6.

JEHOVAH’S DEALINGS WITH FAULTY MANKIND

That which Jehovah God makes is perfect, without fault, as are all his words and acts. (Deut. 32:4) For this reason, and because of his almightiness, he can say, as in correcting Job: “Should there be any contending of a faultfinder with the Almighty?” (Job 40:1, 2) The apostle Paul points out that God has the right to deal with his creatures as He pleases, just as a potter makes the kinds of vessels he desires to produce. God tolerates “vessels of wrath” for a purpose, just as he did Pharaoh, while he has mercy on “vessels of mercy,” and we cannot rightly question God’s action in this.—Rom. 9:14-24.

On the other hand, man’s ways and productions are often faulty. Sin and error are the legacy all men have inherited from Adam. (Rom. 5:12; Ps. 51:5) But Jehovah, himself faultless, “well knows the formation of us, remembering that we are dust,” and is merciful. (Ps. 103:13, 14) He considered faithful, obedient