Psalms 133:1

Behold&c. The Psalmist seems to have before his eyes some instance of the blessing and the beauty of brotherly concord which prompts his song. May it not have been the enthusiasm of those who volunteered to dwell in Jerusalem, when Nehemiah was restoring its civic and religious organisation (Nehemiah 11:2)?

for brethren to dwell together in unity Lit. the dwelling of brethren also together: i.e. that the tie of intimate relationship denoted by the name of brethrenshould find outward expression in the gathering of Israelites to make their home in the mother-city, or, if the reference of the Psalm is to the great Feasts, in the reunions of the members of the nation at these periodical gatherings. By brethrenhe does not mean the members of a single family, but the members of the larger family of Israel, the whole nation. In unityis doubtless a correct interpretation of the Psalmist's meaning, though it goes beyond the strict sense of the Heb. word, which only means together.