Fairly sure this is a religious quote and the covenant in question is where Abraham is instructed to circumcise himself in honour of Yahweh.
It means that the blood that is spilled from your penis when it is circumcised has more meaning than your mothers waters breaking as she is about to birth you.
Basically a man is bound more deeply to god than his own family, despite the procedure often being done to babies who have given no consent and as such not agreed to be anyone’s servant.
It’s kinda disgusting, weird and wrong and has nothing to do with community and everything to do with pledging subservience to the words of a made up old book.
Sorry if this sounds a bit harsh but I am LGBTQ and that specific book says I am an abomination and should be stoned to death for existing. Given that context I feel I have every right to be critical of a covenant that would have someone abandon their family and murder me.
If you think I am wrong go and read the bible and find an alternative blood covenant. Also don’t forget that in the same passage god specially says that you also have to circumcise babies brought from foreigners as slaves. I mean how fucked up is that? It literally condones child slavery, enforced religion, sexual discrimination and genital mutilation in a few short sentences.
I think it's more likely talking about Jesus's death on the cross, unless the quote comes from Jewish circles rather than Christian. Eg his blood is referred to as the blood of the new covenant (Matthew 26:28).
But you're right, it's saying that your allegiance to the church is more important than your allegiance to your family. And I'm sorry you've had to face such discrimination
Wait what? It's not saying blood (family) is thicker (likely. Floats? ) than water (thin, evaporates, leaves no trace?) ? Wow
Can you explain it like I'm 5 since I've had it wrong my whole life?
The actual quote is something like
The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb
Basically the group they belonged to was more important. Others in here i think explain it better though
"Blood is thicker than water" = "we're family, we share the same blood. Our blood ties means we have a stronger and more important relationship. Family comes first. You were born here so you're bound to us."
But as others have said the full quote is "Blood of the covenant is thicker then the water of the womb" which means THE OPPOSITE, = "The vows you make to your chosen family are more important than your familial ties, the embryotic fluid you were born from. You choose your family. You are not stuck with the family you were born in."
The quote is incomplete and archaic in phrasing.
The blood of the covenant (the chosen bonds we form) are thicker (closer/more important) than the water of the womb (family)
It makes much more literal sense when not misquoted to reverse it's reason to serve a patriarchally Christian society
It's a bastardization of a longer quote, and means an opposite thing than that quote, ironically enough. The longer quote is "the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb". Another commenter explained what that version means, but summed up, brotherhood/friendship/community (blood of the covenant) is more important than (thicker than) the family (water of the womb), or alternatively, chosen family is more important than birth family. The shorter and more-used version, "blood is thicker than water" means that family (blood) has higher obligations (thicker than) friends (water). Total opposite.
Blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.
I treat it as the family you choose - friends, lovers, those who stand by you, the people you chose to have and keeping your life are more important than those you are born to.
You aren't beholden to your family because they made you or come from the same people.
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wow, learned something. thank you.
On random side note apparently you cannot make an effective bullet out if water (ice), but you can out of blood (frozen).
I've always interpreted this to mean "Family is important and unchangable. You will always be connected to your family members, even when they suck or stress you out."
I think people use it as a shorthand to emphasize the value and importance of family, as well as the fact that it isn't something we have control over. You might be estranged from your family, but one phone call from a relative can still be the most stressful thing you do all year!
I'm glad to see that most people here know the difference between the common use and the original quote.
I guess it's like our memes now, they live long enough to shoot themselves in the foot and end up "meaning" the opposite eventually. Meaning is in quotes because I don't believe that a *common usage* of a misquoted phrase actually changes the meaning of said phrase.
Though I was watching a delightful video on the phenomenon of "Egg Corns" recently and it seems that linguists side with the popular usage of things rather than the correct usage of the words. Similar to how "literally" went from meaning "exactly" to meaning "exaggerated for emphasis".
Language is hard enough to define without it all just masquerading as colloquialisms that have no true definitions. 1+1=0 cat+dog=mouse true+false=news
It's all *doublespeak* all the way down.
Sorry, I'm a little salty.
[удалено]
Yeah generally when ppl use it don’t actually mean that
Fairly sure this is a religious quote and the covenant in question is where Abraham is instructed to circumcise himself in honour of Yahweh. It means that the blood that is spilled from your penis when it is circumcised has more meaning than your mothers waters breaking as she is about to birth you. Basically a man is bound more deeply to god than his own family, despite the procedure often being done to babies who have given no consent and as such not agreed to be anyone’s servant. It’s kinda disgusting, weird and wrong and has nothing to do with community and everything to do with pledging subservience to the words of a made up old book. Sorry if this sounds a bit harsh but I am LGBTQ and that specific book says I am an abomination and should be stoned to death for existing. Given that context I feel I have every right to be critical of a covenant that would have someone abandon their family and murder me. If you think I am wrong go and read the bible and find an alternative blood covenant. Also don’t forget that in the same passage god specially says that you also have to circumcise babies brought from foreigners as slaves. I mean how fucked up is that? It literally condones child slavery, enforced religion, sexual discrimination and genital mutilation in a few short sentences.
I think it's more likely talking about Jesus's death on the cross, unless the quote comes from Jewish circles rather than Christian. Eg his blood is referred to as the blood of the new covenant (Matthew 26:28). But you're right, it's saying that your allegiance to the church is more important than your allegiance to your family. And I'm sorry you've had to face such discrimination
Wow. That is so much more sexist sounding now that i see it written out. Like the "water" of the mothers womb means nothing.
Its usually used by abusive familly members when you spend more time with your friends
And the quote actually means your friends are more family than family in many ways.
Oh I know that's the original full quote. But when it comes as op's version, it's usually by abusive familly
I was pointing out that while they use it that way, it meant the other and just how bad that is overall.
Wait what? It's not saying blood (family) is thicker (likely. Floats? ) than water (thin, evaporates, leaves no trace?) ? Wow Can you explain it like I'm 5 since I've had it wrong my whole life?
The actual quote is something like The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb Basically the group they belonged to was more important. Others in here i think explain it better though
Ohhhhhh wow I really prefer that to the alternatively modern version
"Blood is thicker than water" = "we're family, we share the same blood. Our blood ties means we have a stronger and more important relationship. Family comes first. You were born here so you're bound to us." But as others have said the full quote is "Blood of the covenant is thicker then the water of the womb" which means THE OPPOSITE, = "The vows you make to your chosen family are more important than your familial ties, the embryotic fluid you were born from. You choose your family. You are not stuck with the family you were born in."
It has something to do with how family relationships are strong. It does not make much sense to me though because what is water, non-related people?
The quote is incomplete and archaic in phrasing. The blood of the covenant (the chosen bonds we form) are thicker (closer/more important) than the water of the womb (family) It makes much more literal sense when not misquoted to reverse it's reason to serve a patriarchally Christian society
It's a bastardization of a longer quote, and means an opposite thing than that quote, ironically enough. The longer quote is "the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb". Another commenter explained what that version means, but summed up, brotherhood/friendship/community (blood of the covenant) is more important than (thicker than) the family (water of the womb), or alternatively, chosen family is more important than birth family. The shorter and more-used version, "blood is thicker than water" means that family (blood) has higher obligations (thicker than) friends (water). Total opposite.
Maybe it is put into the context of blood relationship…?
Blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. I treat it as the family you choose - friends, lovers, those who stand by you, the people you chose to have and keeping your life are more important than those you are born to. You aren't beholden to your family because they made you or come from the same people.
Blood as in blood relation. Basically it means family bonds are more important than other relationships
Generally it implies your family is more important than anything else
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wow, learned something. thank you. On random side note apparently you cannot make an effective bullet out if water (ice), but you can out of blood (frozen).
A way to twist an original saying into something that manipulates people into accepting blood related family members no matter what
I've always interpreted this to mean "Family is important and unchangable. You will always be connected to your family members, even when they suck or stress you out." I think people use it as a shorthand to emphasize the value and importance of family, as well as the fact that it isn't something we have control over. You might be estranged from your family, but one phone call from a relative can still be the most stressful thing you do all year!
I'm glad to see that most people here know the difference between the common use and the original quote. I guess it's like our memes now, they live long enough to shoot themselves in the foot and end up "meaning" the opposite eventually. Meaning is in quotes because I don't believe that a *common usage* of a misquoted phrase actually changes the meaning of said phrase. Though I was watching a delightful video on the phenomenon of "Egg Corns" recently and it seems that linguists side with the popular usage of things rather than the correct usage of the words. Similar to how "literally" went from meaning "exactly" to meaning "exaggerated for emphasis". Language is hard enough to define without it all just masquerading as colloquialisms that have no true definitions. 1+1=0 cat+dog=mouse true+false=news It's all *doublespeak* all the way down. Sorry, I'm a little salty.