John 7:1-3 New American Standard Bible
After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him. Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. So His brothers said to Him, “Move on from here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing.
Did Jesus' brothers set a death trap against him?
The interpretation implied in the OP presumes too much. The text is clear that Jesus' brothers did not believe in him (at least not in the way that the author of this Gospel does) and that they pushed him to show himself in Jerusalem. The mention of known danger in Jerusalem does seem suspicious. But there are benign interpretations that work just as well as the "death trap" scenario of the OP.
Although the text says his brothers did not believe in him, this do not mean they wished him harm. They may have even wanted him to succeed, believing him to the Jewish messiah, rather than the 'Only Begotten Son' of John's theology. The "works that you are doing" were good works, and the brothers may have wanted this known in Jerusalem.
The text does not say that the brothers were aware of any plot against Jesus. His brothers doubted, but they may have wanted him to 'show himself' in the sense of declaring himself - similar to John the Baptist asking Jesus "are you he who is to come or shall we look for another?" (Mt. 11:3)
Sukkot was one the major holidays when Jews were expected to make pilgrimages to Jerusalem. His brothers may have simply encouraged Jesus to come with them to Jerusalem and join his disciples there. At the same time, Jesus' participation in the festival could dissipate the concern of Jewish authorities concerning Jesus' teaching and practice.
Conclusion: It is not impossible that Jesus' brothers wished to entrap him. But there are several more benign interpretations that work just as well.
We read of a similar situation in John 11:6-11:
when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?”Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble,for they see by this world’s light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”
< Here, we see the disciples speaking of the impending danger and Jesus fortifying them. But, we cannot be sure if the disciples had similar apprehension in the situation quoted in John 7. Maybe, only Jesus knew of the brewing plot in John 7. The attempt-to- stone incident they are quoting in John 11 is from John 8:59. Presuming that the Evangelist did put all the incidents in chronological order, the disciples get a clean chit in John 7.
