Lexical Summary torach: Burden, hardship Original Word: טֹרַח Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cumbrance, trouble From tarach; a burden -- cumbrance, trouble. see HEBREW tarach NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom tarach Definition a burden NASB Translation burden (1), load (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs טֹ֫רַח noun masculine budren, figurative הָיוּ עָלַי לָטֹ֑רַח נִלְאֵיתִי נְשׂא׃ Isaiah 1:14 they are become a burden on me, I am weary of bearing; אֵיכָה אֶשָּׂא טָרְחֲכֶם Deuteronomy 1:12 (+ מַשַּׂאֲכֶם וְרֵיבְכֶם) how can I bear the burden of you? Topical Lexicon Meaning and Scope of the Term The noun טֹרַח speaks of a load that presses down upon the bearer. It can describe the felt weight of tangible responsibilities placed on human leaders, as well as the moral weight that persistent rebellion places on the heart of God. Though sparsely used, the word captures a vivid picture of strain, toil, and heaviness. Occurrences in Scripture 1. Deuteronomy 1:12 – Moses confesses the impossibility of shouldering Israel’s “troubles, burdens, and disputes” alone; the word portrays the crushing nature of solitary leadership over a large, frequently discontented nation. Literary and Theological Observations • Reciprocal Burden-Bearing: The same word applied to Moses and to the LORD creates a deliberate parallel. Leadership among God’s people can become a strain when covenant obligations are ignored, but heaven itself is also portrayed as bearing weight when the people persist in sin. Historical Context Deuteronomy records Israel on the plains of Moab, generations removed from Egypt yet still wrestling with self-centered expectations. The weight Moses describes is administrative, judicial, and pastoral. Isaiah prophesies more than six centuries later, confronting Judah’s hypocrisy under kings who maintained religious ceremony while tolerating injustice. In both eras, טֹרַח surfaces when covenant structure exists without corresponding heart devotion. Ministry Implications • Shared Leadership: Moses’ solution—qualified, Spirit-filled leaders—remains instructive for churches and ministries (Acts 6:1-7; Titus 1:5). Proper delegation protects servants from burnout and promotes healthy accountability. Christological Perspective The Servant-Redeemer carries humanity’s ultimate load: “Surely He took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4). By lifting the intolerable burden of guilt, He exemplifies and fulfills the principle embedded in טֹרַח—what is crushing for mankind is borne perfectly by the Savior. Consequently, believers are summoned to “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). Related Concepts and Passages • Masá (burden, Numbers 4:15) – emphasizes cargo or assigned duty. Forms and Transliterations טָרְחֲכֶ֥ם טרחכם לָטֹ֑רַח לטרח lā·ṭō·raḥ laTorach lāṭōraḥ ṭā·rə·ḥă·ḵem tarechaChem ṭārəḥăḵemLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 1:12 HEB: אֶשָּׂ֖א לְבַדִּ֑י טָרְחֲכֶ֥ם וּמַֽשַּׂאֲכֶ֖ם וְרִֽיבְכֶֽם׃ NAS: bear the load and burden KJV: can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, INT: bear alone the load and burden adversary Isaiah 1:14 2 Occurrences |
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