Lexical Summary kebeduth: Heaviness, weightiness, honor Original Word: כְּבֵדֻת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance heavily Feminine of kabed; difficulty -- X heavily. see HEBREW kabed NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom kabad Definition heaviness NASB Translation difficulty (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs כְּבֵדֻת noun feminine heaviness, ׳וַיְנַהֲגֵהוּ בִּכ Exodus 14:25 (J) and they drave them with heaviness (difficulty). Topical Lexicon Definition and Root Relationship The noun כְּבֵדֻת points to the idea of weightiness or burdensomeness. It is built on the same triliteral root *k-b-d* that yields verbs for “being heavy” and nouns for “glory” (כָּבוֹד). The single attestation of כְּבֵדֻת in Exodus 14:25 displays the literal sense of heaviness that impedes movement, yet the wider root family everywhere reminds the reader that what is physically heavy can also be morally weighty and, in the case of the Lord, gloriously weighty. Old Testament Context Exodus 14 records the climactic moment of Israel’s deliverance at the Red Sea. After the sea had opened, the Egyptians pursued Israel into the passageway. Verse 25 states, “He clogged their chariot wheels so that they had difficulty driving” (Exodus 14:25). The phrase “had difficulty” translates כְּבֵדֻת, portraying a divinely induced heaviness that rendered elite Egyptian chariots virtually useless. This single occurrence therefore becomes a vivid symbol of Yahweh’s sovereignty: He neutralizes the most advanced military technology of the day with one decisive act, fulfilling His earlier promise, “I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army” (Exodus 14:17). The weight that slowed Egypt simultaneously magnified the Lord’s weight of glory. Historical and Cultural Background New Kingdom chariots represented Egypt’s tactical superiority—fast, maneuverable, and devastating in open terrain. Archaeology and reliefs from sites such as Karnak confirm their central place in Egyptian warfare. By turning the wheels heavy, the Lord reversed Egypt’s military advantage without Israel lifting a sword. For the original audience, the heaviness of the wheels would be a sign as unmistakable as the water walls surrounding them: the God of Abraham intervenes in real history and rewrites the expected outcome. Intertextual Connections within the Root Group 1. Physical heaviness: “The famine was severe [heavy] in the land” (Genesis 43:1). Together these passages trace a progression: God can make objects heavy, expose heavy sin, allow heavy judgment, and display His own heavy glory. Theological Insights 1. Divine Reversal: The chariot episode shows that what men consider an asset can become a liability when God decrees it. The “heaviness” motif warns against trusting in human strength (Psalm 20:7). Ministry Implications • Encouragement in Spiritual Warfare: Believers facing formidable opposition can recall that the Lord can “weigh down” enemy devices at will, turning apparent advantages into liabilities (2 Corinthians 10:4). Illustrative Applications • Intercessory Prayer: Pray that the Lord would impose “heaviness” on forces that hinder gospel advance while granting His people swift footing (Isaiah 52:7). Key Related Passages Exodus 7:14; Exodus 14:17-18, 25; Exodus 40:34-35; Psalm 38:4; Isaiah 6:3; Matthew 11:28-30; 2 Corinthians 4:17. Forms and Transliterations בִּכְבֵדֻ֑ת בכבדת bichveDut biḵ·ḇê·ḏuṯ biḵḇêḏuṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 14:25 HEB: מַרְכְּבֹתָ֔יו וַֽיְנַהֲגֵ֖הוּ בִּכְבֵדֻ֑ת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מִצְרַ֗יִם NAS: and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians KJV: that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians INT: their chariot drive difficulty said Egyptian 1 Occurrence |
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