4133. motah

Lexicon

motah: Yoke, bar, or pole

Original Word: מוֹטָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: mowtah
Pronunciation: mo-tah'
Phonetic Spelling: (mo-taw')
Definition: Yoke, bar, or pole
Meaning: a pole, an ox-bow, a yoke

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

bands, heavy, staves, yoke

Feminine of mowt; a pole; by implication, an ox-bow; hence, a yoke (either literal or figurative) -- bands, heavy, staves, yoke.

see HEBREW mowt

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
fem. of mot
Definition
a pole, bar (of a yoke)
NASB Translation
bars (2), poles (1), yoke (5), yoke bars (1), yokes (3).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

מוֺטָה noun feminine pole, bar of yoke, mostly late (compare מוֺט); — ׳מ Jeremiah 28:10 4t.; plural מֹטוֺת etc., absolute Jeremiah 27:2; 1 Chronicles 15:15; construct Ezekiel 30:18 4t.; —

1 pole, plural, staves, for bearing ark 1 Chronicles 15:15.

2 bar of yoke, symbolic, of oppression Jeremiah 27:2 ("" מוֺמֵרוֺת, compare עֹל Jeremiah 27:8; Jeremiah 27:11; Jeremiah 27:12), Jeremiah 28:10,12 (compare עֹל Jeremiah 28:11); עֵץ ׳מ Jeremiah 28:13; בַּרְזֶל ׳מ Jeremiah 28:13 (compare עֹל Jeremiah 28:14); figurative of oppression, Isaiah 58:6,9; Ezekiel 30:18; compare (thongs of yoke) ׳אֲגֻדּוֺת מ Isaiah 58:6; מֹטֹת עֻלְּכֶם Leviticus 26:18 compare Ezekiel 34:27. — On form of yoke see Schumacher^{ZPV xii. 1889, 160,} Benz^{Archaeology 207}.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the root מוּט (mut), which means "to totter" or "to shake."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G1199 (δέσμος, desmos): Refers to a bond or chain, often used metaphorically to describe imprisonment or spiritual bondage.
• G4886 (συζεύγνυμι, syzeugnumi): Means to join together, particularly in the context of yoking animals, and is used metaphorically to describe partnership or union, especially in marriage or spiritual fellowship.

The concept of the yoke in both Hebrew and Greek contexts underscores themes of burden, servitude, and the potential for liberation through divine intervention.

Usage: The term מוֹטָה is used in the context of agriculture and servitude, referring to a yoke or a device used to harness animals for plowing or carrying burdens. It symbolizes subjugation or oppression when used metaphorically.

Context: • The Hebrew word מוֹטָה (motah) appears in the Old Testament to describe a physical yoke used in agricultural settings. It is a wooden frame or bar placed on the necks of animals, such as oxen, to enable them to pull a plow or cart. This tool was essential in ancient agrarian societies for effective farming and transportation.
• Beyond its literal use, מוֹטָה is often employed metaphorically in the Scriptures to represent oppression or subjugation. For instance, in Leviticus 26:13 (BSB), God declares, "I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high," illustrating liberation from bondage.
• The yoke is also a symbol of discipline and guidance, as seen in Jeremiah 28:10 (BSB), where the prophet Hananiah breaks the yoke off the neck of Jeremiah, signifying the breaking of Babylonian control over Judah.
• The concept of the yoke extends to spiritual and moral dimensions, where it can represent the burden of sin or the law, as well as the call to discipleship and submission to divine authority.

Forms and Transliterations

בַּמֹּט֖וֹת במטות הַמּוֹטָ֔ה המוטה וּמֹט֑וֹת ומטות מֹט֣וֹת מֹט֥וֹת מֹטֹ֣ת מוֹטָ֑ה מוֹטָ֔ה מוֹטָ֖ה מוֹטֹ֥ת מוטה מוטת מטות מטת bam·mō·ṭō·wṯ bammoTot bammōṭōwṯ ham·mō·w·ṭāh hammoTah hammōwṭāh mō·ṭō·wṯ mō·ṭōṯ mō·w·ṭāh mō·w·ṭōṯ moTah moTot mōṭōṯ mōṭōwṯ mōwṭāh mōwṭōṯ ū·mō·ṭō·wṯ umoTot ūmōṭōwṯ

Englishman's Concordance

Leviticus 26:13
HEB: עֲבָדִ֑ים וָאֶשְׁבֹּר֙ מֹטֹ֣ת עֻלְּכֶ֔ם וָאוֹלֵ֥ךְ
NAS: and I broke the bars of your yoke
KJV: and I have broken the bands of your yoke,
INT: not be their slaves broke the bars of your yoke walk

1 Chronicles 15:15
HEB: יְהוָ֑ה בִּכְתֵפָ֥ם בַּמֹּט֖וֹת עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ פ
NAS: on their shoulders with the poles thereon,
KJV: upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses
INT: of the LORD their shoulders the poles thereon

Isaiah 58:6
HEB: הַתֵּ֖ר אֲגֻדּ֣וֹת מוֹטָ֑ה וְשַׁלַּ֤ח רְצוּצִים֙
NAS: the bands of the yoke, And to let
KJV: to undo the heavy burdens,
INT: to undo the bands of the yoke let the oppressed

Isaiah 58:6
HEB: חָפְשִׁ֔ים וְכָל־ מוֹטָ֖ה תְּנַתֵּֽקוּ׃
NAS: And break every yoke?
KJV: free, and that ye break every yoke?
INT: free every of the yoke and break

Isaiah 58:9
HEB: תָּסִ֤יר מִתּֽוֹכְךָ֙ מוֹטָ֔ה שְׁלַ֥ח אֶצְבַּ֖ע
NAS: you remove the yoke from your midst,
KJV: from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth
INT: remove your midst the yoke the pointing of the finger

Jeremiah 27:2
HEB: לְךָ֔ מוֹסֵר֖וֹת וּמֹט֑וֹת וּנְתַתָּ֖ם עַל־
NAS: for yourself bonds and yokes and put
KJV: thee bonds and yokes, and put
INT: Make bonds and yokes and put on

Jeremiah 28:10
HEB: הַנָּבִיא֙ אֶת־ הַמּוֹטָ֔ה מֵעַ֕ל צַוַּ֖אר
NAS: took the yoke from the neck
KJV: took the yoke from off the prophet
INT: Hananiah the prophet the yoke from the neck

Jeremiah 28:12
HEB: הַנָּבִיא֙ אֶת־ הַמּוֹטָ֔ה מֵעַ֗ל צַוַּ֛אר
NAS: had broken the yoke from off
KJV: had broken the yoke from off the neck
INT: Hananiah the prophet the yoke off the neck

Jeremiah 28:13
HEB: אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה מוֹטֹ֥ת עֵ֖ץ שָׁבָ֑רְתָּ
NAS: You have broken the yokes of wood,
KJV: Thou hast broken the yokes of wood;
INT: says the LORD the yokes of wood have broken

Jeremiah 28:13
HEB: וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ תַחְתֵּיהֶ֖ן מֹט֥וֹת בַּרְזֶֽל׃
NAS: instead of them yokes of iron.
KJV: but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron.
INT: have made instead yokes of iron

Ezekiel 30:18
HEB: שָׁם֙ אֶת־ מֹט֣וֹת מִצְרַ֔יִם וְנִשְׁבַּת־
NAS: there the yoke bars of Egypt.
KJV: when I shall break there the yokes of Egypt:
INT: break there the yoke of Egypt will cease

Ezekiel 34:27
HEB: בְּשִׁבְרִי֙ אֶת־ מֹט֣וֹת עֻלָּ֔ם וְהִ֨צַּלְתִּ֔ים
NAS: when I have broken the bars of their yoke
KJV: when I have broken the bands of their yoke,
INT: the LORD have broken the bars of their yoke delivered

12 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 4133
12 Occurrences

bam·mō·ṭō·wṯ — 1 Occ.
ham·mō·w·ṭāh — 2 Occ.
mō·w·ṭāh — 3 Occ.
mō·ṭōṯ — 5 Occ.
ū·mō·ṭō·wṯ — 1 Occ.