Subjugation
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Subjugation, in a biblical context, refers to the act of bringing individuals or groups under control or dominion, often through force or authority. This concept is evident throughout the Scriptures, where it is depicted in various forms, including military conquest, political domination, and spiritual submission.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, subjugation is frequently associated with the conquest of lands and peoples. The Israelites, under divine command, were often involved in subjugating the inhabitants of Canaan. In Deuteronomy 20:16-18 , God instructs the Israelites regarding the cities of the nations He is giving them as an inheritance: "However, in the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not leave alive anything that breathes. You must completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you."

The subjugation of these peoples was not merely for territorial expansion but was also a means of purging idolatry and maintaining the purity of worship to Yahweh. The Israelites' failure to fully subjugate these nations often led to spiritual and moral compromise, as seen in Judges 1:28 : "When Israel became strong, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor but never drove them out completely."

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the concept of subjugation takes on a more spiritual dimension. The apostle Paul speaks of subjugating one's own body and desires to the will of God. In 1 Corinthians 9:27 , Paul writes, "No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified."

Furthermore, the New Testament emphasizes the subjugation of spiritual powers and authorities through the victory of Christ. Colossians 2:15 states, "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." This passage highlights the ultimate subjugation of evil forces through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

Theological Implications

Theologically, subjugation in the Bible underscores God's sovereignty and authority over all creation. It reflects the divine order and the establishment of God's kingdom on earth. The subjugation of nations in the Old Testament serves as a foreshadowing of the ultimate subjugation of all things under Christ, as described in Philippians 2:10-11 : "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Practical Application

For believers, the concept of subjugation calls for a life of submission to God's will and authority. It involves the daily surrender of personal desires and ambitions to align with God's purposes. James 4:7 exhorts, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." This submission is not one of oppression but of willing obedience and trust in God's perfect plan.

In summary, subjugation in the biblical narrative serves as a multifaceted theme that encompasses physical, political, and spiritual dimensions, ultimately pointing to the supremacy of God's kingdom and the call for believers to live under His lordship.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(n.) The act of subjugating, or the state of being subjugated.
Strong's Hebrew
4001. mebusah -- a treading down, subjugation
... 4000, 4001. mebusah. 4002 . a treading down, subjugation. Transliteration:
mebusah Phonetic Spelling: (meb-oo-saw') Short Definition: oppressive. ...
/hebrew/4001.htm - 6k
Library

Of the Fact that the God of the Jews, after the Subjugation of ...
... the harmony of the gospels.Book I. Chapter XII."Of the Fact that the God of the
Jews, After the Subjugation of that People, Was Still Not Accepted by the ...
/.../augustine/the harmony of the gospels/chapter xii of the fact that.htm

Of the Question Why God Suffered the Jews to be Reduced to ...
... to be the supreme and true God, not only not subdue the Romans under their power,
but even fail to secure those Hebrews themselves against subjugation by the ...
/.../augustine/the harmony of the gospels/chapter xiii of the question why.htm

The Righteousness of this Life Comprehended in Three Parts ...
... Now in the fasting He indicates the entire subjugation of the body; in the alms,
all kindness of will and deed, either by giving or forgiving; and in prayers ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/18 the righteousness of this.htm

The Return of Xerxes to Persia.
... to return to Persia, I should leave three hundred thousand men with him, and he
undertakes, if I will do so, to complete, with them, the subjugation of Greece. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/xerxes/chapter xii the return of.htm

The Ray and the Reflection
... And so our Christianity is a feeble and an uncomfortable thing; and there are little
joy, and little subjugation of the will, and little leaping up of the ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/the ray and the reflection.htm

Self-Denial.
... True victory over self is the victory of God in the man, not of the man alone.
It is not subjugation that is enough, but subjugation by God. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/macdonald/unspoken sermons/self-denial.htm

The Nations of the South-East
... There the native population was weak and uncivilised; it possessed neither cities
nor chariots of iron, and its subjugation was no difficult task. ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iii the nations of.htm

the harmony of the gospels
... Chapter XII.--Of the Fact that the God of the Jews, After the Subjugation of that
People, Was Still Not Accepted by the Romans, Because His Commandment Was ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/the harmony of the gospels/

Ignatius is Condemned by Trajan.
... the Scythians and Dacians, and many other nations, and thinking that the religious
body of the Christians were yet wanting to complete the subjugation of all ...
/.../pearson/the martyrdom of ignatius/chapter ii ignatius is condemned by.htm

The Faithful Servant
... Famine had long since become a powerful ally and the honor of the Flavian house
rested upon his immediate subjugation of the rebellious city. ...
/.../miller/the city of delight/chapter xxi the faithful servant.htm

Thesaurus
Subjugation (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) The act of subjugating, or the state of being
subjugated. Multi-Version Concordance Subjugation (1 Occurrence). ...
/s/subjugation.htm - 6k

Kings (350 Occurrences)
... They contain the annals of the Jewish commonwealth from the accession of Solomon
till the subjugation of the kingdom by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians ...
/k/kings.htm - 61k

Nebuchadnezzar (90 Occurrences)
... Having completed the subjugation of Phoenicia, and inflicted chastisement on Egypt,
Nebuchadnezzar now set himself to rebuild and adorn the city of Babylon (Dan ...
/n/nebuchadnezzar.htm - 57k

Jael (6 Occurrences)
... For twenty years the Israelites had been subject to him, and, in largest measure,
the instrument of their subjugation had been Sisera, the king's general, the ...
/j/jael.htm - 14k

Hazor (19 Occurrences)
... His army, under a noted leader of the name of Sisera, swept down upon the
south, aiming at the complete subjugation of the country. ...
/h/hazor.htm - 17k

Triumph (52 Occurrences)
... It was granted by the senate only to one who had held the office of dictator, consul,
or praetor, and after a decisive victory in the complete subjugation of a ...
/t/triumph.htm - 24k

Riblah (12 Occurrences)
... BC Nebuchadnezzar, at war with Egypt and the Syrian states, also established his
headquarters at Riblah, and from it he directed the subjugation of Jerusalem. ...
/r/riblah.htm - 14k

Conquest (2 Occurrences)
... process of conquering, or acquiring by force; the act of overcoming or subduing
opposition by force, whether physical or moral; subjection; subjugation; victory ...
/c/conquest.htm - 7k

Cambyses
... toward the conquered. After the subjugation of Egypt, Cyrene and Barca,
the modern Tripoli, submitted to his sway. He then desired ...
/c/cambyses.htm - 12k

Acco (2 Occurrences)
... upon the scene it had to submit to this power, although it revolted whenever Assyria
became weak, as appears from the mention of its subjugation by Sennacherib ...
/a/acco.htm - 13k

Resources
What is the significance of the Babylonian Empire in biblical history? | GotQuestions.org

Who were the Arameans? | GotQuestions.org

Who was John Knox? | GotQuestions.org

Subjugation: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Subjugation (1 Occurrence)

Isaiah 22:5
For it is a day of trouble and of crushing down and of destruction from the Lord, the Lord of armies, in the valley of vision; ...
(See NAS)

Subtopics

Subjugation

Related Terms

Negotiator (3 Occurrences)

Nobler (2 Occurrences)

Based (40 Occurrences)

Submission (10 Occurrences)

Comparative

Fact (98 Occurrences)

Subjugation (1 Occurrence)

Matter (263 Occurrences)

Religion (23 Occurrences)

Subjugated
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