The term "yoked" in the Bible often refers to the practice of joining two animals together with a yoke, a wooden crosspiece fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plow or cart they are to pull. This imagery is frequently used in Scripture to convey spiritual truths and moral teachings.

Old Testament Usage

In the Old Testament, the concept of being yoked is primarily agricultural, reflecting the agrarian society of ancient Israel. The Law of Moses includes specific instructions regarding yoking animals: "Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together" (Deuteronomy 22:10). This command underscores the importance of harmony and balance, as mismatched animals would struggle to work effectively together.

The yoke also symbolizes oppression and servitude. For instance, the Israelites' bondage in Egypt is described as a yoke: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery" (Exodus 20:2). The breaking of this yoke signifies liberation and divine deliverance.

Prophetic Imagery

Prophets often used the imagery of a yoke to convey messages of judgment or hope. Jeremiah, for example, wore a yoke to symbolize the impending Babylonian captivity (Jeremiah 27:2). Conversely, the promise of breaking the yoke represents God's intervention and the restoration of His people: "In that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will break his yoke from your neck and tear off your chains, and strangers will no longer enslave them" (Jeremiah 30:8).

New Testament Usage

In the New Testament, the concept of being yoked takes on a spiritual dimension. Jesus Christ invites believers to take His yoke upon them: "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29). Here, the yoke represents discipleship and submission to Christ's authority, promising rest and peace in contrast to the burdensome yoke of legalism and sin.

The Apostle Paul warns against being "unequally yoked" with unbelievers: "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14). This admonition highlights the importance of spiritual compatibility and the potential dangers of forming close associations with those who do not share the same faith and values.

Spiritual Implications

The concept of being yoked in the Bible serves as a powerful metaphor for relationships, responsibilities, and spiritual alignment. It calls believers to consider the nature of their commitments and the influences they allow in their lives. Whether in the context of marriage, business partnerships, or spiritual practices, the principle of being properly yoked underscores the need for unity, harmony, and shared purpose in accordance with God's will.(imp. & p. p.) of Yoke.2086. heterozugeo -- to be yoked up differently, ie to be ...
... to be yoked up differently, ie to be unequally yoked. Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: heterozugeo Phonetic Spelling: (het-er-od-zoog-eh'-o) Short ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2086.htm - 7k

4801. suzeugnumi -- to yoke together
... 4801 (from 4862 , "identified " and 2201 , "yoke") -- properly, jointly-yoked; yoked
(paired) together, when God joins people together for purpose (Mt 19:6; Mk ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4801.htm - 7k

4805. suzugos -- a yokefellow
... yokefellow. From suzeugnumi; co-yoked, ie (figuratively) as noun, a colleague; probably
rather as a proper name; Syzygus, a Christian -- yokefellow. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4805.htm - 6k

2201. zeugos -- a pair, a yoke
... yoke, pair. From the same as zugos; a couple, ie A team (of oxen yoked together)
or brace (of birds tied together) -- yoke, pair. see GREEK zugos. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2201.htm - 6k

Yoked Service.
... (Matthew xi. 25-30; Luke x:1, 17, 21-24.) Yoked Service. ... Cattle are yoked
to serve, and to serve better, and to serve more easily. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on service/yoked service.htm

Concerning Lowliness of Mind.
... 1. When lately we made mention of the Pharisee and the publican, and hypothetically
yoked two chariots out of virtue and vice; [390] we pointed out each truth ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/concerning lowliness of mind.htm

Divine Fellowship
... There is not only the sender and the one sent, but the same purpose in both minds.
There is the unity of effort; that is, being yoked together for the work. ...
/.../howard/standards of life and service/iii divine fellowship.htm

Jesus Choosing his Friends.
... Jesus yoked his apostles in twos that mutual friendship might inspire them both. ...
Then Jesus yoked them together so that each two made one good man. ...
/.../miller/personal friendships of jesus/chapter v jesus choosing his.htm

The Jewish Girl
... And he read of a Hungarian knight, taken captive by a Turkish pasha, who had him
yoked with oxen to the plow; and he was driven with lashes, and had to suffer ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/the jewish girl.htm

Elijah's Appeal to the Undecided
... Mark Anthony yoked two lions to his chariot; but there are two lions no man ever
yoked together yet"the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the lion of the pit. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/elijahs appeal to the undecided.htm

The Domestic Relation.
... Some have fallen into the dangerous error of putting away the wife because the
Scriptures say, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers." 2:Cor.6:14 ...
/.../orr/the gospel day /chapter xiii the domestic relation.htm

Match-Making.
... "Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers." The positive command
here is, that Christians should marry only in the Lord. ...
/.../philips/the christian home/chapter xxiii match-making.htm

A Review and a Challenge
... tumultuous and brief escape. Yet Jesus saw that ambition was not to be suppressed,
but to be yoked to the service of society. In the past ...
/.../rauschenbusch/the social principles of jesus/chapter xii a review and.htm

"I Will Give You Rest. "
... It is wonderful that He should be willing to be yoked with us; the only greater
wonder is that we should be so unwilling to be yoked with Him. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/till he come/i will give you rest.htm

Yoked (10 Occurrences)
...Yoked (10 Occurrences). 2 Corinthians 6:14 Don't be unequally yoked with
unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? ...
/y/yoked.htm - 9k

Yokefellow
... yok'-fel-o (sunzugos, "yoked together"): The word is used by Greek writers of those
united by any bond, such as marriage, relationship, office, labor, study or ...
/y/yokefellow.htm - 9k

Yoke (79 Occurrences)
... (3.) In 1 Samuel 11:7, 1 Kings 19:21, Job 1:3 the word thus translated is tzemed,
which signifies a pair, two oxen yoked or coupled together, and hence in 1 ...
/y/yoke.htm - 40k

Cattle (277 Occurrences)
... of Sharon. They were yoked to the plough (1 Kings 19:19), and were employed
for carrying burdens (1 Chronicles 12:40). They were ...
/c/cattle.htm - 52k

Agriculture
... They were drawn by oxen (Job 1:14), cows (1 Samuel 6:7), and asses (Isaiah 30:24);
but an ox and an ass must not be yoked together in the same plough ...
/a/agriculture.htm - 27k

Yoke-bars (3 Occurrences)
Yoke-bars. Yoke, Yoke-bars. Yoked . Multi-Version Concordance Yoke-bars
(3 Occurrences). ... Yoke, Yoke-bars. Yoked . Reference Bible.
/y/yoke-bars.htm - 7k

Yoke-fellow (1 Occurrence)
... yok'-fel-o (sunzugos, "yoked together"): The word is used by Greek writers of those
united by any bond, such as marriage, relationship, office, labor, study or ...
/y/yoke-fellow.htm - 9k

Quick-running (4 Occurrences)
... Micah 1:13 Let the war-carriage be yoked to the quick-running horse, you who are
living in Lachish: she was the first cause of sin to the daughter of Zion; for ...
/q/quick-running.htm - 7k

Unequal (5 Occurrences)
... un-e'-kwal: Ezekiel 18:25, 29 for lo' thakhan, "not weighed," "illogical." "Unequally"
in 2 Corinthians 6:14, in the phrase "unequally yoked," heterozugeo, is ...
/u/unequal.htm - 8k

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