מוֹטָה (mo.tah)
mo.tah
yoke
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 8 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun motah refers to the wooden beam or bar that forms part of a yoke. While it can describe the physical object used to join oxen for labor, its most striking usage in Scripture is metaphorical. It frequently symbolizes oppression, subjugation, or heavy burdens imposed by foreign powers or divine judgment.
This figurative sense appears powerfully in prophetic literature. In Jeremiah 28:2 and Isaiah 10:27, the breaking of the motah represents liberation from political tyranny and military defeat. The image conveys the sudden relief of removing a crushing weight that has pressed down on a people for years.
Translators often render this word as "yoke" or "bar," depending on context. When used abstractly, it highlights the heaviness of servitude rather than the agricultural tool itself. The text emphasizes the tangible reality of being bound and controlled, making the promise of freedom equally concrete for its original audience.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word motah describes the wooden bar used to yoke oxen together for heavy labor. In the ancient world, this was a tangible symbol of control and submission. When Scripture speaks of breaking these bars, it paints a vivid picture of sudden liberation from crushing burdens imposed by others or by circumstances.
For believers today, this imagery reminds us that God is the one who breaks every chain of oppression. Whether you face political tyranny, personal anxiety, or spiritual bondage, the promise remains the same: He desires to set you free. The breaking of the yoke is not just a historical event but a present reality for those who trust in His deliverance.
Consider Isaiah 58:6, where God calls us to break every yoke of wickedness. This invites us to participate in His work of justice and mercy. As we release others from their burdens, we experience the freedom that comes from walking upright before Him, no longer weighed down by guilt or fear.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 8 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- yoke-bars of2×
- the/ yoke-bar2×
- [the] yoke-bar2×
- yoke-bar1×
- with <the>/ poles1×
- and/ yoke-bars1×
- [the] bars of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/מּוֹטָ֔ה2×
- מוֹטֹ֥ת1×
- מוֹטָ֖ה1×
- מוֹטָ֔ה1×
- מוֹטָ֑ה1×
- מֹטֹ֣ת1×
- מֹט֥וֹת1×
- וּ/מֹט֑וֹת1×
- בַּ/מֹּט֖וֹת1×
Key Verses
-
Leviticus 26:13
I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. I have broken the bars of your yoke, and made you walk upright.
This verse establishes God’s foundational role as Deliverer who actively breaks the bars of yoke to enable His people to walk uprightly.
-
Isaiah 58:6
“Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to release the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?
Here the word connects physical liberation with ethical action, calling believers to undo the straps of oppression as an act of true worship.
-
Jeremiah 28:10
Then Hananiah the prophet took the bar from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and broke it.
The dramatic breaking of the bar from Jeremiah’s neck serves as a prophetic sign-act declaring God’s intent to remove Babylon’s dominance within two years.