סֹ֫בֶל (so.vel)
so.vel
burden
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun sōḇel denotes a heavy load or burden. In the Bible, it appears only twice, both times in the book of Isaiah. Rather than describing a physical weight carried on the back, the text uses it to describe the crushing pressure of political oppression and tyranny.
This figurative usage highlights the emotional and social strain placed on a people by an oppressive ruler. When Isaiah speaks of this burden, he is pointing to the heavy yoke of foreign domination that makes life difficult for the community. The word captures the sense of being weighed down by circumstances beyond one's control.
Because it appears so rarely, sōḇel carries a specific weight in its context. It reminds readers that some burdens are not personal failures but external pressures imposed by powerful forces. The term serves as a stark description of suffering under unjust authority, offering a clear image of the relief needed when such oppression ends.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word sōḇel describes a heavy load that weighs down the spirit, often imposed by external forces rather than personal failure. In Isaiah, it captures the crushing pressure of political oppression and tyranny. This imagery reminds us that some burdens are not signs of God’s displeasure but results of unjust systems around us.
When Scripture speaks of this burden departing, it offers hope for relief from circumstances beyond our control. The promise in Isaiah 10:27 assures us that the yoke of oppression will be destroyed. This brings comfort to those feeling trapped by difficult situations, showing that God sees their struggle and acts to bring freedom.
Understanding this word helps us distinguish between personal responsibilities and external pressures. It encourages patience and trust when facing unjust authority, knowing that ultimate relief comes from God alone. His intervention brings peace where human power has caused pain.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- burden/ its1×
- and/ burden/ its1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- סֻבֳּל/וֹ֙1×
- וְ/סֻ֨בֳּל֔/וֹ1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 10:27
It will happen in that day that his burden will depart from off your shoulder, and his yoke from off your neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing oil.
This verse highlights the removal of the burden as a sign of divine deliverance from political oppression.
-
Isaiah 14:25
that I will break the Assyrian in my land, and tread him under foot on my mountains. Then his yoke will leave them, and his burden leave their shoulders.
Here the burden leaves the shoulders, emphasizing God's active role in breaking foreign domination.