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מוֹטָה

𐤌𐤅𐤈𐤄

môwṭâh

H4133 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A pole or wooden bar, especially a yoke or crossbeam fitted across animals (often oxen) to attach a plough or cart; by extension, any kind of bar, shaft, or member used to bind, fasten, or restrict movement. Figuratively, used of oppression, restraint, or bondage—in particular, burdens placed upon people by external authority. The word can refer to literal agricultural equipment or serve metaphorically to describe subjection or servitude imposed by rulers or empires.

Semantic Range

yoke (for animals), crossbeam, bar, pole, shaft, band; metaphorically, instrument of oppression, restraint, or authority, burden, imposed hardship; specifically, yoke of subjugation or domination

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root מוט (m-w-ṭ), which at the root level conveys the idea of 'to totter, shake, waver, slip.' The noun form מוֹטָה (môṭâh) refers to an implement that ties down or restrains, like a bar or yoke. The transition from the root sense of instability/shifting to an instrument that holds in place reflects a semantic development from movement to restraint.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, מוֹטָה is most frequently used in texts describing agricultural life, where the physical yoke is applied to animals for ploughing (e.g., Jeremiah 28:10-12). However, it also acquires a substantial metaphorical load: the prophets often use מוֹטָה to describe the oppression of Israelites or other peoples, especially in the language of foreign domination or forced labor (cf. Isaiah 9:3, Ezekiel 34:27). The figurative use draws a parallel between literal physical restraint and the experience of subjugation under political and social powers. English translations often render מוֹטָה as 'yoke,' 'bar,' or 'staff,' but the semantic range overlaps with synonyms such as עֹל ('yoke') and שֵׁבֶט ('rod, staff of authority'), though מוֹטָה more strongly connotes a restraining crossbeam. Over time and in later texts (post-exilic, prophetic corpus), the term increasingly carries a metaphorical sense of imposed hardship or domination. In most contexts prior to the Exile, it retains a more concrete, agrarian connotation.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

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

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

מוט (môwṭ) — to shake, to totter, to slip, to be unstable

Root מוט to waver, shake, cause to totter, upend
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4131 מוֹט in death of
H4132 מוֹט the yoke-bar

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H4133-04 מֹט֣וֹת motot HNcfpc yoke-bars yokes of yoke-bars of 5
H4133-03 מוֹטָ֑ה motah HNcfsa of the yoke her yoke-bar her yoke-bar 3
H4133-02 הַ/מּוֹטָ֔ה hamotah HTd/Ncfsa yoke the yoke-bar the yoke-bar 2
H4133-01 בַּ/מֹּט֖וֹת bamotot HRd/Ncfpa with the poles with the yoke-bars with the poles 1
H4133-05 וּ/מֹט֑וֹת umotot HC/Ncfpc and-bars and yoke-bars of and yoke-bars 1

Occurrences in Scripture

12 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H4133-04 Leviticus 26:13 מֹטֹ֣ת motot HNcfpc bars yokes of yokes of
H4133-03 Isaiah 58:6 מוֹטָ֑ה motah HNcfsa of the yoke her yoke-bar her yoke-bar
H4133-03 Isaiah 58:6 מוֹטָ֖ה motah-2 HNcfsa yoke her yoke-bar her yoke-bar
H4133-03 Isaiah 58:9 מוֹטָ֔ה motah HNcfsa the yoke her yoke-bar the yoke-bar
H4133-05 Jeremiah 27:2 וּ/מֹט֑וֹת umotot HC/Ncfpc and-bars and yoke-bars of and yoke-bars
H4133-02 Jeremiah 28:10 הַ/מּוֹטָ֔ה hamotah HTd/Ncfsa yoke the yoke-bar the yoke-bar
H4133-02 Jeremiah 28:12 הַ/מּוֹטָ֔ה hamotah HTd/Ncfsa the bar the yoke-bar the yoke-bar
H4133-04 Jeremiah 28:13 מוֹטֹ֥ת motot HNcfpc yoke-bars yokes of yoke-bars of
H4133-04 Jeremiah 28:13 מֹט֥וֹת motot-2 HNcfpc yoke-bars yokes of yoke-bars of
H4133-04 Ezekiel 30:18 מֹט֣וֹת motot HNcfpc yoke bars yokes of yokes of
H4133-04 Ezekiel 34:27 מֹט֣וֹת motot HNcfpc bars yokes of bars
H4133-01 1 Chronicles 15:15 בַּ/מֹּט֖וֹת bamotot HRd/Ncfpa with the poles with the yoke-bars with the poles
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