What does עֹל (ʿōl) mean in the Bible?
עֹל (ʿōl): Yoke denotes subjugation or servitude; figuratively conveys covenant obligation, divine law, or oppressive burden
Hebrew · H5923
עֹל
A yoke (as imposed on the neck), literally or figuratively
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עֹלH5923
Pronunciationʿōl
What does עֹל (ʿōl) mean in the Bible?
עֹל (ʿōl): Yoke denotes subjugation or servitude; figuratively conveys covenant obligation, divine law, or oppressive burden
Full entry for עֹל (H5923) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5923?
The BSB source-word alignment has 40 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the yoke (11), yoke (7), your yoke (4), a yoke (2), his yoke (2).
Where does עֹל (ʿōl) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 27:40. Its strongest book concentrations include Jeremiah (10), 1 Kings (8), 2 Chronicles (7), Isaiah (5).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itthe yoke11×1 Kings 12:9, 2 Chronicles 10:9, Isaiah 9:4, Isaiah 10:27
yoke7×Deuteronomy 28:48, 1 Kings 12:4, 1 Kings 12:11, 2 Chronicles 10:4
your yoke4×1 Kings 12:11, 1 Kings 12:14, 2 Chronicles 10:11, Jeremiah 2:20
a yoke2×Jeremiah 28:14, Lamentations 1:14
his yoke2×Genesis 27:40, Isaiah 14:25
made our yoke2×1 Kings 12:10, 2 Chronicles 10:10
under the yoke2×Jeremiah 27:11, Jeremiah 27:12
. . .1×1 Samuel 6:7
and the yoke1×Isaiah 10:27
been yoked1×Deuteronomy 21:3
made your yoke1×1 Kings 12:14
of their yoke1×Ezekiel 34:27
of your yoke1×Leviticus 26:13
under [his] yoke1×Jeremiah 27:8
under a yoke1×Numbers 19:2
Whereas [my father] made your yoke1×2 Chronicles 10:14
you laid a most heavy yoke1×Isaiah 47:6
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 27:40עֻלּ֖וֹtohis yokeNoun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularLeviticus 26:13עֻלְּכֶ֔םtoof your yokeNoun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine pluralNumbers 19:2עֹֽל׃tounder a yokeNoun - masculine singularDeuteronomy 21:3בְּעֹֽל׃tobeen yokedPreposition-b | Noun - masculine singularDeuteronomy 28:48עֹ֤לtoyokeNoun - masculine singular construct1 Samuel 6:7עֹ֑לto. . .Noun - masculine singular1 Kings 12:4עֻלֵּ֑נוּtoyokeNoun - masculine singular construct | first person common plural1 Kings 12:4וּמֵעֻלּ֧וֹtoyokeConjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular1 Kings 12:9הָעֹ֔לtothe yokeArticle | Noun - masculine singular1 Kings 12:10עֻלֵּ֔נוּtomade our yokeNoun - masculine singular construct | first person common plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 27:40
Aligned rows40
Books represented12
Genesis1Leviticus1Numbers1Deuteronomy21 Samuel11 Kings82 Chronicles7Isaiah5Jeremiah10Lamentations2Ezekiel1Hosea1
Source forms
עֹ֖ל5x‘ōlIsaiah 10:27, Jeremiah 28:2, Jeremiah 28:4, Lamentations 3:27
עֹ֣ל4x‘ōl1 Kings 12:11, 2 Chronicles 10:11, Isaiah 9:4, Jeremiah 28:14
עֻלְּכֶ֔ם3x‘ul·lə·ḵemLeviticus 26:13, 1 Kings 12:14, 2 Chronicles 10:14
עֻלְּכֶ֑ם3x‘ul·lə·ḵem1 Kings 12:11, 1 Kings 12:14, 2 Chronicles 10:11
הָעֹ֔ל2xhā·‘ōl1 Kings 12:9, 2 Chronicles 10:9
וּמֵעֻלּ֧וֹ2xū·mê·‘ul·lōw1 Kings 12:4, 2 Chronicles 10:4
עֻלֵּ֑נוּ2x‘ul·lê·nū1 Kings 12:4, 2 Chronicles 10:4
עֻלֵּ֔נוּ2x‘ul·lê·nū1 Kings 12:10, 2 Chronicles 10:10
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular8xNumbers 19:2, 1 Samuel 6:7, 1 Kings 12:11, 2 Chronicles 10:11
Noun - masculine singular construct7xDeuteronomy 28:48, Isaiah 9:4, Jeremiah 28:2, Jeremiah 28:4
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural6xLeviticus 26:13, 1 Kings 12:11, 1 Kings 12:14, 2 Chronicles 10:11
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common plural4x1 Kings 12:4, 1 Kings 12:10, 2 Chronicles 10:4, 2 Chronicles 10:10
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular3xGenesis 27:40, Isaiah 14:25, Jeremiah 30:8
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct3xJeremiah 27:8, Jeremiah 27:11, Jeremiah 27:12
Article | Noun - masculine singular2x1 Kings 12:9, 2 Chronicles 10:9
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular2x1 Kings 12:4, 2 Chronicles 10:4
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Yoke denotes subjugation or servitude; figuratively conveys covenant obligation, divine law, or oppressive burden
Source Gloss
a yoke (as imposed on the neck), literally or figuratively
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Yoke denotes subjugation or servitude; figuratively conveys covenant obligation, divine law, or oppressive burden
a yoke (as imposed on the neck), literally or figuratively BDB: yoke Usage: yoke.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
A bar placed on the neck symbolizing bondage or oppression.
Showing 1 selected witness from 40 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
Why This Word Matters
The breaking of the yoke signifies divine liberation from foreign domination.Isaiah 10:24-34
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.