Reference: Burden
American
A weight or load, on body or soul; often used figuratively, to denote afflictions, failings, sins, Ps 38:4; 55:22; Ga 6:2; services under law, Mt 23:4; official responsibilities, Ex 18:22; De 1:12; and especially prophetic messages, not always of a threatening character, Isa 19:1. In this last sense the Hebrew word may be rendered "oracle," "divine declaration," or "prophecy," as in 1/31/type/emb'>Pr 31:31,1.
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So shall they judge the people at any time, and it shall be, all the great matters, shall they bring in unto thee, but all the small matters, shall, they themselves, judge, - so, lighten thou the burden for thyself, and let them bear it with thee.
How should I carry by myself the fatigue of you and the burden of you and your controversies?
For, mine iniquities, have passed over my head, Like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me:
Cast upon Yahweh thy lot, and, he, will sustain thee: He will not suffer, to times age-abiding, the righteous one to be shaken.
The words of Lemuel the king, - the strain which was taught him by his mother: -
Give her of the fruit of her own hands, and let her own works, praise her in the gates.
The oracle on Egypt: Lo! Yahweh, riding upon a swift cloud, and he will enter Egypt, And the idols of Egypt shall shake at his presence, And, the heart of Egypt, shall melt within him;
But they bind together heavy burdens, and lay upon men's shoulders, whereas, they, with their finger, are not willing to move them.
One another's burdens, be ye bearing, and, so, fill up the law of the Christ.
Easton
(1.) (1.) A load of any kind (Ex 23:5). (2.) A severe task (Ex 2:11). (3.) A difficult duty, requiring effort (Ex 18:22). (4.) A prophecy of a calamitous or disastrous nature (Isa 13:1; 17:1; Hab 1:1, etc.).
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And it came to pass in those days when Moses grew up, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens, - and saw, an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew - of his brethren,
So shall they judge the people at any time, and it shall be, all the great matters, shall they bring in unto thee, but all the small matters, shall, they themselves, judge, - so, lighten thou the burden for thyself, and let them bear it with thee.
When thou seest the ass of him that hateth thee sinking down under his burden, and mightest have foreborne to unload him, thou shalt surely help him to unload,
The oracle on Babylon, - of which Isaiah, son of Amoz had vision: -
The oracle on Damascus, - Lo! Damascus, is to be removed from being a city, And shall become a heap of ruins:
The oracle of which Habakkuk the prophet, had vision:
Hastings
The word so rendered in the OT is derived from a root which means to 'lift' or 'carry.' It has the two senses of an actual burden and a prophetic utterance. Instances of the former are 2Ki 5:17; Ne 13:19; Nu 4:15. Related usages are frequent; in Isa 22:25 the word suggests the pressure of something hanging on a peg, in Nu 11:11 the responsibility and in Ho 8:10 the privilege of government, in Ps 38:4 the responsibility for sin. The second sense is that of a solemn utterance, and the marginal alternative 'oracle' (Isa 14:28 et al.) is to he preferred. It was customary to explain this use of the word as due to the threatening character of the utterance; but many of the utterances are not threatening (cf. Zec 12; 9:1,9-17; in Pr 30:1; 31:1 RV puts 'oracle' in the text and 'burden' in the margin), and the word-play in Jer 23:33 ff. involves a reproof of the men who were disposed to regard the oracle of God as literally a burden. Most utterances of the prophets, moreover, were of necessity from their occasion minatory. 'Burden' in this second usage denotes simply something taken up solemnly upon the lips, both weighty in itself and weighty in its communication. It is not used of merely human utterances, but always carries with it the suggestion of Divine inspiration, actual or falsely assumed (La 2:14).
In the NT, Ac 21:3 is an instance of the literal use. The figures are easy. The word is used for the ordinances of the Law as interpreted by the Pharisees (Mt 23:4; Lu 11:46), for the prohibitions of the Apostolic decree (Ac 15:28; cf. Re 2:24), for the pressure and load of life (Mt 20:12), for an exacting or even legitimate charge upon others (2Co 11:9; 12:13 f.), for the imagined difficulties of following Christ (Mt 11:30). Two other kinds of burdens with their right treatment are contrasted. Other men's errors and sorrows must be shared in sympathy (Ga 6:2); though in the service of Christ there can be no transfer of obligations, but each man must carry his own kit and do his own duty (Ga 6:5).
R. W. Moss.
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So shall Aaron and his sons make an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the utensils of the sanctuary, when the camp is to set forward, then after that, shall the sons of Kohath enter to bear it, but they must not put forth a touch unto that which, is holy, else should they die, these, shall be the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting.
And Moses said unto Yahweh - Wherefore hast thou let thy servant come to grief, and wherefore have I not found favour in thine eyes, - that thou shouldest lay the burden of all this people upon me.
Then said Naaman, Shall there not, then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant, two mules' burden of earth? For thy servant will henceforth offer neither ascending-offering nor sacrifice to other gods, save only to Yahweh.
And it came to pass, when the gates of Jerusalem made a shadow before the sabbath, then gave I word, and they shut the doors, and I gave word, that they should not open them, until after the sabbath, - and, some of my young men, set I near the gates, so that no burden should be brought in, on the sabbath day.
For, mine iniquities, have passed over my head, Like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me:
The words of Agur, son of Jakeh, even the oracle, - The utterance of the man, for Ithiel, for Ithiel and Ucal.
The words of Lemuel the king, - the strain which was taught him by his mother: -
In that day, - Declareth Yahweh of hosts Shall the peg, give way, that was fastened in a sure place, - Yea it shall be cut off and fall And the burden that was upon it shall perish, For, Yahweh, hath spoken!
But when this people or a prophet or a priest shall ask thee saying What is the oracle of Yahweh? Then shalt thou say unto them Ye, yourselves, are the oracle, Therefore will I reject you Declareth Yahweh;
Thy prophets, have had visions for thee, false and foolish, and have not unveiled thine iniquity, to turn back thy captivity, - Yea they have had visions for thee, oracles of falsehood, and enticements!
Even though they hire them among the nations, at once, will I gather them, when they have begun to be diminished by reason of the burden of the king of rulers.
For, my yoke, is easy, and, my burden, light.
These last, one hour, wrought, and thou hast made them, equal unto us, who have borne the burden of the day, and the scorching heat.
But they bind together heavy burdens, and lay upon men's shoulders, whereas, they, with their finger, are not willing to move them.
And, he, said - And, for you, the lawyers, alas! because ye lade men with burdens hard to be borne, and, yourselves, with one of your fingers, touch not the burdens.
For it hath seemed good unto the Holy Spirit and unto us, no greater burden, to be laying upon you, than these necessary things: -
And, sighting Cyprus, and leaving it behind to the left, we held on our voyage to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for, there, the ship was to discharge her cargo.
And, being present with you, and having come short, I was not burdensome to anyone, - for, my deficiency, the brethren, coming from Macedonia, helped to make up; - and, in everything, without burden unto you, I kept, myself - and will keep!
For what is there wherein ye were made inferior to the rest of the assemblies, - save that, I myself, would not allow myself to be a burden unto you? Forgive me this wrong!
One another's burdens, be ye bearing, and, so, fill up the law of the Christ.
For, each one, his own proper load, shall bear: -
But, unto you, I say, - the rest who are in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, such as have not come to know the deep things of Satan, as they say, I do not cast upon you any other burden;
Morish
Besides the common use of this word, it occurs at the commencement of several prophecies; as 'The burden of Babylon,' 'the burden of Moab.' Isa 13:1; 15:1; etc. The learned are not agreed as to the force of massa in such places: its natural meaning would be 'a judgement that lies heavy on the people;' but some take its meaning to be 'an oracle or sentence pronounced against them.' The word occurs also in Jer 23:33-38, where it is 'the burden of the Lord.' The false prophets were not to use this expression, as if they had a message from God. If they did, it should bring judgement upon them. The same word is translated 'prophecy' in Pr 30:1; 31:1.
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The words of Agur, son of Jakeh, even the oracle, - The utterance of the man, for Ithiel, for Ithiel and Ucal.
The words of Lemuel the king, - the strain which was taught him by his mother: -
The oracle on Babylon, - of which Isaiah, son of Amoz had vision: -
The oracle on Moab: Because, in a night, was laid waste Ar of Moab - destroyed! Because, in a night, was laid waste Kir of Moab - destroyed,
But when this people or a prophet or a priest shall ask thee saying What is the oracle of Yahweh? Then shalt thou say unto them Ye, yourselves, are the oracle, Therefore will I reject you Declareth Yahweh; But the prophet, or the priest or the people who shall say - the oracle of Yahweh, I will bring punishment upon that man and upon his house. read more. Thus, shall ye say - every man mite his neighbour and every man unto his brother, - What hath Yahweh, answered? or, What hath Yahweh, spoken? but the oracle of Yahweh, shall ye not mention, any more, - for, every man's oracle, shall be his own word, because ye have perverted the words of a Living God, Yahweh of hosts our God. Thus, shall thou say unto the prophet, - What hath Yahweh, answered thee? or What hath Yahweh, spoken? But, since ye keep on saying, The Oracle of Yahweh, therefore, Thus saith Yahweh, Because ye have said this word, The oracle of Yahweh, whereas I had sent unto you saying, Ye shall not say, The oracle of Yahweh