Nahum 1:13

For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.

For now will I break {H7665} his yoke {H4132} from off thee, and will burst {H5423} thy bonds {H4147} in sunder {H5423}.

Now I will break his yoke from your necks and snap the chains that bind you.

For I will now break their yoke from your neck and tear away your shackles.”

And now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.

Nahum 1:13 is a powerful declaration of God's promise to deliver His people, Judah, from the oppressive hand of their enemy, Assyria. This verse offers a beacon of hope amidst suffering, assuring that divine intervention will shatter the instruments of their bondage.

Context

The Book of Nahum is a prophetic oracle primarily directed against Nineveh, the capital city of the Assyrian Empire. Assyria had been a dominant and cruel power in the ancient Near East, responsible for the conquest of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) in 722 BC and a severe threat to the Southern Kingdom of Judah, famously besieging Jerusalem under King Sennacherib. Chapter 1 of Nahum sets the stage, describing God's character as a jealous and avenging God who is slow to anger but mighty in power, promising judgment upon His adversaries while offering refuge to those who trust in Him. Verse 13 specifically addresses Judah, providing a direct promise of liberation from the Assyrian yoke, indicating that Nineveh's reign of terror is nearing its end.

Key Themes

  • Divine Liberation and Deliverance: The core message is God's active role in freeing His people. The imagery of "breaking the yoke" and "bursting bonds" powerfully conveys a complete and decisive act of liberation from servitude and captivity. This highlights God's commitment to His covenant people.
  • Justice Against Oppressors: This verse is part of a broader prophecy that assures God's righteous judgment will fall upon those who oppress His people. It underscores the principle that no earthly power, however mighty, can ultimately thwart God's sovereign will or escape His justice.
  • Hope and Assurance: For Judah, living under the shadow of Assyrian power, this promise would have been a profound source of comfort and hope. It assured them that their suffering was not unnoticed and that their deliverer was at hand.

Linguistic Insights

The terms used in Nahum 1:13 are highly evocative:

  • "Yoke" (Hebrew: motah - מוֹטָה): This is a common biblical metaphor representing servitude, burden, or oppressive rule, often seen in agricultural contexts where animals are yoked for labor. God's promise to "break his yoke" signifies the end of forced labor and oppressive control. This imagery is also used elsewhere, such as when God promises to break the Assyrian's burden from off Judah's shoulder in Isaiah 10:27.
  • "Bonds" (Hebrew: moseroteyka - מוֹסְרוֹתֶיךָ): This term refers to chains, fetters, or ropes used to bind captives or control animals. To "burst thy bonds in sunder" implies a violent and complete destruction of whatever holds Judah captive, ensuring total freedom.

Related Scriptures

This verse beautifully illustrates God's character as a deliverer. The theme of God breaking yokes of oppression resonates throughout scripture. For example, in Leviticus 26:13, God reminds Israel that He broke the bands of their yoke, bringing them out of the land of Egypt. The promise of God's judgment on oppressors is a consistent theme, as seen in Psalm 9:16, where the Lord is known by the judgment He executes.

Practical Application

For believers today, Nahum 1:13 serves as a powerful reminder of God's enduring faithfulness and His power to intervene in human affairs. While we may not face literal Assyrian oppression, we often experience spiritual, emotional, or circumstantial "yokes" and "bonds" in our lives—such as sin, addiction, fear, anxiety, or unjust systems. This verse encourages us to trust that God is capable of breaking these oppressive forces and bringing true freedom. It affirms that our hope is in a God who actively works to liberate His people and bring justice to the world, offering comfort and strength in times of adversity.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Isaiah 10:27

    And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

  • Isaiah 9:4

    For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.

  • Jeremiah 2:20

    ¶ For of old time I have broken thy yoke, [and] burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.

  • Psalms 107:14

    He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.

  • Isaiah 14:25

    That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.

  • Jeremiah 5:5

    I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the LORD, [and] the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, [and] burst the bonds.

  • Micah 5:5

    And this [man] shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.

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