English · KJV
H6006

עָמַס

ʻâmaç /aw-mas'/ Ask about this word
Rootor עָמַשׂ · a primitive root
Meaningto load, i.e. impose aburden (or figuratively, infliction)
KJV usagebe borne, (heavy) burden (self), lade, load, put.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʻâmaç — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word ʻâmaç, represented by H6006, is a primitive root meaning to load or impose a burden. It appears 9 times across 9 unique verses in the Bible. Its meaning extends from the literal action of loading an animal or person to the figurative infliction of a heavy burden, but it can also uniquely describe being borne or carried in a supportive way.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its literal application, H6006 describes the simple act of loading pack animals, as when Joseph's brothers laded every man his ass to return to their city Genesis 44:13 or when the people of Judah were observed lading asses with goods on the sabbath Nehemiah 13:15. Figuratively, it conveys the weight of oppression, such as the heavy H3515 yoke that Rehoboam's father did lade upon the people 1 Kings 12:11. In a positive and contrasting sense, God uses the term to describe His relationship with Israel, stating they are borne by Him from the belly Isaiah 46:3, and the psalmist declares that the Lord H136 loadeth us with benefits daily Psalms 68:19.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the concept of bearing a load:

  • H3515 kâbêd (heavy): This adjective is used to describe the "heavy yoke" that was put H6006 upon Israel, signifying a severe or grievous burden 2 Chronicles 10:11.
  • H4853 massâʼ (a burden): This noun refers to the load itself. It is used alongside H6006 when describing idols as a burden that are heavy loaden upon weary beasts Isaiah 46:1.
  • H5375 nâsâʼ (to lift, bear, carry): This verb is used in parallel with H6006 to emphasize God's sustaining power. Israel is described as being borne H6006 by God and carried H5375 by him from the womb Isaiah 46:3.
  • H5447 çêbel (a load): This noun for a burden appears in the context of the builders of the wall in Jerusalem, where some bare H5375 burdens H5447 while others laded H6006 Nehemiah 4:17.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H6006 is found in its contrasting applications, illustrating the difference between divine and worldly burdens.

  • Divine Support vs. Human Oppression: The oppressive "heavy yoke" laded H6006 by a human king 1 Kings 12:11 stands in direct opposition to God, who loadeth H6006 His people with benefits and is the God H410 of our salvation H3444 Psalms 68:19.
  • The Burden of Idolatry: The word is used to show the futility of idols, which are a heavy loaden H6006 carriage H5385 that must be carried, becoming a burden H4853 to weary animals. This contrasts with the living God who instead carries His people Isaiah 46:1.
  • A Self-Imposed Burden of Judgment: In a prophetic warning, Jerusalem is described as a burdensome H4614 stone. All who burden H6006 themselves with it will be cut in pieces, framing the "burden" as the destructive consequence of opposing God's will Zechariah 12:3.

Summary

In summary, H6006 is a dynamic word that moves beyond its simple definition of "to load." It effectively illustrates a spectrum of experience, from the manual labor of lading asses Genesis 44:13 and the political weight of a heavy H3515 yoke 1 Kings 12:11 to the profound spiritual reality of being borne by God Himself Isaiah 46:3. The word powerfully contrasts the draining burdens imposed by human systems and false gods with the life-giving support of the Lord, who carries His people and daily loads them with His blessings.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 9 occurrences, inflected in 7 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

  • Hiphil Perfect 3rd Singular Masculine 2×
  • Qal Participle Plural Masculine Absolute 2×
  • Qal Consecutive Imperfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×
  • Qal Imperfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×
  • Qal Participle Passive Plural Feminine Absolute 1×
  • Qal Participle Passive Plural Masculine Absolute 1×
  • Qal Participle Plural Masculine Construct 1×
Singular
One.
Plural
More than one.
Masculine
Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine
Feminine grammatical gender.
3rd
Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Imperfect
Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Perfect
A completed act whose results continue.
Passive
The subject is acted upon.
Participle
A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.
Qal
The simple, basic stem — plain action in the active voice.
Hiphil
The causative stem — the subject causes the action.
Consecutive Imperfect
Imperfect with vav — carries narrative forward ("and he…").
Absolute
The independent form of a noun (not bound to another).
Construct
Bound to a following noun — "the X of…".

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H3515 כָּבֵד from כָּבַד; heavy; figuratively in a good sense (numerous) or in a bad sense (severe, difficult, stupid); (so) great, g H136 אֲדֹנָי an emphatic form of אָדוֹן; the Lord (used as a proper name of God only); (my) Lord. H4853 מַשָּׂא from נָשָׂא; a burden; specifically, tribute, or (abstractly) porterage; figuratively, an utterance, chiefly adoom, espe H5375 נָשָׂא or נָסָה; (Psalm 4:6 (אֲבַד)), a primitive root; to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, ab H5447 סֵבֶל from סָבַל; a load (literally or figuratively); burden, charge. H410 אֵל shortened from אַיִל; strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity); God (god), [

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 9 verses across 7 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Nehemiah and Isaiah (2 verses each); never once in the other 32.

1
Genesis
1
1 Kings
1
2 Chronicles
2
Nehemiah
1
Psalms
2
Isaiah
1
Zechariah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.