Leviticus 26 13

Leviticus 26:13 kjv

I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright.

Leviticus 26:13 nkjv

I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; I have broken the bands of your yoke and made you walk upright.

Leviticus 26:13 niv

I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high.

Leviticus 26:13 esv

I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. And I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.

Leviticus 26:13 nlt

I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so you would no longer be their slaves. I broke the yoke of slavery from your neck so you can walk with your heads held high.

Leviticus 26 verses

Leviticus 26 13 Meaning

Leviticus 26:13 is a declaration of God's identity and His mighty acts of deliverance for the nation of Israel. It serves as a reminder that He is the LORD, their covenant God, who actively liberated them from the oppressive slavery in Egypt. This act of breaking the metaphorical and literal "bars of their yoke" not only freed them from bondage but also restored their dignity, allowing them to "walk erect" as a people set apart and redeemed by Him, ready to live in covenant obedience.

Leviticus 26 13 Context

Leviticus 26 primarily outlines the blessings for obedience to God's commandments and the curses for disobedience. Verses 3-13 describe the abundant blessings promised if Israel walks in God's statutes, including rain, bountiful harvests, safety, peace, increase, and God's dwelling among them. Verse 13 acts as the culmination and rationale for these blessings, rooted in God's historical act of redemption. It reminds Israel that the very nature of their relationship with God, and their capacity for obedience, is predicated on His initial act of bringing them out of slavery. The chapter's immediate context establishes the covenant framework, emphasizing that their freedom is not merely political but profoundly spiritual, enabling them to serve the One who freed them.

Leviticus 26 13 Word analysis

• I am the LORD your God (Anoki YHWHEloheikem): This foundational declaration identifies the speaker as YHWH, the self-existent, covenant-making God of Israel, uniquely linked to them as "your God." This phrase underscores divine authority and relational commitment, recalling the preamble to the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:2). It confirms that the one speaking is the mighty deliverer, not an impotent deity.

• who brought you out of the land of Egypt (`asher hotzei'ti etchem me'eretz Mitzrayim): This refers to the seminal historical event of the Exodus, which defines God's redemptive power and Israel's national identity. It's the ultimate proof of His omnipotence over all earthly powers and false gods, specifically the deities of Egypt and the pharaoh.

• that you should not be their slaves (mihyot lahemavadim): This states the explicit purpose of the Exodus. It was not just a change of geography, but a change of status and allegiance. From being bondservants (`avadim) to the Egyptians, they were to become servants of the LORD, implying voluntary, joyful service, rather than coerced drudgery.

• I broke the bars of your yoke (va'eshbor mottotulchem):

  • I broke (`va'eshbor): Emphasizes divine agency and active power in dismantling their oppression.
  • the bars (`mottot): Refers to the sturdy wooden poles or beams of a yoke, often used on animals to force them to labor, or on human slaves. The breaking of these bars signifies complete liberation from the means of control, heavy burdens, and humiliating constraint. It symbolizes total emancipation from the physical, emotional, and spiritual weight of slavery.
  • of your yoke (`ulchem): The yoke itself represents servitude, bondage, and heavy burden. The imagery is potent: God shattered the instruments of their subjugation.

• and made you walk erect (`va'olek etchem qomemiut):

  • made you walk (`va'olek): Signifies guiding or causing one to move, indicating divine enablement for their new state.
  • erect (`qomemiut): This unique Hebrew word describes an upright posture, symbolizing dignity, confidence, freedom, and personhood. Slaves typically walked bent, bowed, or stooped under loads and oppression. To walk erect means to be unburdened, to have one's head held high, looking Godward, restored in honor and self-respect, able to move freely and boldly. It conveys spiritual and psychological restoration.

Leviticus 26 13 Bonus section

The "bars of your yoke" not only refer to the physical instruments of bondage but also the entire oppressive system and mentality of slavery, including the psychological burdens and dehumanization that accompanied it. God broke that entire system and mindset for them. The emphasis on God as the subject ("I am," "I broke," "I made") underscores His sovereignty and active role in every facet of their liberation and subsequent flourishing. This promise within the blessings section serves as a powerful encouragement for obedience; God’s demands are not burdensome impositions but guidelines for living in the fullness of the freedom He has already bestowed. This establishes a theological principle that genuine obedience flows from understanding and gratitude for past and ongoing divine acts of grace and liberation.

Leviticus 26 13 Commentary

Leviticus 26:13 acts as a profound theological anchor within the covenant blessings, grounding Israel's obedience not in a fearful obligation but in a grateful response to God's unparalleled redemptive power. It is a powerful affirmation of who God is—their deliverer and sustainer. The breaking of the "bars of their yoke" is a vivid metaphor for divine intervention that frees from crushing oppression, ensuring not merely physical release but also a restoration of their fundamental humanity and dignity, symbolized by "walking erect." This upright posture is not just physical; it signifies freedom from shame, the ability to look God in the eye, and readiness to live confidently in the path of righteousness He provides.

This verse teaches that God's desire for His people is genuine freedom and full personhood, in contrast to the dehumanizing servitude offered by the world. Their liberation from Egypt was the foundation upon which their capacity for covenant relationship and obedience was built. The call to follow God's laws (vv. 3-12) is not a return to bondage but a walk into greater freedom and blessing, as this verse reminds them that God has already demonstrated His intention to lighten their burdens and uplift their spirits.

Practically, this verse reminds believers that:

1. Our identity is rooted in God's liberating act: Like Israel, our freedom from the "yoke" of sin and spiritual bondage comes solely from Christ (Gal 5:1).
2. God empowers dignity: We are called to "walk erect," not bowed down by guilt, shame, or fear, because Christ has broken the bonds of sin and death (Rom 8:1-2).
3. True freedom leads to willing service: Being set free from one master means we are free to serve a better one (Rom 6:18), whose "yoke is easy" (Mt 11:29-30).