רַתּוֹק
a chain
Definition
The Hebrew noun רַתּוֹק (rattôwq) refers specifically to a chain, typically one used for binding or restraining. It denotes a physical object made of interlinked metal rings, designed to confine or secure a person or object. In its sole biblical occurrence in Ezekiel 7:23, it is part of a list of instruments of violence and captivity, emphasizing its role as a tool of subjugation and judgment. The word carries no other distinct metaphorical or extended meanings in the biblical text.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Ezekiel 7:23. It appears in the context of God's impending judgment on Jerusalem, listed among items like the 'sword' and 'bloodshed' that will fill the land. The 'chain' here symbolizes the captivity and bondage that will come upon the people as a consequence of their violence and injustice. Its singular usage is highly contextual, serving a prophetic and dramatic purpose within Ezekiel's oracle of doom.
Etymology
רַתּוֹק (rattôwq) is a noun derived from the root verb רָתַק (rāṯaq, H7576), which means 'to bind, tie, or chain.' This root conveys the action of fastening or securing something firmly. The noun form thus names the object—the chain—that accomplishes this binding. Cognate words in related Semitic languages also carry meanings associated with binding or fettering, confirming this core semantic field of restraint and confinement.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, רַתּוֹק carries significant theological weight in its context. In Ezekiel 7:23, the 'chain' is not merely a physical object but a symbol of divine judgment. It represents the loss of freedom and the onset of exile as a direct consequence of covenant disobedience and social corruption. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of the passage by highlighting how an instrument of human violence (the chain) becomes an instrument of God's judicial action, underscoring themes of justice, consequence, and the sobering reality of captivity as judgment.
In the ancient Near East, chains were common instruments of imprisonment, slavery, and the securing of prisoners of war. They were typically made of bronze or iron. In Ezekiel's prophecy, mentioning a 'chain' would immediately evoke in the original audience the tangible and humiliating reality of conquest and subjugation by a foreign power, like Babylon. This cultural understanding amplifies the terror and certainty of the judgment being proclaimed.
אֲסוּרִים (ʾăsûrîm, H612) — bonds or bindings, often used more generally for any kind of fetter or imprisonment. מוֹסֵר (môsēr, H4147) — a bond or fetter, frequently used in metaphorical contexts for discipline or constraint (e.g., Proverbs 7:22). זִקִּים (ziqqîm, H2131) — fetters or chains, often used in parallel with other words for bondage (e.g., Nahum 3:10).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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