246. azeq
Lexical Summary
azeq: Azeq

Original Word: אֲזִקִּים
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: aziqqiym
Pronunciation: ay'-zek
Phonetic Spelling: (az-ik-keem')
KJV: chains
NASB: chains
Word Origin: [a variation for H2131 (זִיקָה זִק זֵק - firebrands)]

1. manacles

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
chains

A variation for ziyqah; manacles -- chains.

see HEBREW ziyqah

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from the same as zeq
Definition
a manacle
NASB Translation
chains (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
[אֲזֵק] noun [masculine] id., specifically

manacle, only plural manacles אָסוּר בָּאזִקִּים Jeremiah 40:1, and מִןהָֿאזִקִּים אֲשֶׁר עליֿדך Jeremiah 40:4.

זָר see I. זור, זָרָא see below II. זור.

זֵר see III. זוּר.

Topical Lexicon
Usage in Scripture

The noun denotes physical restraints—shackles applied to prisoners. Both attestations occur in the narrative of Jeremiah’s arrest, deportation, and unexpected release after the fall of Jerusalem. In Jeremiah 40:1 the prophet is “bound in chains” as part of the deportees marched toward Babylon, illustrating the humiliating subjugation of Judah. Jeremiah 40:4 records his liberation: “Now behold, I release you today from the chains on your hands” (Berean Standard Bible). The word thereby frames a dramatic reversal from captivity to freedom within a span of four verses.

Historical Context

Nebuchadnezzar’s siege culminated in 586 B.C., with mass exile and the dismantling of Judah’s institutions. Shackling important captives was standard practice in ancient Near Eastern warfare to prevent escape and to display dominance. Jeremiah, though innocent of rebellion, is treated as any other detainee. His eventual release by Nebuzaradan, the Babylonian captain, demonstrates a remarkable respect for Jeremiah’s prophetic integrity and underscores divine sovereignty over foreign powers.

Prophetic Significance

Jeremiah’s moment in chains fulfills his earlier predictions of national judgment (Jeremiah 25:11) while personally embodying the suffering of his people. His release without condition also anticipates the restoration promises that permeate his book (Jeremiah 29:10–14; 32:37–41). By being freed from literal bonds, the prophet becomes a living sign that judgment is not God’s final word.

Theological Themes of Bondage and Liberation

1. Divine Control: Even the placing and removal of shackles fall under God’s providence (Proverbs 21:1).
2. Righteous Suffering: Jeremiah’s chains prefigure faithful servants who suffer unjustly, culminating in the Messiah (Isaiah 53:8; 1 Peter 2:21).
3. Freedom that Follows Judgment: The transition from bondage to liberty mirrors the larger biblical arc—Exodus, Exile, and ultimately redemption in Christ (Luke 4:18; Galatians 5:1).

Related Biblical Imagery

– Psalms portrays chains as symbols of affliction that God shatters in mercy (Psalm 107:14).

– The New Testament echoes this motif: angelic deliverance of Peter in Acts 12:7 and Paul’s testimony that the word of God “is not chained” (2 Timothy 2:9). These passages build upon Jeremiah’s experience to stress that physical restraints cannot thwart divine purpose.

Ministry Applications

1. Compassion for Prisoners: Jeremiah’s release challenges believers to heed Hebrews 13:3, advocating ministry to the incarcerated.
2. Confidence in Mission: Like Jeremiah, servants of God may find themselves constrained, yet they can trust that liberation—whether physical or spiritual—lies in the Lord’s hand.
3. Proclamation of True Freedom: Presenting the gospel as emancipation from sin’s shackles (Romans 6:18) gains vividness when tied to historical instances such as Jeremiah’s.

Summary

The brief but potent appearances of this term crystallize a key biblical pattern: God humbles His people, yet He also breaks their chains in due time. Jeremiah moves from prisoner to free prophet, embodying the assurance that the Lord both disciplines and restores. The image of the discarded shackles invites continued confidence that, in every era, divine truth prevails over every form of bondage.

Forms and Transliterations
בָּֽאזִקִּים֙ באזקים הָאזִקִּים֮ האזקים bā·ziq·qîm bazikKim bāziqqîm hā·ziq·qîm hazikKim hāziqqîm
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Jeremiah 40:1
HEB: וְהֽוּא־ אָס֤וּר בָּֽאזִקִּים֙ בְּת֨וֹךְ כָּל־
NAS: him bound in chains among
KJV: him being bound in chains among
INT: him bound chains among all

Jeremiah 40:4
HEB: הַיּ֗וֹם מִֽן־ הָאזִקִּים֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־
NAS: you today from the chains which
KJV: thee this day from the chains which [were] upon thine hand.
INT: today from the chains which after

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 246
2 Occurrences


bā·ziq·qîm — 1 Occ.
hā·ziq·qîm — 1 Occ.

245
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