Original Word: חַרְצֻבָּה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: chartsubbah
Pronunciation: khar-tsoo-bah'
Phonetic Spelling: (khar-tsoob-baw')
KJV: band
NASB: bonds, pains
Word Origin: [of uncertain derivation]

1. a fetter
2. (figuratively) a pain

band

Of uncertain derivation; a fetter; figuratively, a pain -- band.

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
bond, fetter, pang
NASB Translation
bonds (1), pains (1).

[חַרְצֻבָּה] noun [feminine] bond, fetter, pang, only plural חַרְצֻבּוֺת; —

1 construct רֶשַׁע ׳ח Isaiah 58:6 bonds of wickedness i.e. imposed by wicked men ("" אֲגֻדּוֺת מוֺטָה).

2 pangs (compare חֶבֶל, חֵבֶל), absolute ׳אֵין ח למותם Psalm 73:4 they have no pangs (read ׳לָ֑מוֺ תָּם וגו).

חַרְצַנִּים see sub. I. חרץ. above

Meaning and Imagery

חַרְצֻבָּה evokes the picture of tight cords, shackles, or bands that confine. In Scripture the term functions less as a physical description of metal irons and more as an image for anything that restrains, oppresses, or fastens a person to an unwanted condition. Because it can denote both literal bonds and figurative restrictions, it speaks powerfully to experiences of spiritual, social, and emotional captivity.

Scriptural Occurrences

1. Psalm 73:4 presents the psalmist’s perplexity over the apparent ease of the wicked: “They have no struggle in their death; their bodies are well-fed”. The absence of חַרְצֻבָּה—here rendered “struggle”—underscores their carefree passage through life and even death. The “bands” that normally tighten around dying mortals seem mysteriously loosened for those who oppose God, sharpening the tension between temporal prosperity and ultimate justice.
2. Isaiah 58:6 forms part of the prophetic critique of empty ritual: “Is not this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to undo the cords of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to tear off every yoke?”. Here חַרְצֻבָּה (“cords”) pinpoints systemic injustice. True worship demands active participation in liberation, not mere abstention from food.

Historical Background

Ancient Near Eastern cultures frequently resorted to fetters of leather, rope, or metal to secure captives of war, indebted laborers, and criminals. In Israel such bonds carried not only legal but also moral weight. The Torah repeatedly reminds Israel that they were once “slaves in Egypt,” urging compassion toward the bound (Exodus 22:21, Deuteronomy 15:15). Against that backdrop, Psalm 73 contrasts earthly security with the inevitable divine reckoning, while Isaiah 58 confronts post-exilic communities whose religiosity had drifted from covenant compassion.

Theological Themes

1. Apparent Impunity versus Divine Justice. The lack of חַרְצֻבָּה at the death of the wicked (Psalm 73) is temporary. The psalmist ultimately realizes their “end” in the sanctuary (Psalm 73:17-19). The imagery of loosened bands heightens the surprise of their later ruin.
2. Liberation Integral to Worship. Isaiah 58 equates dismantling חַרְצֻבָּה with the essence of godly fasting. Social righteousness is not peripheral but central to relationship with God.
3. Bondage and Freedom as Spiritual Realities. The physical metaphor extends to the soul. Sin enslaves (Proverbs 5:22), yet the LORD proclaims liberty (Isaiah 61:1). The recurring motif prepares readers for the fuller redemption unveiled in the New Covenant.

New Testament Resonance

While חַרְצֻבָּה itself does not reappear, its themes echo in Jesus’ mission statement: “He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives” (Luke 4:18, citing Isaiah 61). Paul builds on the metaphor when urging believers to “stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1). The gospel answers Isaiah’s call by providing the ultimate release from sin’s cords.

Applications for Ministry

• Preaching: Psalm 73 and Isaiah 58 invite sermons that hold prosperity theology in check, showing that God’s justice transcends immediate circumstances and that genuine piety includes social action.
• Pastoral Care: The imagery of bands can help counselees articulate feelings of entrapment—whether addiction, fear, or guilt—and look to Christ for freedom.
• Mercy Ministries: Isaiah 58 legitimizes practical initiatives—prison outreach, debt relief, anti-trafficking efforts—as expressions of worship, not optional add-ons.
• Intercessory Prayer: Believers can pray specifically for the breaking of חַרְצֻבָּה in both personal and communal contexts, aligning petitions with the prophetic agenda.

Related Concepts

Bands of death (Psalm 18:4), fetters of iron (Psalm 107:10), yoke of slavery (Leviticus 26:13; Galatians 5:1), cords of sin (Proverbs 5:22), chains of darkness (2 Peter 2:4). Together these passages form a tapestry in which God is consistently portrayed as the One who loosens the fetters of His people and binds the unrepentant in righteous judgment.

Christological Fulfillment

At Calvary, the sinless Messiah accepted nails and burial wrappings—symbols of ultimate bondage—only to rise and announce, “I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of Death and of Hades” (Revelation 1:18). The shattered bands of death validate every promise embedded in חַרְצֻבָּה: the wicked may appear unbound temporarily, but true and lasting freedom belongs to those united with the Risen Lord.

חַרְצֻבּ֣וֹת חַרְצֻבּ֥וֹת חרצבות chartzubBot ḥar·ṣub·bō·wṯ ḥarṣubbōwṯInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts