The term "heavily" is not frequently used in the Bible, but the concept it conveys—often associated with burdens, weight, or significant impact—is prevalent throughout Scripture. In a biblical context, "heavily" can describe the weight of sin, the burden of responsibility, or the profound impact of God's actions and words.

Burden of Sin and Guilt

The Bible often speaks of sin as a heavy burden that weighs down the soul. In Psalm 38:4 , David laments, "For my iniquities have overwhelmed me; they are a burden too heavy to bear." This verse captures the oppressive nature of sin, illustrating how it can weigh heavily on an individual's conscience and spirit. The imagery of sin as a heavy burden is a recurring theme, emphasizing the need for divine forgiveness and redemption.

Divine Judgment and Consequences

The concept of heaviness is also evident in the context of divine judgment. In Isaiah 24:20 , the prophet describes the earth staggering "like a drunkard" and swaying "like a hut," under the weight of its transgression. This passage highlights the severe consequences of sin and the heavy hand of God's judgment upon a rebellious world. The imagery of the earth reeling under its iniquity underscores the seriousness of divine retribution.

God's Glory and Presence

Conversely, the weightiness of God's glory is a positive aspect of heaviness in the Bible. The Hebrew word "kavod," often translated as "glory," carries connotations of weight and significance. In 2 Chronicles 5:14 , during the dedication of Solomon's Temple, "the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God." Here, the heaviness of God's presence is so profound that it overwhelms human ability, signifying His majesty and holiness.

Responsibility and Leadership

Heaviness can also refer to the weight of responsibility borne by leaders. In Exodus 18:18 , Jethro advises Moses, "You will surely wear yourselves out, and these people as well. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone." This counsel leads to the establishment of a system of judges to share the burden of leadership. The passage illustrates the importance of delegation and the recognition that some responsibilities are too heavy for one person to bear alone.

Emotional and Spiritual Heaviness

The Bible acknowledges the emotional and spiritual heaviness that believers may experience. In Matthew 26:37-38 , Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, is described as "deeply grieved, even to the point of death." This moment of profound emotional heaviness underscores the humanity of Christ and His identification with human suffering. It also serves as a reminder of the spiritual battles that believers may face and the importance of seeking God's strength in times of trial.

Conclusion

While the term "heavily" itself may not appear frequently in Scripture, the concept of heaviness is woven throughout the biblical narrative, illustrating the weight of sin, the glory of God, the burden of leadership, and the emotional struggles of life. These themes invite believers to seek God's grace and strength in bearing the burdens of life and to recognize the profound impact of His presence and glory.1. (adv.) In a heavy manner; with great weight; as, to bear heavily on a thing; to be heavily loaded.

2. (adv.) As if burdened with a great weight; slowly and laboriously; with difficulty; hence, in a slow, difficult, or suffering manner; sorrowfully.

917. bareos -- heavily
... heavily. Part of Speech: Adverb Transliteration: bareos Phonetic Spelling:
(bar-eh'-oce) Short Definition: heavily, with difficulty Definition: heavily, with ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/917.htm - 6k

3794. ochuroma -- a stronghold, fortress
... from the root "fortify") -- a fortified, military stronghold; a strong-walled fortress
(), used only in 2 Cor 10:4. Here 3794 ("a heavily-fortified containment ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3794.htm - 7k

2233. hegeomai -- to lead, suppose
... and hence "casts a heavy vote" (influence) -- and hence deserve cooperation by those
who are led (Heb 13:7; passive, "to esteem/reckon heavily" the person or ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2233.htm - 9k

3513. kabad -- to be heavy, weighty, or burdensome
... heavy (3), make (1), make it glorious (1), makes himself rich (1), multiply (2),
nobles (1), respected (1), stopped (1), weigh (1), weigh heavily (1), went ...
/hebrew/3513.htm - 7k

5433a. saba -- to imbibe, drink largely
... 5433, 5433a. saba. 5433b . to imbibe, drink largely. Transliteration: saba
Short Definition: heavily. Word Origin a prim. root Definition ...
/hebrew/5433a.htm - 5k

3517. kebeduth -- heaviness
... Word Origin from kabad Definition heaviness NASB Word Usage difficulty (1). heavily.
Feminine of kabed; difficulty -- X heavily. see HEBREW kabed. 3516, 3517 ...
/hebrew/3517.htm - 6k

6937. qadar -- to be dark
... be blackish, be make darken, heavily, cause to mourn. A primitive root;
to be ashy, ie Dark-colored; by implication, to mourn (in ...
/hebrew/6937.htm - 6k

A Personal Experience.
... We would see the tears start from her eyes, and again our conscience would be
heavily smitten. ... The convicting hand of God lay heavily upon me. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/orr/the gospel day /a personal experience.htm

Imprisonment and Death of John
... prison. The life of John had been one of active labor, and the gloom and
inaction of his prison life weighed heavily upon him. As ...
/.../white/the desire of ages/chapter 22 imprisonment and death.htm

Sins of Parents visited
... He starts men unequally in the race of life"some heavily weighted with their father's
sins and misfortunes, some helped in every way by their father's virtue ...
/.../kingsley/all saints day and other sermons/sermon xxvi sins of parents.htm

How the Fears of the Saint Vanished. How She was Assured that Her ...
... I had a confessor [5] who mortified me greatly, and now and then distressed me:
he tried me heavily, for he disquieted me exceedingly; and yet he was the one ...
/.../teresa/the life of st teresa of jesus/chapter xxvi how the fears.htm

The Love of Rameses
... The guardian nobles that stood about the royal pair leaned heavily upon their arms. ...
"The gods have dealt heavily with Mentu," he said after a little silence. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xxv the love of.htm

Quotations from the Old Testament in the New.
... For the heart of this people became gross, and with their ears they heard heavily,
and the eyes they closed; lest at any time they should see with the eyes ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxxix quotations from the.htm

True Prayer --True Power!
... And have we not to lament that sometimes the chariot-wheels are taken off,
and we drive right heavily when we are in supplication? ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/true prayertrue power.htm

Jesus and the Disciples
... He discerned. Partly it was because His own spirit was heavily weighed upon,
and retirement was what He needed most. And certainly ...
/.../chadwick/the gospel of st mark/chapter 9 28-37 jesus and the.htm

Pardoned Sin Punished
... If we suppose that he was much in the seclusion of his palace, a heavily-burdened
and spirit-broken man, we can understand how his condition tempted his ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/pardoned sin punished.htm

Arria and Her Brother were Far from the Shores of Hellas and Near ...
... He started to cross the deck and fell heavily. ... "No," said Appius, breathing heavily
as the pilot tried to shake him off. "Give the dog a chance. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bacheller/vergilius/chapter 21 arria and her.htm

Heavily (17 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (adv.) In a heavy manner; with great weight; as, to
bear heavily on a thing; to be heavily loaded. ...Heavily (17 Occurrences). ...
/h/heavily.htm - 11k

Light (2869 Occurrences)
... little nutriment. 26. (superl.) Not heavily armed; armed with light weapons;
as, light troops; a troop of light horse. 27. (superl ...
/l/light.htm - 31k

Overcharge (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To charge or load too heavily; to burden;
to oppress; to cloy. 2. (vt) To fill too full; to crowd. ...
/o/overcharge.htm - 7k

Labor (181 Occurrences)
... (n.) To pitch or roll heavily, as a ship in a turbulent sea. ... Matthew 11:28 "Come
to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. ...
/l/labor.htm - 38k

Lumber (1 Occurrence)
... a room. 6. (vi) To move heavily, as if burdened. 7. (vi) To make a sound
as if moving heavily or clumsily; to rumble. 8. (vi) To ...
/l/lumber.htm - 7k

Drag (19 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To draw slowly or heavily onward; to pull along the ground by main force;
to haul; to trail; -- applied to drawing heavy or resisting bodies or those ...
/d/drag.htm - 14k

Plump (2 Occurrences)
... 4. (v.) To drop or fall suddenly or heavily, all at once. ... 7. (vt) To cast or let
drop all at once, suddenly and heavily; as, to plump a stone into water. ...
/p/plump.htm - 7k

Heaviness (14 Occurrences)
...Heavily is the translation of kebhedhuth, "heaviness" (Exodus 14:25), meaning "with
difficulty"; of qadhar, "to be black," "to be a mourner" (Psalm 35:14 the ...
/h/heaviness.htm - 16k

Heavy (110 Occurrences)
... 13. (superl.) With child; pregnant. 14. (adv.) Heavily; -- sometimes used in
composition; as, heavy-laden. 15. (vt) To make heavy. Int. ...
/h/heavy.htm - 44k

Heavier (13 Occurrences)

/h/heavier.htm - 10k

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