Bible Encyclopedias
Cumber; Cumbered

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kum´bẽr , (καταργέω , katargéō , "to make idle," περισπάομαι , perispáomai , "to be drawn about," in mind "to be distracted"): Spoken of the barren fig tree in the parable: "Cut it down; why doth it also cumber (block up, make unproductive) the ground?" (Luke 13:7 ). Cumbered means to be over-occupied with cares or business, distracted: "But Martha was cumbered about much serving" (Luke 10:40 ). The word cumbrance occurs only in Deuteronomy 1:12 : "How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance?" ( טרח , ṭoraḥ , "an encumbrance," "a burden"). Compare Isaiah 1:14 , where the Revised Version, margin has "cumbrance," the Revised Version (British and American) "trouble.»