ζυγός

ζυγός — zygós

ζυγός, ζυγοῦ, ὁ, for which in Greek writings before Polybius τό ζυγόν was more common (from ζεύγνυμι);

1. a yoke;

a. properly, such as is put on draught-cattle.

b. metaphorically, used of any burden or bondage: as that of slavery, 1Ti 6:1 (Lev 26:13), δουλείας, Gal 5:1 (Sophocles Aj. 944; δουλοσυνης, Demosthenes 322, 12); of troublesome laws imposed on one, especially of the Mosaic law, Act 15:10; Gal 5:1; hence, the name is so transferred to the commands of Christ as to contrast them with the commands of the Pharisees which were a veritable 'yoke'; yet even Christ's commands must be submitted to, though easier to be kept: Mat 11:29 f (less aptly in Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 16, 17 [ET] Christians are called οἱ ὑπό τόν ζυγόν τῆς χάριτος ἐλθόντες (cf. Harnack at the passage)).

2. a balance, pair of scales: Rev 6:5 (as in Isa 40:12; Lev 19:36; Plato, rep. 8, 550 e.; Aelian v. h. 10, 6; others).