248. Whenever therefore a person was looking to heavenly things he was said to be walking erect, or what is the same, to be looking upwards or forwards; but whenever he was looking to bodily and earthly things he was said to be bent down towards the ground and to be looking downwards or backwards, as in Leviticus,

I am Jehovah your God, who brought You forth out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; and I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you go erect. Leviticus 26:13.

In Micah,

You will not remove your necks from it nor go erect. Micah 1:3.

In Jeremiah,

Jerusalem sinned grievously, therefore they despised her, for they saw her nakedness; yea, she herself groaned, and turned away backwards. From on high He sent fire into my bones and made me return backwards; He made me desolate. Lamentations 1:8-13.

In Isaiah,

Jehovah your Redeemer turns wise men backwards and makes their knowledge foolish. Isaiah 44:24-25.

To “break” something creates an image that is different from “attacking,” “destroying,” or “shattering.” It is less emotional and violent in its intent; it is somewhat matter-of-fact. It is fitting, then, that “break” is used in the Bible primarily to illustrate the Lord’s destruction of evil desires and false ideas – something that must be done to preserve us from harm, but not something done with malice.