Reference: Knee, Kneel
Hastings
The knees are often referred to in Scripture as the place where weakness of the body, from whatever cause, readily manifests itself: e.g. from terror (Job 4:4; Da 5:8), or fasting (Ps 109:24). The reference in De 28:35 seems to be to 'joint leprosy,' in which, after the toes and fingers, the joints of the larger limbs are attacked (Driver, Deut. in loc.). The laying of children on the knees of father or grandfather seems to have involved recognition of them as legitimate members of the family (Ge 30:8; 50:23). In many passages of Scripture kneeling is spoken of as the attitude assumed in prayer (1Ki 8:54; Ps 95:8; Da 6:10; Ac 20:36 etc.). To 'bow the knee' is equivalent to 'worship' (1Ki 19:18; Isa 45:23; Ro 14:11 etc.). To fall upon the knees before a superior is an act at once of reverence and of entreaty (2Ki 1:13; Mt 17:14; Lu 5:8 etc.). In the court of an Eastern judge the writer has often seen men prostrate themselves, and then make their plea, resting upon their knees.
W. Ewing.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Then said Rachel With wrestlings of God, have I wrestled with my sister Yea I have prevailed. So she called his name, Naphtali.
And Joseph saw Ephraim's, sons of three generations - moreover the sons of Machir, son of Manasseh, were born upon Joseph's knees.
Yahweh, will smite thee, with a grievous boil, upon the knees and upon the legs, of which thou canst not he healed, - from the sole of thy foot even unto the crown of thy head.
And it came to pass, when Solomon had made an end of praying unto Yahweh all this prayer and supplication, that he arose from before the altar of Yahweh, from kneeling on his knees, with his hands outspread to the heavens;
Yet will I leave remaining in Israel, seven thousand, - all knees which have not bowed to Baal, and all mouths which have not kissed to him.
Then he again sent a third captain of fifty, with his fifty, - and the third captain of fifty ascended and came near, and bowed down upon his knees before Elijah, and made supplication unto him, and said unto him, O man of God! let my life, I pray thee, and the lives of these thy fifty servants, be precious in thine eyes.
Him that was stumbling, have thy words raised up, and, sinking knees, hast thou strengthened.
Do not harden your heart as at Meribah, As on the day of Massah, in the desert;
My knees, tremble from fasting, and, my flesh, faileth of fatness:
By myself, have I sworn, Gone forth out of my mouth, is righteousness as a decree And shall not turn back, - That, unto myself, Shall bow every knee, Shall swear every tongue:
Then were coming in all the wise men of the king, - but, the writing, could they not read, nor, the interpretation, make known to the king.
But, Daniel, when he knew that the writing, was signed, went to his own house, and, the windows being opened to him, in his chamber, toward Jerusalem, three times a day, was he kneeling upon his knees, and praying and giving thanks before his God, in like manner as he had been doing aforetime.
And, when they came unto the multitude, there approached him a man, falling on his knees to him,
And Simon, beholding, fell down at the knees of Jesus, saying - Depart from me! Because, a sinful man, am I, O Lord!
And, these things saying, kneeling down with them all, he prayed.
For it is written - Living am, I, saith the Lord, unto me, shall bow every knee, and, every tongue, shall openly confess unto God.