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
Rachel said, "With mighty wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed." She named him Naphtali.
Joseph saw Ephraim's children to the third generation. The children also of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph's knees.
Yahweh will strike you in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore boil, of which you can not be healed, from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head.
It was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication to Yahweh, he arose from before the altar of Yahweh, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread forth toward heaven.
Yet will I leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him."
Again he sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. The third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and begged him, and said to him, "Man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty your servants, be precious in your sight.
Your words have supported him who was falling, You have made firm the feeble knees.
Don't harden your heart, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness,
My knees are weak through fasting. My body is thin and lacks fat.
I have sworn by myself, the word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and will not return, that to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath.
Then came in all the king's wise men; but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation.
When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his room toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before.
When they came to the multitude, a man came to him, kneeling down to him, saying,
But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord."
When he had spoken these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.