'Bow' in the Bible

I set My rainbow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth.

It shall come about, when I bring clouds over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the clouds,

When the rainbow is in the clouds and I look at it, I will [solemnly] remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”

Isaac went out to bow down [in prayer] in the field in the [early] evening; he raised his eyes and looked, and camels were coming.

So now, please take your [hunting] gear, your quiver [of arrows] and your bow, and go out into the open country and hunt game for me;

May peoples serve you,And nations bow down to you;Be lord and master over your brothers,And may your mother’s sons bow down to you.May those who curse you be cursed,And may those who bless you be blessed.”

He told it to his father as well as to his brothers; but his father rebuked him and said to him [in disbelief], “What is [the meaning of] this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow down to the ground [in respect] before you?”

He had him ride in his second chariot; and runners proclaimed before him, “[Attention,] bow the knee!” And he set him over all the land of Egypt.

Moreover, I have given you [the birthright,] one portion [Shechem, one mountain ridge] more than any of your brothers, which I took [reclaiming it] from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.”

“Judah, you are the one whom your brothers shall praise;Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;Your father’s sons shall bow down to you.

“But his bow remained firm and steady [in the Strength that does not fail],For his arms were made strong and agileBy the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,(By the name of the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),

All these servants of yours will come down to me and bow down before me, saying, ‘Get out, you and all the people who follow you.’ After that I will leave.” And he left Pharaoh in the heat of anger.

You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous (impassioned) God [demanding what is rightfully and uniquely mine], visiting (avenging) the iniquity (sin, guilt) of the fathers on the children [that is, calling the children to account for the sins of their fathers], to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

You shall not bow down to worship their gods, nor serve them, nor do [anything] in accordance with their practices. You shall completely overthrow them and break down their [sacred] pillars and images [of pagan worship].

Moses bowed to the earth immediately and worshiped [the Lord].

‘You shall not make idols for yourselves, nor shall you erect an image, a sacred pillar or an obelisk, nor shall you place any figured stone in your land so that you may bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God.

You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous (impassioned) God [demanding what is rightfully and uniquely mine], visiting (avenging) the iniquity (sin, guilt) of the fathers on the children [that is, calling the children to account for the sins of their fathers], to the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,

so that you do not associate with these nations which remain among you, or mention the name of their gods, or make anyone swear [an oath by them], or serve them, or bow down to them.

When you transgress (violate) the covenant of the Lord your God, which He commanded you [to follow], and you go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from the good land which He has given you.”

I sent the hornet [that is, the terror of you] before you, which drove the two kings of the Amorites out before you; but it was not by your sword or by your bow.

Jonathan stripped himself of the outer robe that he was wearing and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword, his bow, and his belt.

and he told them to teach the sons of Judah, the song of the bow. Behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar:

“From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty,The bow of Jonathan did not turn back,And the sword of Saul did not return empty.

“He trains my hands for war,So that my arms can bend (pull back) a bow of bronze.

But one man drew a bow at random and struck the king of Israel in a joint of the armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the fight, because I have been seriously wounded.”

In this matter may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master [the king] goes into the house of [his god] Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand and I bow in the house of Rimmon, when I bow down in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord pardon your servant in this matter [of attending the king when he worships].”

Elisha answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those you have taken captive with your sword and bow? Serve them bread and water, so that they may eat and drink, and go back to their master [King Ben-hadad].”

But Jehu drew his bow with his full strength and shot Joram between his shoulders; and the arrow went out through his heart and he sank down in his chariot.

And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he took a bow and arrows.

Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” And he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.

with whom the Lord had made a covenant and commanded them, saying, “You shall not fear other gods or bow yourselves to them nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them.

But the Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, and to Him you shall bow yourselves down, and to Him you shall sacrifice.

O Lord, bend down Your ear and hear; Lord, open Your eyes and see; hear the [taunting] words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to taunt and defy the living God.

The sons of Reuben, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh—valiant men able to bear shield and sword, and to shoot with the bow, and skillful in war—were 44,760 who went to war.

They were armed with bows, and could use the right hand or the left to sling stones and shoot arrows from the bow; they were Saul’s relatives from [the tribe of] Benjamin.

and of Benjamin: Eliada, a brave man, and with him 200,000 men armed with bow and shield;

Then a certain man drew his bow at random and struck [Ahab] the king of Israel between the scales of his armor. So Ahab said to his chariot driver, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, because I am seriously wounded.”

All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate [in royal service] bowed down and honored and paid homage to Haman; for this is what the king had commanded in regard to him. But Mordecai [a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin] neither bowed down nor paid homage [to him].

When Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, he was furious.

“God will not turn back His anger;The [proud] helpers of Rahab [the arrogant monster of the sea] bow under Him.

“He may flee from the iron weapon,But the bow of bronze will pierce him through.

‘My glory and honor are fresh in me [being constantly renewed],And my bow gains [ever] new strength in my hand.’

Let my wife grind [meal, like a bond slave] for another [man],And let others kneel down over her.

“They kneel down, they bring forth their young,They cast out their labor pains.

If a man does not repent, God will sharpen His sword;He has strung and bent His [mighty] bow and made it ready.

For look, the wicked are bending the bow;They take aim with their arrow on the stringTo shoot [by stealth] in darkness at the upright in heart.

He trains my hands for war,So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

For You have encircled me with strength for the battle;You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.

For You will make them turn their backs [in defeat];You will aim Your bowstring [of divine justice] at their faces.

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord,And all the families of the nations will bow down and worship before You,

All the prosperous of the earth will eat and worship;All those who go down to the dust (the dead) will bow before Him,Even he who cannot keep his soul alive.

Incline Your ear to me, deliver me quickly;Be my rock of refuge,And a strong fortress to save me.

For I will not trust in my bow,Nor will my sword save me.

He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;He breaks the bow into pieces and snaps the spear in two;He burns the chariots with fire.

You have set up a banner for those who fear You [with awe-inspired reverence and submissive wonder—a banner to shield them from attack],A banner that may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.

“All the earth will [bow down to] worship You [in submissive wonder],And will sing praises to You;They will praise Your name in song.” Selah.

In Your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;Incline Your ear to me and save me.

The nomads of the desert will bow before him,And his enemies will lick the dust.

They turned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers;They were twisted like a warped bow [that will not respond to the archer’s aim].

O come, let us worship and bow down,Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker [in reverent praise and prayer].

Bow Your heavens, O Lord, and come down;Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.

The evil will bow down before the good,And the wicked [will bow down] at the gates of the righteous.

in the day when the keepers of the house (hands, arms) tremble, and the strong men (feet, knees) bow themselves, and the grinders (molar teeth) cease because they are few, and those (eyes) who look through the windows grow dim;

Nothing remains but to crouch among the captivesOr fall [dead] among the slain [on the battlefield].In spite of all this, God’s anger does not turn away,But His hand is still stretched out [in judgment].

For they have fled from the swords,From the drawn sword, from the bent bowAnd from the press of battle and grief of war.

All your leaders have fled together [with your king],And have been captured without the bow [which they had thrown away];All of you who were found were taken captive together,Though they had fled far away.

“Who has stirred up and put into action one from the east [the king of Persia, Cyrus the Great]Whom He calls in righteousness to His service and whom victory meets at every step?The Lord turns nations over to himAnd subdues kings.He makes them like dust with his sword,Like wind-driven chaff with his bow.

“I have sworn [an oath] by Myself,The word is gone out of My mouth in righteousnessAnd shall not return,That to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear [allegiance].

They stooped over, they have bowed down together;They could not rescue the burden [of their own idols],But have themselves gone into captivity.

“Kings will be your attendants,And their princesses your nurses.They will bow down to you with their faces to the earthAnd lick the dust of your feet;And you shall know [with an understanding based on personal experience] that I am the Lord;For they shall not be put to shame who wait and hope expectantly for Me.

“I will put it into the hands of your tormentors,Who have said to you, ‘Lie down so that we may walk over you.’You have even made your back like the groundAnd like the street for those who walk over it.”

“Is a fast such as this what I have chosen, a day for a man to humble himself [with sorrow in his soul]?Is it only to bow down his head like a reedAnd to make sackcloth and ashes as a bed [pretending to have a repentant heart]?Do you call this a fast and a day pleasing to the Lord?

“The sons of those who oppressed you will come bowing down to you [in submission],And all those who despised you and treated you disrespectfully will bow down at the soles of your feet,And they will call you the City of the Lord,The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

I will destine you for the sword, [says the Lord],And all of you will bow down to the slaughter,Because when I called, you did not answer;When I spoke, you did not listen or obey.But you did [what was] evil in My sightAnd chose that in which I did not delight.”

I will set up a [miraculous] sign among them, and from them I will send survivors to the nations: Tarshish, Pul (Put), Lud, Meshech, Tubal and Javan, to the distant islands and coastlands that have not heard of My fame nor seen My glory. And they will declare and proclaim My glory among the nations.

“They seize bow and spear;They are cruel and inhuman and have no mercy.Their voice sounds like the roaring sea;They ride [in formation] on horses,Arrayed as a man for battleAgainst you, O Daughter of Zion (Jerusalem)!”

“They bend their tongue like their bow;[Their] lies and not truth prevail and grow strong in the land;For they proceed from evil to evil,And they do not know and understand and acknowledge Me,” says the Lord.

Charge, you horses,And drive like madmen, you chariots!Let the warriors go forward:Ethiopia and Put (Libya) who handle the shield,And the Lydians who handle and bend the bow.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts,‘Behold (listen carefully), I am going to break the bow of Elam,The finest [weapon] of their strength.

“Call together many [archers] against Babylon,All those who bend the bow.Encamp against her on every side;Let no one from there escape.Repay her according to her actions;Just as she has done, do to her.For she has been proudly defiant and presumptuous against the Lord,Against the Holy One of Israel.

“They seize their bow and spear;They are cruel and have no compassion.They sound like the roaring of the sea;They ride on horses,Every man equipped like a man [ready] for the battleAgainst you, O Daughter of Babylon.

“Do not let him (the Chaldean defender) who bends his bow bend it,Nor let him rise up in his coat of armor.So do not spare her young men;Devote her entire army to destruction.

He has bent His bow like an enemy;He has set His right hand like an adversaryAnd slain all that were delightful and pleasing to the eye;In the tent of the Daughter of ZionHe has poured out His wrath like fire.

He has bent His bowAnd set me as a target for the arrow.

As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory and brilliance of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell face downward and I heard a voice of One speaking.

I will strike your bow from your left hand and make your arrows to fall out of your right hand.

On that day I will break the bow [of the military power] of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.”

But I will have mercy on the house of Judah and will rescue them by the Lord their God, and will not rescue them by bow, sword, war, horses, or horsemen.”

“And in that day I will make a covenant for IsraelWith the animals of the open countryAnd with the birds of the heavensAnd with the creeping things of the ground.And I will abolish the bow and the sword and [banish] war from the landAnd will make them lie down in safety.

They turn, but they do not turn upward to the Most High.They are like a poorly crafted bow [that misses the mark];Their princes shall fall by the swordBecause of the insolence of their tongue.This will be cause for their mockery and disdain in the land of Egypt.

“He who handles the bow will not stand his ground,The one who is swift of foot will not escape,Nor will he who rides the horse save his life [from the invading army].

With what shall I come before the Lord [to honor Him]And bow myself before God on high?Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,With yearling calves?

Your bow was made bare;The rods of chastisement were sworn. Selah (pause, calmly think of that).You split the earth with rivers [bringing waters to dry places].

I will cut off the [war] chariot from EphraimAnd the [war] horse from Jerusalem,And the bow of war will be cut off.And He will speak [words of] peace to the nations,And His dominion shall be from sea to sea [absolutely endless],And from the River [Euphrates] to the ends of the earth.

For I will bend Judah as My bow,I will fit the bow with Ephraim [as My arrow].And I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece,And will make you [Israel] like the sword of a warrior.

“From them (Judah) shall come the Cornerstone,From them the tent peg,From them the bow of battle,From them every ruler, all of them together.