Bow

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

The Eastern mode of salutation by kneeling on one knee and bending the head forward (Gen. 37:10¹⁰And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? (Genesis 37:10); 1 Kings 1:53; 2:19⁵³So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and Solomon said unto him, Go to thine house. (1 Kings 1:53)
¹⁹Bath-sheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand. (1 Kings 2:19)).

Concise Bible Dictionary:

The common weapon for discharging arrows. It is used symbolically for the hidden attacks of the wicked against the righteous (Psa. 11:2²For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. (Psalm 11:2); Psa. 37:14-15¹⁴The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. ¹⁵Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. (Psalm 37:14‑15)). A “bow of steel” signifies great strength (Job 20:24²⁴He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through. (Job 20:24)). The wicked are like a “deceitful bow,” one that breaks when it is depended upon (Psa. 78:57⁵⁷But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow. (Psalm 78:57); Hos. 7:16¹⁶They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt. (Hosea 7:16)). In 2 Samuel 1:18¹⁸(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.) (2 Samuel 1:18) David’s elegy on Saul and Jonathan is called “The Bow.” The children were taught “[the song of] the Bow” (RV).

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From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

2 Kings 13:15¹⁵And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows. (2 Kings 13:15). Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows.

1. The bow is a very ancient weapon, and early mention is made of it in the Bible. Ishmael became an archer (Gen. 21:20²⁰And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. (Genesis 21:20)). Isaac sent Esau to get venison by means of the bow (Gen. 27:3³Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison; (Genesis 27:3)). It also came into early use as a weapon of war (Gen. 48:22²²Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow. (Genesis 48:22)). Bows were made of various materials: wood, horn, and even ivory, were used. Sometimes the wood and horn were united in the bow, the wood being backed with horn. Metallic bows were also used. See Job 20:24²⁴He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through. (Job 20:24); Psalm 18:34³⁴He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. (Psalm 18:34). Bows were of various shapes. The Egyptian bow—a round piece of wood from five feet to five and a half long—was either nearly straight, with a slight curve at each end, or else showed a deep curve in the center when unstrung.

Assyrian bows were sometimes curved and sometimes angular. They were shorter than the Egyptian bows. The strings of ancient bows were of leather thongs, horse hair, hide, or catgut. Various modes were adopted for bending the bow, the hand, the knee, or the foot being used. It was probably most usually bent by the aid of the foot, since darak, the word commonly used in speaking of bending the bow, literally means to “tread.”

2. The arrows were made of reed or wood and tipped with metal or horn. They were sometimes feathered, though not always. From Psalm 38:2²For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. (Psalm 38:2), we infer that they sometimes had barbed points.

Bow

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

Concise Bible Dictionary:

From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

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