BOW

 •  5 min. read  •  grade level: 6
1. A WEAPON
And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept. (Genesis 21:1616And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept. (Genesis 21:16))
And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. (Genesis 21:2020And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. (Genesis 21:20))
Made of brass (R. V.)
He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. (2 Samuel 22:3535He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. (2 Samuel 22:35))
He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through. (Job 20:2424He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through. (Job 20:24))
He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. (Psalm 18:3434He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. (Psalm 18:34))
Of wood
And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years: (Ezekiel 39:99And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years: (Ezekiel 39:9))
Used in war
Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children. (Isaiah 13:1818Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children. (Isaiah 13:18))
He hath bent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire. (Lamentations 2:44He hath bent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire. (Lamentations 2:4))
And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. (Ezekiel 39:33And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. (Ezekiel 39:3))
Used by the Elamites
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might. (Jeremiah 49:3535Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might. (Jeremiah 49:35))
David instructed the Israelites in the use of, by writing a war song to
(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 1:1818(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))
Used in hunting
See ARCHERY
See ARROW
FIGURATIVE
But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) (Genesis 49:2424But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) (Genesis 49:24))
His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground. (Job 16:1313His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground. (Job 16:13))
My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand. (Job 29:2020My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand. (Job 29:20))
But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow. (Psalm 78:5757But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow. (Psalm 78:57))
And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel. (Hosea 1:55And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel. (Hosea 1:5))
Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers. (Habakkuk 3:99Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers. (Habakkuk 3:9))
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. (Revelation 6:22And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. (Revelation 6:2))
2. A TOKEN IN THE CLOUDS
And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth. (Genesis 9:8-178And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, 9And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; 10And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. 11And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. 12And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. 14And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: 15And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. 17And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth. (Genesis 9:8‑17))
As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake. (Ezekiel 1:2828As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake. (Ezekiel 1:28))
And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. (Revelation 4:33And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. (Revelation 4:3))
And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: (Revelation 10:11And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: (Revelation 10:1))