Bow the symbol of joy for the conquest of enemies.f1 In Psa 7:12, it implies victory; signifying judgments laid up in store against persecutors.
To the Moguls, the bow was the symbol of a king;f2 and the golden bow the badge of royalty. An army in battle array, was represented by the Egyptians by the hands of a man; f3 the one hand holding a shield, and the other a bow.
It is also the symbol of war, as in Zec 9:10. Breaking a bow signifies the overthrow of the military strength of a kingdom. Hos 1:5. It denotes peace, Psa 46:9
The bow, in Scripture language meaneth much more than the instrument called the bow, used in war. Hence, the dying patriarch, when blessing Joseph, speaks of "his bow abiding in strength, because his arms were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. From thence (said the patriarch), is the shepherd the stone of Israel." (Gen. xlix. 24.) And the Redeemer himself is represented as having "a bow, when a crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer." (Rev. vi. 2.) And there can benodoubt, but that the bow mentioned by the dying patriarch referred to Christ. Hence, in allusion to the same, JEHOVAH saith, "I do set my bow in the cloud." (Gen. ix. 13.) And hence John, when he saw heaven opened, beheld "a rainbow round about 1he throne." (Rev. 4: 3.) And the mighty angel he saw "clothed with a cloud, had a rainbow upon his head." (Rev. x. 1.) It is blessed to view Jesus thus constantly typified.
The expression, “to break the bow,” so frequent in Scripture, signifies to destroy the power of a people, because the principal offensive weapon, of armies, was anciently the bow. “A deceitful bow” in one that, from some defect, either in bending or the string, carries the arrow wide of the mark, however well aimed. See ARMS.
Bow [ARMS]. The bow is frequently mentioned symbolically in Scripture. In Psa 7:12 it implies victory, signifying judgments laid up in store against offenders. It is sometimes used to denote lying and falsehood (Psa 64:3; Psa 120:4; Jer 9:3), probably from the many circumstances which tend to render a bow inoperative, especially in unskillful hands. Hence also ’a deceitful bow’ (Psa 78:57; Hos 7:16). The bow also signifies any kind of arms. The bow and spear are the most frequently mentioned, because the ancients used these most (Psa 44:6; Psa 46:9; Zec 10:4; Jos 24:12). In Hab 3:9 ’thy bow was made bare,’ means that it was drawn out of its case. The Orientals used to carry their bows in a case hung on their girdles.
A weapon much used in ancient times, both for hunting and for war. It was made of wood, horn, or steel, Gen 27:3 Psa 18:34 ; and the foot was sometimes used in bending it. It was carried in a case, when not used, Hab 3:19 . The Benjamites were celebrated for their skill in the use of this weapon, 1Ch 12:2 2Ch 14:8 17:17. See ARMS. The phrase, "a deceitful bow," to which the people of Israel are compared, Psa 78:57 Hos 7:16, means an ill-made or twisted bow, which does not shoot the arrow as it is aimed. In 2Sa 1:18, we read. "Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow." Here the words, "the use of," are not in the Hebrew. The use of the bow in war had long been common among the Jews, Gen 48:22 ; and to "teach them the bow," is by some supposed to mean, teach them by some supposed to mean, teach them the song of THE BOW, the lamentation over Saul and Jonathan, which follows; so called from the mention of the weapon in Gen 48:22, as the first four books in the Bible take their title in Hebrew from the first word in each. See ARROW.\par
Bow. Gen 37:10.
1. The eastern mode of salutation, by kneeling upon one knee and bending the head forward till it touched the ground.
2. See Arms.
BOW or RAINBOW. God, after the flood, took the rainbow, previously but a natural object of sight shining beautifully in the sky, when the sun’s rays are refracted through failing rain at different angles and so produce different prismatic colors, and elevated it to spiritual significance, to be to Noah and the world the sign of His love and pledge of His sparing mercy, that He would no more destroy the earth with waters. The language in Genesis gives no reason for supposing the writer ignorant of the natural cause of the rainbow, as if he made God then for the first time setting it in the sky. So
It is the pledge of "the world’s covenant, not the church’s, a charter of natural blessings." "Set" means simply, "I do appoint My bow in the cloud" (Gen 9:13-16). In Eze 1:28 and Rev 4:3 the rainbow round about the throne of Jehovah is the symbol of mercy to God’s children amidst coming judgments on the wicked. Though the divine righteousness requires a deluge of wrath on the faithless, God’s faithfulness will only shine forth on the elect remnant the brighter for the tribulation that necessarily precedes (compare Isa 54:8-10). The complete circle typifies God’s perfection and eternity, not broken into a half, as the earthly rainbow. As the various prismatic colors unite to form one pure ray, so God’s varied providence combine in one harmonious whole.
As the rainbow was reflected on the waters of the world’s ruin, and is seen only when a cloud is over the earth, so another deluge of fire shall precede the new heavens and earth" granted to redeemed man, as the earth after the flood was restored to Noah. The cloud was the token of God’s presence in Israel’s wilderness journey and in the holiest place of the temple; and on Mount Sinai at the giving of the law; and at the Lord’s ascension (Act 1:9), and at His coming again (Rev 1:7). The bow represents calm sunshine after the world’s shipwreck through sin. It is the emblem of God’s loving faithfulness to His covenant with His people, and the pledge of sure hope to them.
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The common weapon for discharging arrows. It is used symbolically for the hidden attacks of the wicked against the righteous. Psa 11:2; Psa 37:14-15. A ’bow of steel’ signifies great strength. Job 20:24. The wicked are like a ’deceitful bow,’ one that breaks when it is depended upon. Psa 78:57; Hos 7:16. In 2Sa 1:18 David’s elegy on Saul and Jonathan is called ’The Bow.’ The children were taught ’[the song of] the Bow.’ R.V.
ARCHER, ARCHERY:
A bow is a curved weapon that shoots arrows. In biblical times, bows were used for hunting and warfare.
Early bows were made from one piece of dried and prepared wood. However, no single type of wood was light, strong, and flexible enough to make the best bow.
Over time, people began to combine different materials. These included wood, animal horn, tendons, sinew, and glue. A tendon is a strong tissue that joins muscle to bone. Sinew is dried animal tendon used as a strong cord.
These bows were called composite bows because they were made from several materials. They were light, strong, and flexible. Their curved shape gave arrows greater distance and power.
Bowstrings were made from plant fibers, natural cord, animal hide, or the intestines of oxen or camels.
A person often needed great strength to put a string on a bow. The archer sometimes held the bow with one foot while bending it into place (2 Kings 13:16; compare 2 Samuel 22:35; Jeremiah 51:3). For this reason, archers were sometimes called “bow treaders,” meaning people who stepped on a bow to bend it.
The shape of arrowheads changed as soldiers began to use stronger armor. During the Late Bronze Age, arrowheads were usually made of bronze. They were thick in the middle and narrowed to a sharp point. This shape helped them go through the armor used at that time.
Arrow shafts were usually made from reeds. Reeds were strong but also flexible.
See also Archer, Archery; Armor and Weapons.
Aquifer Open Bible Dictionary © 2026 Mission Mutual, an adaptation of the Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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Bowstring:
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Archer:
Description:
The bow was an arch made of wood or other flexible material and bent by a string attached to its two ends. Ancient bows were of two types. The simpler and less effective was triangular in shape, with the wooden body of the bow formed from two straight pieces. Much stronger and more effective was the composite bow, which was constructed of alternating layers of material, mostly wood and animal horn glued together. Ancient bows varied in length between about 80 centimeters (30 inches) to over a meter (40 inches). The bowstring was normally made of spun linen or hemp.
Usage:
The archer gripped the center of the wooden part of the bow in one hand and placed the notch that was cut into the back end of an arrow on the string. With the fingers of his other hand he gripped the string and the arrow and pulled back the arrow. When he released the arrow, it flew forward toward the target. In battle the object was to wound the enemy with the sharp point of the arrow. This weapon allowed the soldier to attack the enemy without coming into physical contact with him.
Translation:
Where bows and arrows are unknown, it may be necessary to say “weapon” or “weapon that shoots darts [or, missiles],” without specifying what kind of weapon it is, while carefully avoiding the implication that it is a gun that uses gunpowder and shoots bullets. The weapon should be recognized as useful in battle and operated by one person.
The phrase “bend the bow,” which occurs frequently (2SA 22:35; PSA 7:13; PSA 11:2; PSA 18:35; PSA 37:14; ISA 5:28; ISA 21:15; JER 9:2; JER 46:9; JER 50:14; JER 50:29; JER 51:3; LAM 2:4; LAM 3:12; ZEC 9:13), often does not refer to the drawing of the bowstring in order to shoot but rather to the method of bending the unstrung bow enough to slip the bowstring in place on the end of the bow. Composite bows in particular were very stiff and difficult to string. The underlying idea is preparing the bow for combat. Possible renderings for “bend the bow” are “string the bow” and “prepare the bow for use.” In JER 51:3 a NCV has “Don’t let the Babylonian soldiers prepare their bows to shoot.”
In some passages the word “bow” symbolizes warfare. See the discussion on JOS 24:12 at 2.3 Sword<REALIA:2.3>.
2SA 22:35; JOB 20:24; PSA 18:35: In JOB 20:24 a RSV says “a bronze arrow will strike him through.” “Bronze arrow” is literally “bow of bronze” in Hebrew. However, bows were not made of bronze, and a bronze bow would not shoot an arrow. The poet attributes to the bow the effect that is produced by the arrow. RSV has shifted to “bronze arrow,” but GNT has kept “bronze bow.” FRCL translates “bronze point,” that is, “bronze arrowhead.” This line may need to be adjusted to say “an arrow with a bronze point will hit him” or “an enemy will shoot an arrow with a bronze point into him.” If “bronze” is unknown, the translator may say “iron” or “metal.” De Vaux suggests that “bronze bow” indicates a kind of metal covering, which was used to strengthen some wooden bows. So “bronze bow” may be rendered “strongest bow” (GNT in 2SA 22:35 and PSA 18:35).
JER 9:2: RSV renders the first line of this verse as “They bend their tongue like a bow,” which will be obscure in many languages. CEV understands the bent bow to be the actual shooting of the arrows, so it restructures the first half of this verse, saying “Lies come from the mouths of my people, like arrows from a bow.” GNT understands the bent bow to indicate readiness for use but avoids the simile with “They are always ready to tell lies.”
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