King James Bible Dictionary

The bow was in use in early times both in war and in the chase (Genesis 21:20; 27:3; 48:22). The tribe of Benjamin were famous for the use of the bow (1 Chronicles 8:40; 12:2; 2 Chronicles 14:8; 17:17); so also were the Elamites (Isaiah 22:6) and the Lydians (Jeremiah 46:9). The Hebrew word commonly used for bow means properly to tread (1 Chronicles 5:18; 8:40), and hence it is concluded that the foot was employed in bending the bow. Bows of steel (correctly "copper") are mentioned (2 Samuel 22:35; Psalms 18:34).

The arrows were carried in a quiver (Genesis 27:3; Isaiah 22:6; 49:2; Psalms 127:5). They were apparently sometimes shot with some burning material attached to them (Psalms 120:4).

The bow is a symbol of victory (Psalms 7:12). It denotes also falsehood, deceit (Psalms 64:3, 4; Hosea 7:16; Jeremiah 9:3).

"The use of the bow" in 2 Samuel 1:18 (A.V.) ought to be "the song of the bow," as in the Revised Version.

1. A weapon

General references
Genesis 21:16; Genesis 21:20

Made of brass
2 Samuel 22:35; Job 20:24; Psalms 18:34

Made of wood
Ezekiel 39:9

Used in war
Isaiah 13:18; Lamentations 2:4; Ezekiel 39:3

Used by the Elamites
Jeremiah 49:35

David instructed the Israelites in the use of, by writing war song to
2 Samuel 1:18

Used in hunting
Archery; Arrow

Figurative
Archery; Arrow

Figurative
Genesis 49:24; Job 16:13; Job 29:20; Psalms 78:57; Lamentations 3:12; Hosea 1:5; Habakkuk 3:9; Revelation 6:2

2. A token in the clouds
Genesis 9:8-17; Ezekiel 1:28; Revelation 4:3; Revelation 10:1

(Genesis 37:10) The eastern mode of salutation, by kneeling upon one knee and bending the head forward till it touched the ground.

BOW, verb transitive

1. To bend; to inflect; as, to bow vines.

2. To bend the body in token of respect or civility; as, to bow the head.

3. To bend or incline towards, in condescension.

BOW down thine ear to the poor. Eccles.

4. To depress; to crush; to subdue.

His heavy hand hath bowed you to the grave.

He bows the nations to his will.

BOW, verb intransitive To bend; to curve; to be inflected; to bend, in token of reverence, respect or civility; often with down.

This is the idol to which the world bows.

1. To stoop; to fall upon the knees.

The people bowed upon their knees.

2. To sink under pressure.

They stoop; they bow down together. Isaiah.

BOW, noun An inclination of the head, or a bending of the body, in token of reverence, respect, civility, or submission.

BOW, noun [See bow to bend.] An instrument of war, and hunting, made of wood, or other elastic matter, with a string fastened to each end. The bow being bent by drawing the string, and suddenly returning to its natural state by its elastic force, throws an arrow to a great distance, and with force sufficient to kill an animal. It is of two kinds, the long-bow, and the cross-bow, arbalest or arbalest. The use of the bow is called archery.

1. Any thing bent, or in form of a curve; the rainbow; the doubling of a string in a knot; the part of a yoke which embraces the neck; etc.

2. A small machine, formed with a stick and hairs, which being drawn over the strings of an instrument of music, causes it to sound.

3. A beam of wood or brass, with three long screws that direct a lathe of wood or steel to any arch; used in forming drafts of ships, and projections of the sphere, or wherever it is necessary to draw large arches.

4. An instrument for taking the sun's altitude at sea, consisting of a large arch of ninety degrees graduated, a shank or staff, a side-vane, a sight-vane, and a horizon-vane; now disused.

5. An instrument in use among smiths for turning a drill; with turners, for turning wood; with hatters, for breaking fur and wool.

6. Bows of a saddle, are the two pieces of wood laid archwise to receive the upper part of a horse's back, to give the saddle its due form, and to keep it tight.

7. bow of a ship, is the rounding part of her side forward, beginning where the planks arch inwards, and terminating where they close, at the stem or prow. A narrow bow is called a lean bow; a broad one, a bold or bluff bow

On the bow in navigation, is an arch of the horizon, not exceeding 45 degrees, comprehended between some distant object, and that point of the compass which is right ahead.