Bow

The bow was the preeminent long-range weapon of the ancient world and appears throughout the biblical narrative from the patriarchal period onward (Gen. 21:20; 27:3). Composite bows constructed of wood, horn, and sinew were capable of considerable range and penetrating power; the tribe of Benjamin was particularly renowned for its archers, some of whom could shoot with either hand (1 Chr. 8:40; 12:2). Bowing in salutation—kneeling on one knee with the body inclined forward—was the standard Eastern mode of showing respect, as illustrated repeatedly in the patriarchal narratives (Gen. 33:3; 43:28).

The bow carries rich symbolic weight in Scripture. The rainbow is the sign of God's covenant with Noah (Gen. 9:13–16). The breaking of a bow symbolizes military defeat and the end of warfare (Ps. 46:9; Hos. 1:5; Jer. 49:35), while the gift of a “bow of bronze” in David's victory psalm (2 Sam. 22:35; Ps. 18:34) signifies divine empowerment for battle. Jonathan's bow, lamented in David's elegy, “turned not back” in battle (2 Sam. 1:22)—a tribute to the fallen warrior's consistent courage.