Original Word: קֶשֶׁת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: qesheth
Pronunciation: KEH-sheth
Phonetic Spelling: (keh'-sheth)
NASB: bow, bows, arrows, bowmen, rainbow
Word Origin: [from H7185 (קָשָׁה - stiffened) in the original sense (of H6983 (קוֹשׁ - ensnare)) of bending]

1. X arch(-er), + arrow, bow((-man, -shot))

archer, arrow, bowman,

From qashah in the original sense (of qowsh) of bending: a bow, for shooting (hence, figuratively, strength) or the iris -- X arch(-er), + arrow, bow((-man, -shot)).

see HEBREW qashah

see HEBREW qowsh

Word Origin
perhaps from qush
Definition
a bow
NASB Translation
archers* (3), arrows (1), bow (54), bowman* (1), bowmen (1), bows (13), bowshot* (1), rainbow (1).

קֶ֫שֶׁת noun feminine^{Genesis 9:14} (apparently masculine 2 Samuel 1:22 but see Albr^{ZAW xvi (1896) 91}) bow (originally √ perhaps קושׁ, meaning unknown; Late Hebrew id.; Assyrian ‡aštu; Ethiopic Arabic plural , etc.; ᵑ7 and (קַשְׁתָּא and (ט for ת after ק P) קוּשְׁטָא (rare), all bow, קַשָּׁתָא bowman; Syriac bow, bowman; Old Aramaic קשת bow, Mandean כשטא (Frä²⁰⁶); Palmyrene קשטא bowman); — absolute ׳ק Hosea 1:7 +, קָ֑שֶׁת Jeremiah 46:9 +; constructקֶ֫שֶׁת Hosea 1:5 +; suffix קַשְׁתִּי Genesis 48:22 + ,etc.; plural absolute קְשָׁתוֺת2Chronicles 26:14 +; suffix קַשְּׁתֹתָיו (Ges^{§ 20h}) Isaiah 5:28, קַשְּׁתוֺתָם Jeremiah 51:56; Psalm 37:15, קַשְּׁתֹתֵיהֶם Nehemiah 4:7 (קַשְׁתֹּתָיו etc., van d. H. [except Psalm 37:15]); —

1 bow:

a. for hunting Genesis 27:3 (J; + תְּלְי)

b. battle: + (or "") חֶרֶב Genesis 48:22; Joshua 24:12 (both E), Hosea 1:7; Hosea 2:20; 1 Samuel 18:4 (+ חְַגֹרוֺ), 2 Samuel 1:22; 2 Kings 6:22; Isaiah 41:2; Nehemiah 4:7 (+ רָמְחֵיהֶם), Zechariah 9:13 (figurative of Judah as ׳יs bow), Psalm 37:15 (figurative) Psalm 44:7 (+ or "" חֶרֶב also below) ;+ (or "") חִצִּים Isaiah 7:24; 2 Kings 13:15 (twice in verse); Ezekiel 39:3,9; 1 Chronicles 12:2a; compare ׳רִשְׁפֵי ק Psalm 76:4 = arrow (+ מָנֵן וְחֶרֶב) so ׳בֶּן ק Job 41:20 (compare Lamentations 3:13; Job 5:7); + חֲנִית Psalm 46:10, + כִּידוֺן Jeremiah 6:23; Jeremiah 50:42; + varius weapons Nehemiah 4:10; 2Chronicles 26:14; alone Isaiah 13:18 (context corrupt), Isaiah 22:3; Jeremiah 51:56; Habakkuk 3:9 (of ׳י as warrior); מִלְחָמָה ׳ק Zechariah 9:10; Zechariah 10:4; in simile רְמִיָּה ׳כְּק like a bow of deception Hosea 7:16; Psalm 78:57 (i.e. one that misses its aim; al. slack bow).

c. ׳ק collective = bow (-men), archers Isaiah 21:17.

d. phrases are: ׳הַמּרִים אֲנָשִׁים בַּקּ 1 Samuel 31:3 archers, bowmen (but dubious; Dr Kit Löhr translates, ׳הַמּ ׳א; We Bu strike out ׳א as "" 1 Chronicles 10:3; HPS Now strike out ׳בַּקּ ׳א), ׳הַמּוֺרִים בַּקּ 1 Chronicles 10:3; ׳מְטַחֲוֵי ק Genesis 21:16 (see [טָתָה], ׳רמֵה ק Jeremiah 4:29, compare perhaps Genesis 21:21 see קִשָּׁת, "" ׳נשְׁקֵי ק (see II.נָשַׁק) 1 Chronicles 12:2b 2Chronicles 17:17, ׳רוֺמֵי ק ׳נוֺ Psalm 78:9; ׳תֹּפֵשׁ הַקּ Amos 2:15 one grasping the bow, (see Jeremiah 46:9 below) see also ׳מִלֵּא יָדוֺ בַקּ 2 Kings 9:24, ׳הַרְכֵּב יָֽדְךָ עַלהַֿקּ 2 Kings 13:16; ׳דָּרַח ק bend (literally tread) the bow, Isaiah 5:28 (participle passive), Isaiah 21:15 (id.; "" חֶרֶב) Jeremiah 50:14,29; Jeremiah 51:3; 1 Chronicles 5:18; 1 Chronicles 8:40; 2Chron 14:7; Psalm 37:14 ("" חֶרֶב), in figure Psalm 11:2 ("" חֵץ), and, of God, Lamentations 2:4; Lamentations 3:12; Psalm 7:13 ("" הֶרֶב); ׳תֹּפְשֵׂי דֹּרְכֵי ק Jeremiah 46:9; compare(figurative) וַיַּדְרְכוֺ אֶתלְֿשׁוֺנָם קַשְׁתָּם Jeremiah 9:2; also נְחוּשָׁה וְנִחֲתָה ׳ק Psalm 18:35 = 2 Samuel 22:35 (readוְנִחֲתָה for וְנִחַת) ׳מָשַׁח בַּקּdraw the bow 1 Kings 22:34 2Chronicles 18:33; Isaiah 66:19.

e. bow (passing over into) figurative of might Genesis 49:24 (poem), 1 Samuel 2:4; Hosea 1:5; Jeremiah 49:35; Job 29:20 (compare Psalm 37:15,

b. above) feminine נְחוּשָׁה ׳ק fig of divine judgment Job 20:24 ("" נֵשֶׁק בַּרְזֶל)

2 rainbow: אֲשַׁר יִהְיֶה בֶעָנָן בְּיוֺם הַנֶּשֶׁם ׳כְּמַרְאֵה הַקּ Ezekiel 1:28; Genesis 9:13,14,16 (P). — קָ֑שֶׁה וַיּאֹמֶר לְלַמֵּד בְּנֵייְֿהוּדָה 2 Samuel 1:18 is corrupt; ᵐ5 al. omits; We Now think misplaced gloss on 2 Samuel 1:6; see further HPS.

Primary Domains of Meaning

1. The military bow as a hand–held weapon.
2. The rainbow as a divine sign.
3. Figurative use for strength, readiness, judgment, or disarmament.

The Bow in Military and Civic Life

From the time of the Patriarchs the bow stood alongside the sword and spear as the chief ranged weapon. Jacob invoked “the bow I took from the Amorite” (Genesis 48:22) to designate conquered territory. Esau was urged, “Take your weapons—your quiver and bow” (Genesis 27:3), indicating routine hunting and defense. During the conquest period skilled bowmen appear among the tribes (Joshua 24:12), and judges like Jonathan display archery prowess (1 Samuel 20:20–22).

Kings institutionalized archery. David trained men who could “sling stones with either hand and shoot arrows from the bow” (1 Chronicles 12:2). Uzziah “equipped the entire army with shields, spears, helmets, coats of armor, bows and slingstones” (2 Chronicles 26:14). Strategic value is highlighted when the Philistines keep Israel from metalworking, thus restricting manufacture of swords and spears, while the wooden bow remained accessible (1 Samuel 13:19–22).

Divine Warrior Imagery

Scripture frequently portrays the LORD as the supreme Archer. “He bends His bow and sets it against His enemies” (Lamentations 2:4). Habakkuk saw Him marching in judgment: “You brandished Your bow; You called for many arrows” (Habakkuk 3:9). Such anthropomorphic language affirms God’s sovereign power over history, mobilizing the imagery of a skilled archer who never misses His mark.

Conversely, the LORD breaks hostile bows. “He makes wars to cease…He shatters the spear; He burns the shields with fire” (Psalm 46:9). The breaking of the bow signals the end of aggression (Hosea 1:5) and foretells Messianic peace (Zechariah 9:10).

Covenant Sign: The Rainbow

After the Flood God announced, “I have set My bow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth” (Genesis 9:13). The same Hebrew word that delineates a lethal weapon is now transposed to a peaceful emblem. The visual arc recalls a war-bow hung in the sky, the string toward earth, the archer’s side toward heaven—underscoring divine restraint. The recurring appearance of the rainbow renews assurance that universal judgment by water will never recur, establishing a foundation for trusting every divine promise.

Human Strength and Its Limits

Old Testament poetry mines the metaphor for moral instruction. Hannah exults, “The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble are equipped with strength” (1 Samuel 2:4). Job’s dignity was a bow “ever new in my hand” (Job 29:20); when suffering came he laments, “He has unstrung my bow” (Job 30:11). The Psalms contrast the fate of the wicked: “Their sword will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken” (Psalm 37:15).

Preparation and Instruction

Training in archery was deliberate. David commanded Judah to teach “the song of the bow” (2 Samuel 1:18), commemorating Saul and Jonathan and instilling martial readiness. Kings such as Jehoash sought prophetic coaching: Elisha directed him, “Take a bow and arrows…open the east window and shoot” as symbolic enactment of victory (2 Kings 13:15–17). These accounts underscore disciplined preparation coupled with reliance on divine guidance.

Judgment and Apostasy

Prophets decried Israel’s faithlessness with archery imagery. The people “bend their tongues like bows; lies instead of truth prevail” (Jeremiah 9:3). Hosea likens the nation to “a faulty bow” (Hosea 7:16), unable to fulfill purpose. Such figures expose the folly of self-reliance and call listeners to covenant fidelity.

Messianic and Eschatological Hope

Messianic prophecy anticipates the disarmament of the nations: “I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem; the bow of war will be broken, and He will proclaim peace to the nations” (Zechariah 9:10). Revelation echoes the martial image when the first rider appears “holding a bow” as conquest begins (Revelation 6:2), then culminates in the ultimate victory of Christ who needs no earthly weapons (Revelation 19:11–16).

Ministry Application

1. Trust in God’s covenant faithfulness symbolized by the rainbow; His promises hold despite global upheaval.
2. Recognize that human weaponry and skill are secondary to divine sovereignty; “the horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD” (Proverbs 21:31).
3. Embrace spiritual discipline: believers are exhorted to “take up the full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:13). The ancient bow reminds the church that spiritual warfare requires readiness and precision, yet our confidence lies in God who breaks enemy bows.
4. Proclaim the Gospel of peace: the prophetic vision of shattered bows compels believers to announce reconciliation through Christ, anticipating the day when wars cease under His reign.

Representative Occurrences

Genesis 9:13; Genesis 27:3; Genesis 48:22

Joshua 24:12

1 Samuel 2:4; 1 Samuel 18:4; 1 Samuel 20:20–22

2 Samuel 1:18; 2 Samuel 22:35

1 Kings 22:34

2 Kings 13:15–17

1 Chronicles 12:2; 2 Chronicles 17:17; 2 Chronicles 26:14

Job 29:20; Job 30:11

Psalms 7:12; 37:14–15; 46:9; 76:3

Proverbs 6:2–3 (figurative speech of ensnaring)

Isaiah 7:24; Isaiah 13:18; Isaiah 49:2

Jeremiah 9:3; Jeremiah 49:35; Lamentations 2:4

Hosea 1:5; Hosea 2:18; Hosea 7:16

Habakkuk 3:9

Zechariah 9:10

Revelation 6:2

Conclusion

Whether stretched in the hand of a warrior or arched across the heavens in radiant color, the bow serves Scripture as a vivid testament to God’s might, mercy, and mission.

בְּקֶ֣שֶׁת בְּקֶ֤שֶׁת בְקַשְׁתִּ֣י בְקַשְׁתֶּֽךָ׃ בַּקֶּ֙שֶׁת֙ בַּקָּ֑שֶׁת בַקֶּ֗שֶׁת בקשת בקשתי בקשתך׃ הַקֶּ֔שֶׁת הַקֶּ֖שֶׁת הַקֶּ֙שֶׁת֙ הַקֶּ֡שֶׁת הקשת וְ֝קַשְּׁתוֹתָ֗ם וְ֝קַשְׁתִּ֗י וְהַקְּשָׁת֖וֹת וְקֶ֨שֶׁת וְקַשְּׁתֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ וְקַשְׁתֶּ֑ךָ וּֽבְקַשְׁתְּךָ֖ וּבְקַשְׁתִּֽי׃ וּבַקֶּ֖שֶׁת וּקְשָׁת֑וֹת וּקְשָׁת֖וֹת ובקשת ובקשתי׃ ובקשתך והקשתות וקשת וקשתות וקשתותם וקשתי וקשתך וקשתתיהם׃ כְּקֶ֣שֶׁת כקשת מִקֶּ֣שֶׁת מקשת קֶ֔שֶׁת קֶ֖שֶׁת קֶ֗שֶׁת קֶ֚שֶׁת קֶ֛שֶׁת קֶ֜שֶׁת קֶ֣שֶׁת קֶ֥שֶׁת קֶֽשֶׁת־ קַ֫שְׁתָּ֥ם קַשְּׁתֹתָ֖יו קַשְּׁתוֹתָ֑ם קַשְׁתְּךָ֖ קַשְׁתִּ֕י קַשְׁתֶּ֔ךָ קַשְׁתָּ֣ם קַשְׁתּ֔וֹ קַשְׁתּ֖וֹ קַשְׁתּ֜וֹ קַשְׁתּ֥וֹ קַשְׁתּֽוֹ׃ קַשְׁתּוֹ֙ קָ֑שֶׁת קָֽשֶׁת׃ קשת קשת־ קשת׃ קשתו קשתו׃ קשתותם קשתי קשתך קשתם קשתתיו bakKashet bakKeshet baq·qā·šeṯ baq·qe·šeṯ ḇaq·qe·šeṯ baqqāšeṯ baqqešeṯ ḇaqqešeṯ ḇə·qaš·te·ḵā ḇə·qaš·tî bə·qe·šeṯ beKeshet ḇəqašteḵā ḇəqaštî bəqešeṯ hakKeshet haq·qe·šeṯ haqqešeṯ Kashet kashshetoTam kashshetoTav kashTam kashteCha kashTi kashTo kə·qe·šeṯ keKeshet kəqešeṯ Keshet mikKeshet miq·qe·šeṯ miqqešeṯ qā·šeṯ qaš·šə·ṯō·ṯāw qaš·šə·ṯō·w·ṯām qaš·tām qaš·te·ḵā qaš·tə·ḵā qaš·tî qaš·tōw qāšeṯ qaššəṯōṯāw qaššəṯōwṯām qaštām qašteḵā qaštəḵā qaštî qaštōw qe·šeṯ qe·šeṯ- qešeṯ qešeṯ- ū·ḇaq·qe·šeṯ ū·ḇə·qaš·tə·ḵā ū·ḇə·qaš·tî ū·qə·šā·ṯō·wṯ ūḇaqqešeṯ ūḇəqaštəḵā ūḇəqaštî ukeshaTot ūqəšāṯōwṯ uvakKeshet uvekashteCha uvekashTi vakKeshet vehakkeshaTot vekashshetoTam vekashshetoteiHem vekashTecha vekashTi veKeshet wə·haq·qə·šā·ṯō·wṯ wə·qaš·šə·ṯō·ṯê·hem wə·qaš·šə·ṯō·w·ṯām wə·qaš·te·ḵā wə·qaš·tî wə·qe·šeṯ wəhaqqəšāṯōwṯ wəqaššəṯōṯêhem wəqaššəṯōwṯām wəqašteḵā wəqaštî wəqešeṯInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts