כָּרַע (ka.ra)
ka.ra
to bow
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 29 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb kâraʿ describes the physical act of bending the knee or bowing down. In the Old Testament, it appears in contexts ranging from royal court etiquette to intense worship, capturing the posture of someone lowering their body before a superior or deity. This movement signifies both submission and reverence, as seen when Esther approaches the king (Esther 3:2) or when worshippers are called to bow before God in Psalm 95:6.
Its meaning extends beyond formal worship into states of physical weakness or exhaustion. The sources note its use for animals crouching, such as the lion in Genesis 49:9, and for people collapsing under grief or fatigue, like Elkanah’s wife Hannah (1 Samuel 4:19) or Job’s friends (Job 4:4). This dual usage highlights a connection between humility and vulnerability.
A key theological moment occurs in Isaiah 45:23, where God declares that every knee shall bow (kâraʿ) to Him. This verse is later cited in the New Testament to describe the universal acknowledgment of Jesus’ lordship. The word’s root relates to the leg or knee itself, emphasizing the bodily reality of the act rather than just an internal feeling.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word kâraʿ describes the physical act of bowing or bending the knee. It captures a posture of deep reverence, whether before a king like Esther approaching Ahasuerus or before God in worship. This movement is not merely ceremonial; it reflects an inner reality of submission and awe. When we bow, we acknowledge that someone or something holds authority over us.
Yet the word also appears in moments of weakness. It describes Hannah collapsing under grief or Job’s friends whose knees give way. This duality reminds us that true humility often arises from vulnerability. We do not bow only when we are strong; we bow because we recognize our need for grace. In Isaiah 45:23, God promises that every knee will bow to Him, a truth Christians see fulfilled in Christ’s lordship.
This word invites us to examine our postures. Are we holding back out of pride, or are we willing to lower ourselves in trust? The act of bowing is a simple physical gesture with profound spiritual weight. It reminds us that strength comes from God alone, and that even in our weakest moments, we can find hope in His presence.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 29 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- he bowed down3×
- they have bowed down2×
- they bowed down2×
- you will bow down1×
- you make bow down1×
- you have brought low/ me1×
- they will bow down1×
- they kneel down1×
- make bow down/ him1×
- let them bow down/ !1×
- it will bow down1×
- it crouched1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כָּרַ֨ע2×
- כָּרַ֥ע2×
- כָֽרְעוּ֙2×
- תַּכְרִ֥יעַ1×
- תִּכְרָ֔עוּ1×
- תִּכְרַ֣ע1×
- תִּ֭כְרַעְנָה1×
- מִ/כְּרֹ֣עַ1×
- כֹּרֵ֥עַ1×
- כֹּרְעִ֤ים1×
- כֹּרְע֣וֹת1×
- כָּרַ֣ע1×
Key Verses
-
Esther 3:2
All the king’s servants who were in the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai didn’t bow down or pay him homage.
Mordecai’s refusal to bow highlights the cost of faithful obedience when it conflicts with human authority.
-
Psalms 95:6
Oh come, let’s worship and bow down. Let’s kneel before Yahweh, our Maker,
This verse calls believers to active worship, linking physical kneeling with heartfelt adoration of God as Maker.
-
Isaiah 10:4
They will only bow down under the prisoners, and will fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
Here the word describes victims bowing under oppression, showing how the term can signify helplessness rather than voluntary worship.
-
I Samuel 4:19
His daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to giving birth. When she heard the news that God’s ark was taken and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and gave birth; for her pains came on her.
Hannah’s physical collapse illustrates how intense grief can manifest as a bodily bowing down, connecting emotional pain with physical posture.