קָדַד (qa.dad)
qa.dad
to bow
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 14 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Definition
Definition
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word qa.dad describes the physical act of bowing the head or bending low. In Scripture, this gesture is rarely just a social courtesy; it is a visible expression of an internal reality. Whether facing God in awe or showing deference to a human authority, the posture signals that the person recognizes someone greater than themselves.
For your faith life, this word reminds us that reverence is not merely a thought but a bodily response. When we bow our heads in prayer or worship, we are aligning our hearts with the truth of God’s sovereignty. It is a humble acknowledgment that He holds all power and we do not.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 14 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ they bowed low5×
- and/ he bowed low5×
- and/ she bowed low2×
- and/ it bowed low1×
- and/ I bowed low1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וַ/יִּקֹּ֥ד4×
- וַֽ/יִּקְּד֖וּ3×
- וַ/יִּקְּד֧וּ2×
- וָ/אֶקֹּ֥ד1×
- וַ/תִּקֹּ֨ד1×
- וַ/תִּקֹּ֣ד1×
- וַ/יִּקֹּ֧ד1×
- וַ/יִּקֹּ֣ד1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 24:26
The man bowed his head, and worshiped Yahweh.
Abraham’s servant bows immediately after seeing God’s provision, linking the physical act of bowing directly to gratitude for answered prayer.
-
Exodus 34:8
Moses hurried and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped.
Moses bows his head toward the earth after encountering God’s glory, showing that even a great leader responds to divine presence with humble submission.
-
Nehemiah 8:6
Then Ezra blessed Yahweh, the great God. All the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with the lifting up of their hands. They bowed their heads, and worshiped Yahweh with their faces to the ground.
The people bow their heads and worship with faces to the ground after hearing Scripture, demonstrating that understanding God’s word naturally leads to reverent response.