New International Version“The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
New Living TranslationThe bow of the mighty is now broken, and those who stumbled are now strong.
English Standard VersionThe bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength.
Berean Standard BibleThe bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble are equipped with strength.
King James BibleThe bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
New King James Version“The bows of the mighty men are broken, And those who stumbled are girded with strength.
New American Standard Bible“The bows of the mighty are broken to pieces, But those who have stumbled strap on strength.
NASB 1995“The bows of the mighty are shattered, But the feeble gird on strength.
NASB 1977“The bows of the mighty are shattered, But the feeble gird on strength.
Legacy Standard BibleThe bows of the mighty are shattered, But those who stumble gird on strength.
Amplified Bible“The bows of the mighty are broken, But those who have stumbled equip themselves with strength.
Christian Standard BibleThe bows of the warriors are broken, but the feeble are clothed with strength.
Holman Christian Standard BibleThe bows of the warriors are broken, but the feeble are clothed with strength.
American Standard VersionThe bows of the mighty men are broken; And they that stumbled are girded with strength.
Contemporary English VersionOur LORD, you break the bows of warriors, but you give strength to everyone who stumbles.
English Revised VersionThe bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
GOD'S WORD® Translation"The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumble are armed with strength.
Good News TranslationThe bows of strong soldiers are broken, but the weak grow strong.
International Standard VersionThe bows of warriors are shattered, but those who stumble are equipped with strength.
NET BibleThe bows of warriors are shattered, but those who stumble find their strength reinforced.
New Heart English BibleThe bows of the mighty men are broken. Those who stumbled are armed with strength.
Webster's Bible TranslationThe bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThe bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble are equipped with strength.
World English Bible“The bows of the mighty men are broken. Those who stumbled are armed with strength. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionBows of the mighty are broken, "" And the stumbling have girded on strength.
Young's Literal Translation Bows of the mighty are broken, And the stumbling have girded on strength.
Smith's Literal TranslationThe bows of the mighty being broken, and the weak were girded with strength. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThe bow of the mighty is overcome, and the weak are girt with strength.
Catholic Public Domain VersionThe bow of the powerful has been overwhelmed, and the weak have been girded with strength.
New American Bible“The bows of the mighty are broken, while the tottering gird on strength.
New Revised Standard VersionThe bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble gird on strength. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThe bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that are weak are girded with strength.
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedThe bows of mighty men shall be broken and the week are strengthened in power! OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917The bows of the mighty men are broken, And they that stumbled are girded with strength.
Brenton Septuagint TranslationThe bow of the mighty has waxed feeble, and the weak have girded themselves with strength.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Hannah's Prayer of Thanksgiving… 3Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogance come from your mouth, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by Him actions are weighed. 4The bowsof the mightyare broken,but the feebleare equippedwith strength.5The well-fed hire themselves out for food, but the starving hunger no more. The barren woman gives birth to seven, but she who has many sons pines away.…
Cross References Psalm 37:15But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
Psalm 46:9He makes wars to cease throughout the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields in the fire.
Psalm 76:3There He shattered the flaming arrows, the shield and sword and weapons of war. Selah
Psalm 147:10He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
Isaiah 2:4Then He will judge between the nations and arbitrate for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against nation, nor train anymore for war.
Isaiah 10:33-34Behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts will lop off the branches with terrifying power. The tall trees will be cut down, the lofty ones will be felled. / He will clear the forest thickets with an axe, and Lebanon will fall before the Mighty One.
Isaiah 40:29He gives power to the faint and increases the strength of the weak.
Isaiah 54:17No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 9:23This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches.
Jeremiah 50:36A sword is against her false prophets, and they will become fools. A sword is against her warriors, and they will be filled with terror.
Ezekiel 30:21-22“Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt. See, it has not been bound up for healing, or splinted for strength to hold the sword. / Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt. I will break his arms, both the strong one and the one already broken, and will make the sword fall from his hand.
Hosea 2:18On that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the creatures that crawl on the ground. And I will abolish bow and sword and battle in the land, and will make them lie down in safety.
Zechariah 10:5-6They will be like mighty men in battle, trampling the enemy in the mire of the streets. They will fight because the LORD is with them, and they will put the horsemen to shame. / I will strengthen the house of Judah and save the house of Joseph. I will restore them because I have compassion on them, and they will be as though I had not rejected them. For I am the LORD their God, and I will answer them.
Matthew 5:5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Luke 1:52He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.
Treasury of Scripture The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. The bows Psalm 37:15,17
Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken… Psalm 46:9
He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Psalm 76:3
There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah. stumbled Isaiah 10:4
Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his handis stretched out still. Jeremiah 37:10
For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remainedbut wounded men among them,yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire. 2 Corinthians 4:9,10
Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; … Jump to Previous ArmedBowBowsBrokenClothedMightyShatteredStrengthStumbledStumblingWarWarriorsJump to Next ArmedBowBowsBrokenClothedMightyShatteredStrengthStumbledStumblingWarWarriors1 Samuel 2 1.Hannah's song in thankfulness12.The sin of Eli's sons18.Samuel's ministry20.by Eli's blessing Hannah is more fruitful22.Eli reproves his sons27.A prophecy against Eli's houseThe bows of the mighty are brokenThis phrase reflects the theme of divine reversal, a common motif in biblical literature where God overturns human expectations and power structures. The "mighty" refers to those who rely on their own strength and military prowess, symbolized by the bow, a primary weapon of warfare in ancient times. This imagery is consistent with other biblical passages where God humbles the proud and powerful (e.g., Psalm 37:15, Isaiah 2:12). The breaking of the bows signifies the futility of human strength against God's sovereign will. Historically, this can be seen in the defeat of powerful armies by seemingly weaker forces when God intervenes, such as the fall of Jericho (Joshua 6) or Gideon's victory over the Midianites (Judges 7). but the feeble are equipped with strength
This part of the verse highlights God's ability to empower the weak, a theme that resonates throughout Scripture. The "feeble" are those who lack physical strength or social power, yet God equips them with strength, often to accomplish His purposes. This is evident in the stories of David, a young shepherd who defeats Goliath (1 Samuel 17), and the apostles, who were ordinary men empowered by the Holy Spirit to spread the Gospel (Acts 4:13). This divine empowerment is a type of Christ, who, though appearing weak in His crucifixion, was raised in power and offers strength to believers (Philippians 4:13). Theologically, this reflects the principle that God's power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9), encouraging believers to rely on divine strength rather than their own. Persons / Places / Events 1. HannahThe mother of Samuel, who offers this prayer of praise after God answers her prayer for a child. Her song reflects themes of divine reversal and God's sovereignty. 2. The MightyRepresents those who are strong and powerful in worldly terms, often relying on their own strength and resources. 3. The FeebleSymbolizes those who are weak or humble, often overlooked by society but favored by God. 4. ShilohThe place where Hannah prayed and dedicated Samuel to the Lord, and where this song of praise was likely offered. 5. The LordCentral to the account, God is depicted as the one who reverses human fortunes, breaking the bows of the mighty and strengthening the feeble. Teaching Points Divine ReversalGod's ways often defy human expectations. He can bring down the powerful and elevate the humble. This should encourage us to trust in His justice and timing. Reliance on GodTrue strength comes from God, not from our own abilities or resources. We should seek His strength in our weaknesses. Humility and FaithGod honors humility and faith. Like Hannah, we should approach God with a humble heart, trusting in His provision and timing. God's SovereigntyThis verse reminds us of God's ultimate control over all circumstances. We can find peace in knowing that He is sovereign over our lives. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from 1 Samuel 2
What divine joy and wisdom do the Odes reveal?
In 1 Chronicles 18:4, how do we reconcile the figure of 7,000 horsemen with 2 Samuel 8:4, which mentions 1,700 instead?
Psalm 142:4 shows David claiming no one cares for him--how does this reconcile with 1 Samuel 22:2, where he has loyal followers?
In 2 Samuel 2:4, why is David anointed again when he was already anointed in 1 Samuel 16:13?(4) The bows of the mighty men are broken.--God reverses human conditions, bringing low the wicked, and raising up the righteous. Von Gerlach writes of these verses that "Every power which will be something in itself is destroyed by the Lord: every weakness which despairs of itself is transformed into power." "The bows of the heroes," that is to say,the heroes of the bow,the symbol of human power being poetically put first instead of the bearer of the symbol. The next line contains the antithesis: while the heroes rejoicing in their strength are shattered, the tottering, powerless ones are by Him made strong for battle.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew The bowsקֶ֥שֶׁת(qe·šeṯ)Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 7198:A bow, for, shooting, the irisof the warriorsגִּבֹּרִ֖ים(gib·bō·rîm)Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 1368:Powerful, warrior, tyrantare broken,חַתִּ֑ים(ḥat·tîm)Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 2844:Crushed, afraid, terrorbut the feebleוְנִכְשָׁלִ֖ים(wə·niḵ·šā·lîm)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 3782:To totter, waver, to falter, stumble, faint, fallare equippedאָ֥זְרוּ(’ā·zə·rū)Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 247:To gird, encompass, equipwith strength.חָֽיִל׃(ḥā·yil)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2428:A force, an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength
Links 1 Samuel 2:4 NIV1 Samuel 2:4 NLT1 Samuel 2:4 ESV1 Samuel 2:4 NASB1 Samuel 2:4 KJV
1 Samuel 2:4 BibleApps.com1 Samuel 2:4 Biblia Paralela1 Samuel 2:4 Chinese Bible1 Samuel 2:4 French Bible1 Samuel 2:4 Catholic Bible
OT History: 1 Samuel 2:4 The bows of the mighty men (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa) |
