Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical times, arrows were a common weapon of warfare and hunting, often mentioned in the context of battle and divine judgment. The Hebrew word for arrow is "חֵץ" (chets), and the Greek equivalent in the New Testament is "βέλος" (belos). Arrows were typically made of wood, with a pointed metal or stone tip, and were shot from a bow. They symbolize swiftness, precision, and the ability to reach a distant target.
Old Testament ReferencesArrows are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament, often in the context of warfare. In
1 Samuel 20:20, Jonathan uses arrows as a signal to David, demonstrating their use in communication as well as combat: "I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I were aiming at a target." Arrows are also depicted as instruments of God's judgment. In
Deuteronomy 32:23, God warns of His impending judgment on Israel: "I will heap disasters upon them; I will spend My arrows against them."
The Psalms often use arrows metaphorically to describe the attacks of the wicked or the judgments of God.
Psalm 64:3 speaks of the wicked who "sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows." Conversely, God's arrows are seen as instruments of divine retribution, as in
Psalm 7:13: "He has prepared His deadly weapons; He ordains His arrows with fire."
New Testament ReferencesWhile the New Testament does not frequently mention arrows, the imagery persists in the context of spiritual warfare.
Ephesians 6:16 advises believers to take up "the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." Here, arrows symbolize the spiritual attacks and temptations that believers must guard against.
Symbolism and InterpretationArrows in the Bible often symbolize speed and inevitability. They are instruments of both human and divine action, representing the swift execution of judgment or the rapid delivery of a message. In a spiritual sense, arrows can represent the trials and temptations that believers face, as well as the protection and deliverance provided by faith.
The imagery of arrows also extends to the concept of children as blessings from God.
Psalm 127:4-5 compares children to arrows in the hands of a warrior: "Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them." This passage highlights the value and potential of children as instruments for God's purposes.
Cultural and Historical ContextIn ancient Near Eastern cultures, archery was a highly valued skill, essential for both hunting and warfare. The bow and arrow were symbols of power and might, often associated with warriors and kings. The Assyrians, Babylonians, and other neighboring cultures also utilized archery extensively, which is reflected in the biblical narratives.
In summary, arrows in the Bible serve as powerful symbols of judgment, communication, and spiritual warfare. They remind believers of the need for vigilance, faith, and reliance on God's protection in the face of life's challenges.
ATS Bible Dictionary
ArrowUsed by the Jews both in hunting and in war; sometimes merely a sharpened reed, sometimes feathered, barbed, and even poisoned,Job 6:4. The bow was of various forms and materials, and many could be used only by the strongest men,Psalm 18:34. Arrows were used to convey fire to an enemy's house, and for divination,Ezekiel 21:21. The word is applied symbolically to children,Psalm 127:4,5; to the lightning,Psalm 18:14Habakkuk 3:11; to sudden calamities,Job 6:4Psalm 38:2 91:5Ezekiel 5:15; and to the deceitful and bitter words of an evil tongue,Psalm 64:3 120:4.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
n.) A missile weapon of offense, slender, pointed, and usually feathered and barbed, to be shot from a bow.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
ARROWar'-o. SeeARCHERY;ARMOR.
Greek
2700. katatoxeuo -- to strike down with anarrow.... katatoxeuo. 2701 . to strike down with an
arrow.
... Word Origin from kata and toxeuo
(to shoot with a bow); from toxon Definition to strike down with an
arrow.
...956. belos -- a needle
... Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: belos Phonetic Spelling: (bel'-os) Short
Definition: a missile, dart, javelin Definition: a missile, dart, javelin,arrow...
2447. ios -- rust, poison
... rust, poison. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: ios Phonetic Spelling:
(ee-os') Short Definition: poison, rust Definition: poison, rust; anarrow...
4500. rhoizedon -- with a rushing sound
... Word Origin adverb from rhoizos (the whistling of anarrow) Definition with
a rushing sound NASB Word Usage roar (1). with a great noise....
Strong's Hebrew
2678. chetsi --arrow...arrow. Transliteration: chetsi Phonetic Spelling: (khits-tsee') Short Definition:
arrow. Word Origin from chatsah Definition
arrow NASB Word Usage
arrow (5).
...2671. chets --arrow
... 2670, 2671. chets. 2672 .arrow. Transliteration: chets Phonetic Spelling:
(khayts) Short Definition: arrows.... archer,arrow, dart, shaft, staff, wound....
7091. qippoz -- perhapsarrow snake
... 7090, 7091. qippoz. 7092 . perhapsarrow snake. Transliteration: qippoz
Phonetic Spelling: (kip-poze') Short Definition: snake....
2687. chatsats -- gravel
...arrow, gravel stone. From chatsats; properly, something cutting; hence, gravel
(as grit); also (like chets) anarrow --arrow, gravel (stone)....
1121. ben -- son
... root Definition son NASB Word Usage afflicted (1), afflicted* (1), age (7), aliens*
(2), Ammonites* (7), anointed* (1),arrow (1), arrows (1), Assyrians* (3...
7565. resheph -- flame
... sparks* (1).arrow, burning coal, burning heat, spark, hot thunderbolt. From
saraph; a live coal; by analogy lightning; figuratively...
7198. qesheth -- a bow
... bowmen (1), bows (13), bowshot* (1), rainbow (1). archer,arrow, bowman,.
From qashah in the original sense (of qowsh) of bending...
7232. rabab -- to multiply ten thousand times
... shoot A primitive root (rather identical with rabab through the idea of projection);
to shoot anarrow -- shoot. see HEBREW rabab. 7231, 7232. rabab. 7232a >...
827. ashpah -- a quiver (for arrows)
... quiver. Perhaps (feminine) from the same as 'ashshaph (in the sense of covering);
a quiver orarrow-case -- quiver. see HEBREW 'ashshaph. 826, 827....
2686. chatsats -- to divide
... From chets, to shoot anarrow -- archer, X bands, cut off in the midst. see HEBREW
chatsah. see HEBREW chets. 2685, 2686. chatsats. 2686a . Strong's Numbers
Library
Life is anArrow
... XXXVI LIFE IS ANARROW. John xiv.6. When Jesus... Christ. Life, as has been lately
said by one of our own preachers, is like anarrow. It...
God's LastArrow
... GOD'S LASTARROW. 'Having yet therefore one son, his well-beloved, he sent
him also last unto them.'"Mark 12:6. Reference to Isaiah...
Ask, and Thy Prayer withArrow's Speed
... FAITH AND PENITENCE XXIII Ask, and thy prayer witharrow's speed. 8,8,8,8. Ask,
and thy prayer witharrow's speed. Shall bear to God thy present need;...
Whether the World is Governed by Anyone?
... Secondly, a thing is said to move or operate for an end, as though moved or directed
by another thereto, as anarrow directed to the target by the archer, who...
Dilemma and Deliverance
... gracious no more.". Now, I shall remark with regard to thisarrow, that
it is one that is very often shot from Satan's bow. Some of...
The Story of Elijah, the Prophet
... [Illustration: "This is thearrow of victory"]. Elisha, though weak in body, was
yet strong in soul.... And as the king shot anarrow, Elisha said:...
Conversion.
... Wherefore, if God will bend and buckle the spirit of such a one, he must shoot an
arrow at him, a beardedarrow, such as may not be plucked out of the wound...
Faithful unto Death.
... Then Jonathan said he would come out and shoot three arrows from his bow, as if
he were shooting at a mark, and he would send hisarrow-bearer to pick them up....
The Sin of Omission.
... morality while he continued to love this world supremely. The Great Teacher
pierced him with anarrow. He said to him, "If them wilt be...
Psalm XCI.
... 7. "Nor for thearrow that flieth by day, for the matter [4300] that walketh in
darkness, nor for the ruin and the devil that is in the noonday" (ver.6). These...
Thesaurus
Arrow (34 Occurrences)... bow. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
ARROW. ar'-o. See ARCHERY; ARMOR.
Multi-Version Concordance
Arrow (34 Occurrences). Hebrews
...Arrow-snake (1 Occurrence)
Arrow-snake. Arrowsnake,Arrow-snake. Arsaces . Multi-Version
ConcordanceArrow-snake (1 Occurrence). Isaiah 34:15 There...
Shot (25 Occurrences)
... (WEY). Hebrews 12:20 for they were not bearing that which is commanded, 'And if
a beast may touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or with anarrow shot through...
Bolt (5 Occurrences)
... a short, stout, blunt-headedarrow; a quarrel; anarrow, or that which resembles
anarrow; a dart. 2. (n.) Lightning; a thunderbolt....
Shaft (13 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) The slender, smooth stem of anarrow; hence,
anarrow. 2. (n.) The long handle of a spear or similar...
Shoot (51 Occurrences)
... 2. (vi) To let fly, or cause to be driven, with force, as anarrow or a bullet; --
followed by a word denoting the missile, as an object....
Dart (9 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) A pointed missile weapon, intended to be thrown by the hand; a short lance;
a javelin; hence, any sharp-pointed missile weapon, as anarrow....
Arrows (59 Occurrences)
... Exodus 19:13 He is not to be touched by a hand, but is to be stoned or have anarrow
put through him; man or beast, he is to be put to death: at the long...
Lad (66 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 20:36 And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which
I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot anarrow beyond him....
Jonathan's (6 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 20:37 And when the lad was come to the place of thearrow which Jonathan
had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said: 'Is not thearrow beyond...
Resources
What does the Bible say about luck? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is emblematic parallelism in Hebrew poetry? | GotQuestions.orgWhat are the cosmological arguments for the existence of God? | GotQuestions.orgArrow: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
