קֶשֶׁת (H7198) — Hebrew Lexicon

קֶשֶׁת

𐤒𐤔𐤕

qesheth

H7198 noun

SILEX Entry

Root קשה to be hard, to be severe, to bend (by extension)

Definition

A curved weapon made from wood or composite materials, used to shoot arrows; also, a curved or arched shape, especially in reference to the arc of the sky after rain (rainbow); occasionally an architectural or metaphorical arch.

Semantic Range

bow (weapon), rainbow, curved or arched shape, symbol of strength or power

Root / Etymology

From the root קָשָׁה (q-sh-h), 'to be hard, difficult, severe,' possibly related by way of קוֹשׁ (qosh), 'to bend, curve.' The core idea is an object that is bent or curved under tension. The development to 'bow' as a weapon is a natural extension of this sense, while the meaning 'rainbow' (Genesis 9:13) arises from the similar curved shape. Etymology is based in Semitic parallels, but some details remain uncertain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The term קֶשֶׁת is used throughout the Hebrew Bible primarily to denote the bow as a weapon (used by both Israelite and non-Israelite peoples), a central tool in warfare, hunting, and ceremony. In Genesis 9:13-16, קֶשֶׁת uniquely refers to the rainbow, emphasizing its appearance as an arched shape set in the clouds. The semantic link between weapon and rainbow is the common feature of curvature. In poetic or metaphorical contexts (e.g., 2 Samuel 1:18, Psalms), קֶשֶׁת can stand for military might, warfare, or a symbol of power. English translation as 'bow' usually captures the term when it refers to the weapon, but 'rainbow' is contextually required in Genesis. The word should not be confused with archery practitioners or arrows themselves, which have distinct Hebrew terms (יָרֶה for 'to shoot', חֵץ for 'arrow'). The transition from concrete weapon to symbol (e.g., strength, covenant sign) occurs occasionally in poetic/prophetic usage. Some late biblical and post-biblical texts expand metaphorical usage (e.g., in the Dead Sea Scrolls, rabbinic literature). The English tradition of translating קֶשֶׁת sometimes introduces the later meaning of 'Jew' for archers in some KJV renderings (see 2 Kings 9:24), but this is not supported by the original.<br><br>Across Israelite history, the term's core meaning remains stable, with the notable expansion to 'rainbow' in the Priestly source (Genesis 9). During the post-exilic period, the martial sense persists in texts recounting earlier traditions.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from קָשָׁה in the original sense (of קוֹשׁ) of bending; a bow, forshooting (hence, figuratively, strength) or the iris; [idiom] arch(-er), [phrase] arrow, bow(-man, -shot).

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

קשה (q-sh-h) — hardness, severity, bending under tension

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H4749	מִקְשָׁה	one-piece hammered metalwork
H7184	קָשָׂה	the rounded flasks
H7185	קָשָׁה	I will make hard
H7186	קָשֶׁה	the severe
H7190	קְשִׁי	stubbornness of
H7191	קִשְׁיוֹן	Hard-Ground Settlement

Word Forms

25 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H7198-14`	קֶ֔שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsa`	bow	bow	28
`H7198-11`	קַשְׁתּ֔/וֹ	qasheto	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his bow	his bow	7
`H7198-04`	הַ/קֶּ֖שֶׁת	haqeshet	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the bow	the curved bow	5
`H7198-07`	קָ֑שֶׁת	qashet	`HNcfsa`	bow	curved bow	5
`H7198-01`	בַּ/קָּ֑שֶׁת	baqashet	`HRd/Ncfsa`	with the bow	with the bow	3
`H7198-22`	בְ/קַשְׁתִּ֣/י	veqasheti	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp1cs`	and my bow	my curved bow	2
`H7198-05`	כְּ/קֶ֣שֶׁת	keqeshet	`HR/Ncfsc`	like a bow	like a bent bow	2
`H7198-08`	קַשְׁתָּ֣/ם	qashetam	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	their bow	their bow	2
`H7198-15`	וּ/קְשָׁת֖וֹת	uqeshatot	`HC/Ncfpa`	and bows	bows	2
`H7198-02`	בַּ/קֶּ֨שֶׁת֙	baqeshet	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in the bow	in the bent bow	2
`H7198-03`	בְּ/קֶ֣שֶׁת	beqeshet	`HR/Ncfsa`	by-bow	with a bent bow	2
`H7198-21`	וְ/קַשְׁתֶּ֑/ךָ	veqashetekha	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	and your bow	your bow	2
`H7198-09`	קַשְׁתְּ/ךָ֖	qashetekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	your bow	your curved bow	2
`H7198-12`	קַשְּׁתוֹתָ֑/ם	qashetotam	`HNcfpc/Sp3mp`	their bows	their bows	1
`H7198-23`	וְ֝/קַשְּׁתוֹתָ֗/ם	veqashetotam	`HC/Ncfpc/Sp3mp`	and their bows	their bows	1
`H7198-16`	וּ/בַ/קֶּ֖שֶׁת	uvaqeshet	`HC/Rd/Ncfsa`	and with the bow	and with the bow	1
`H7198-06`	מִ/קֶּ֣שֶׁת	miqeshet	`HR/Ncfsa`	from bow	from a curved-bow	1
`H7198-13`	קַשְּׁתֹתָ֖י/ו	qashetotayv	`HNcfpc/Sp3ms`	their bows	his bows	1
`H7198-19`	בַ/קֶּ֗שֶׁת	vaqeshet	`HRd/Ncfsa`	with the bow	with the bow	1
`H7198-20`	וְ/הַ/קְּשָׁת֖וֹת	vehaqeshatot	`HC/Td/Ncfpa`	and the bows	and the curved bows	1
`H7198-25`	וְ/קֶ֨שֶׁת	veqeshet	`HC/Ncfsa`	and-bow	curved bow	1
`H7198-17`	וּֽ/בְ/קַשְׁתְּ/ךָ֖	uveqashetekha	`HC/R/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	and with your bow	and with your bow	1
`H7198-10`	קַשְׁתִּ֕/י	qasheti	`HNcfsc/Sp1cs`	my bow	my bow	1
`H7198-24`	וְ/קַשְּׁתֹתֵי/הֶֽם	veqashetoteyhem	`HC/Ncfpc/Sp3mp`	and their bows	and their bows	1
`H7198-18`	וּ/בְ/קַשְׁתִּֽ/י	uveqasheti	`HC/R/Ncfsc/Sp1cs`	and with my bow	and with my bow	1

Occurrences in Scripture

76 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H7198-10`	Genesis 9:13	קַשְׁתִּ֕/י	qasheti	`HNcfsc/Sp1cs`	my bow	my bow
`H7198-04`	Genesis 9:14	הַ/קֶּ֖שֶׁת	haqeshet	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the bow	the curved bow
`H7198-04`	Genesis 9:16	הַ/קֶּ֖שֶׁת	haqeshet	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the bow	the curved bow
`H7198-14`	Genesis 21:16	קֶ֔שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsa`	of a bow	bow
`H7198-21`	Genesis 27:3	וְ/קַשְׁתֶּ֑/ךָ	veqashetekha	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	and your bow	your bow
`H7198-18`	Genesis 48:22	וּ/בְ/קַשְׁתִּֽ/י	uveqasheti	`HC/R/Ncfsc/Sp1cs`	and with my bow	and with my bow
`H7198-11`	Genesis 49:24	קַשְׁתּ֔/וֹ	qasheto	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his bow	his bow
`H7198-21`	Joshua 24:12	בְ/קַשְׁתֶּֽ/ךָ	veqashetekha	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	by your bow	your bow
`H7198-14`	1 Samuel 2:4	קֶ֥שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsc`	The bows	bow
`H7198-11`	1 Samuel 18:4	קַשְׁתּ֖/וֹ	qasheto	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his bow	his bow
`H7198-01`	1 Samuel 31:3	בַּ/קָּ֑שֶׁת	baqashet	`HRd/Ncfsa`	with the bow	with the bow
`H7198-07`	2 Samuel 1:18	קָ֑שֶׁת	qashet	`HNcfsa`	bow	curved bow
`H7198-14`	2 Samuel 1:22	קֶ֚שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsc`	the bow	bow
`H7198-14`	2 Samuel 22:35	קֶֽשֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsc`	a bow	bow
`H7198-02`	1 Kings 22:34	בַּ/קֶּ֨שֶׁת֙	baqeshet	`HRd/Ncfsa`	his bow	in the bent bow
`H7198-17`	2 Kings 6:22	וּֽ/בְ/קַשְׁתְּ/ךָ֖	uveqashetekha	`HC/R/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	and with your bow	and with your bow
`H7198-19`	2 Kings 9:24	בַ/קֶּ֗שֶׁת	vaqeshet	`HRd/Ncfsa`	with the bow	with the bow
`H7198-14`	2 Kings 13:15	קֶ֣שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsa`	a bow	bow
`H7198-14`	2 Kings 13:15	קֶ֥שֶׁת	qeshet-2	`HNcfsa`	a bow	bow
`H7198-04`	2 Kings 13:16	הַ/קֶּ֔שֶׁת	haqeshet	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the bow	the curved bow
`H7198-13`	Isaiah 5:28	קַשְּׁתֹתָ֖י/ו	qashetotayv	`HNcfpc/Sp3ms`	their bows	his bows
`H7198-16`	Isaiah 7:24	וּ/בַ/קֶּ֖שֶׁת	uvaqeshet	`HC/Rd/Ncfsa`	and with the bow	and with the bow
`H7198-15`	Isaiah 13:18	וּ/קְשָׁת֖וֹת	uqeshatot	`HC/Ncfpa`	their bows	bows
`H7198-14`	Isaiah 21:15	קֶ֣שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsa`	bow	bow
`H7198-14`	Isaiah 21:17	קֶ֛שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsa`	of the bow	bow
`H7198-06`	Isaiah 22:3	מִ/קֶּ֣שֶׁת	miqeshet	`HR/Ncfsa`	from bow	from a curved-bow
`H7198-11`	Isaiah 41:2	קַשְׁתּֽ/וֹ	qasheto	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his bow	his bow
`H7198-14`	Isaiah 66:19	קֶ֖שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsa`	the bow	bow
`H7198-14`	Jeremiah 4:29	קֶ֗שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsa`	of the bow	bow
`H7198-14`	Jeremiah 6:23	קֶ֣שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsa`	bow	bow
`H7198-08`	Jeremiah 9:2	קַשְׁתָּ֣/ם	qashetam	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	their-bow	their bow
`H7198-07`	Jeremiah 46:9	קָֽשֶׁת	qashet	`HNcfsa`	the bow	curved bow
`H7198-14`	Jeremiah 49:35	קֶ֣שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsc`	bow	bow
`H7198-14`	Jeremiah 50:14	קֶ֔שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsa`	the bow	bow
`H7198-14`	Jeremiah 50:29	קֶ֜שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsa`	bow	bow
`H7198-14`	Jeremiah 50:42	קֶ֣שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsa`	bow	bow
`H7198-11`	Jeremiah 51:3	קַשְׁתּ֔/וֹ	qasheto	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his bow	his bow
`H7198-12`	Jeremiah 51:56	קַשְּׁתוֹתָ֑/ם	qashetotam	`HNcfpc/Sp3mp`	their bows	their bows
`H7198-04`	Ezekiel 1:28	הַ/קֶּ֡שֶׁת	haqeshet	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of-the-bow	the curved bow
`H7198-09`	Ezekiel 39:3	קַשְׁתְּ/ךָ֖	qashetekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	your bow	your curved bow
`H7198-03`	Ezekiel 39:9	בְּ/קֶ֣שֶׁת	beqeshet	`HR/Ncfsa`	with bow	with a bent bow
`H7198-14`	Hosea 1:5	קֶ֣שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsc`	the bow	bow
`H7198-03`	Hosea 1:7	בְּ/קֶ֤שֶׁת	beqeshet	`HR/Ncfsa`	by-bow	with a bent bow
`H7198-25`	Hosea 2:20	וְ/קֶ֨שֶׁת	veqeshet	`HC/Ncfsa`	and-bow	curved bow
`H7198-05`	Hosea 7:16	כְּ/קֶ֣שֶׁת	keqeshet	`HR/Ncfsc`	like a bow	like a bent bow
`H7198-04`	Amos 2:15	הַ/קֶּ֨שֶׁת֙	haqeshet	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the bow	the curved bow
`H7198-09`	Habakkuk 3:9	קַשְׁתֶּ֔/ךָ	qashetekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	your bow	your curved bow
`H7198-14`	Zechariah 9:10	קֶ֣שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsc`	the bow	bow
`H7198-14`	Zechariah 9:13	קֶ֚שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsa`	bow	bow
`H7198-14`	Zechariah 10:4	קֶ֣שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsc`	bow	bow
`H7198-11`	Psalms 7:13	קַשְׁתּ֥/וֹ	qasheto	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his bow	his bow
`H7198-14`	Psalms 11:2	קֶ֗שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsa`	bow	bow
`H7198-14`	Psalms 18:35	קֶֽשֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsc`	bow	bow
`H7198-08`	Psalms 37:14	קַ֫שְׁתָּ֥/ם	qashetam	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	their bow	their bow
`H7198-23`	Psalms 37:15	וְ֝/קַשְּׁתוֹתָ֗/ם	veqashetotam	`HC/Ncfpc/Sp3mp`	and their bows	their bows
`H7198-22`	Psalms 44:7	בְ/קַשְׁתִּ֣/י	veqasheti	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp1cs`	in my bow	my curved bow
`H7198-14`	Psalms 46:10	קֶ֣שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsa`	bow	bow
`H7198-07`	Psalms 76:4	קָ֑שֶׁת	qashet	`HNcfsa`	bow	curved bow
`H7198-07`	Psalms 78:9	קָ֑שֶׁת	qashet	`HNcfsa`	bow	curved bow
`H7198-05`	Psalms 78:57	כְּ/קֶ֣שֶׁת	keqeshet	`HR/Ncfsc`	like a bow	like a bent bow
`H7198-14`	Job 20:24	קֶ֣שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsc`	bow	bow
`H7198-22`	Job 29:20	וְ֝/קַשְׁתִּ֗/י	veqasheti	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp1cs`	and my bow	my curved bow
`H7198-07`	Job 41:20	קָ֑שֶׁת	qashet	`HNcfsa`	bow	curved bow
`H7198-11`	Lamentations 2:4	קַשְׁתּ֜/וֹ	qasheto	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his bow	his bow
`H7198-11`	Lamentations 3:12	קַשְׁת/וֹ֙	qasheto	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	His bow	his bow
`H7198-24`	Nehemiah 4:7	וְ/קַשְּׁתֹתֵי/הֶֽם	veqashetoteyhem	`HC/Ncfpc/Sp3mp`	and their bows	and their bows
`H7198-20`	Nehemiah 4:10	וְ/הַ/קְּשָׁת֖וֹת	vehaqeshatot	`HC/Td/Ncfpa`	and the bows	and the curved bows
`H7198-14`	1 Chronicles 5:18	קֶ֔שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsa`	bow	bow
`H7198-14`	1 Chronicles 8:40	קֶ֗שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsa`	bow	bow
`H7198-01`	1 Chronicles 10:3	בַּ/קָּ֑שֶׁת	baqashet	`HRd/Ncfsa`	with the bow	with the bow
`H7198-14`	1 Chronicles 12:2	קֶ֗שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsa`	bows	bow
`H7198-01`	1 Chronicles 12:2	בַּ/קָּ֑שֶׁת	baqashet	`HRd/Ncfsa`	with the bow	with the bow
`H7198-14`	2 Chronicles 14:7	קֶ֔שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsa`	bow	bow
`H7198-14`	2 Chronicles 17:17	קֶ֥שֶׁת	qeshet	`HNcfsa`	bow	bow
`H7198-02`	2 Chronicles 18:33	בַּ/קֶּ֨שֶׁת֙	baqeshet	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in the bow	in the bent bow
`H7198-15`	2 Chronicles 26:14	וּ/קְשָׁת֑וֹת	uqeshatot	`HC/Ncfpa`	and bows	bows

← H7197 Hebrew Lexicon H7199 →