| Noah Webster's Dictionary (v. i.) To bend the knee; to fall or rest on the knees; -- sometimes with down. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia KNEE; KNEEL ne nel ("knee," berekh; Aramaic 'arekhubbah; gonu; "kneel"; barakh; Aramaic berakh; gonupeto): Most of the uses are obvious, and the figurative use of "knees" as the symbol of strength (Job 4:4 Hebrews 12:12, etc.) needs no explanation. The disease of the knees mentioned in Deuteronomy 28:35 is perhaps some form of leprosy. In Job 3:12 the "knees" seem to be used for the lap, as the place where a child receives its first care. Three times in Genesis the knees appear in connection with primitive adoption customs. In 30:3 a fiction is enacted that purports to represent Rachel as the actual mother of Bilhah's children. By a somewhat similar rite in 48:12, Jacob (the "knees" here are Jacob's, not Joseph's) adopts Ephraim and Manasseh, so that they are counted as two of the twelve patriarchs and not as members of a single Joseph tribe. In the same way Machir's children are adopted by Joseph in 50:23, and this is certainly connected with the counting of Machir (instead of Manasseh) as one of the tribes in Judges 5:14. See TRIBE; and for the idea underlying this paternal adoption, compare THIGH. From among classical instances of the same customs compare Homer, Odyssey, xix. 401;, where Autolukos, grandfather of Ulysses, receives the newborn grandchild on his knees and gives him his name. Thus also we have to understand the numerous representations in Egyptian sculpture, showing the king as an infant on the knees or the lap of a goddess.
Kneeling was less commonly an attitude of prayer among the Jews than was standing, but references to kneeling are of course abundant. For kneeling (or prostrating one's self) before a superior, see ATTITUDES, 2; SALUTATION.
Burton Scott Easton |  | Multi-Version Concordance Kneel (10 Occurrences) Matthew 4:9 and said to Him, "All this I will give you, if you will kneel down and do me homage." (WEY) Ephesians 3:14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (See NIV) Genesis 24:11 He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Judges 7:5 So he brought the people down to the water; and the LORD said to Gideon, "Every one that laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself; likewise every one that kneels down to drink." (Root in DBY NAS RSV NIV) 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. (See NIV) Esther 3:5 When Haman saw that Mordecai didn't bow down, nor pay him homage, Haman was full of wrath. (See NIV) Job 31:10 then let my wife grind for another, and let others sleep with her. (See NAS) Job 39:3 They bow themselves, they bring forth their young, they end their labor pains. (See NAS) Psalms 22:29 All the fat ones of the earth shall eat and worship: All they that go down to the dust shall bow before him, Even he that cannot keep his soul alive. (See JPS NIV) Psalms 95:6 Oh come, let's worship and bow down. Let's kneel before Yahweh, our Maker, (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) |
