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Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Intro ← Index → ©

ARCHER, ARCHERY

The archer used bow and arrows in peace and war. Nomads (Gn 21:20), hunters (Gn 27:3; Is 7:24), raiders (Gn 48:22; Jos 24:12), and warriors (Ez 39:9; Hos 1:7) used this weapon throughout the biblical period. The efficiency of the bow and the making of arrows improved tremendously over the centuries. The finest bow was the “composite bow,” made from strips and bands of sinew glued to the parts furthermost from the core with animal horn glued to the inner surface. The best of these bows could fire arrows from 300 to 400 yards (274 to 366 meters). The archer needed to be a strong person to string and operate it.

Show passage in OET: GEN 21:20

OET-RV GEN 21:20

20 As the boy grew up, God kept watch over him, and he lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow and arrow.

OET-LV GEN 21:20

20 And_he/it_was god with the_lad and_he_grew_up and_he/it_sat_down//remained//lived in_wilderness and_he/it_was a_shooter_of a_bowman.
Show passage in OET: GEN 27:3

OET-RV GEN 27:3

3 So please take your weapons—your quiver, and your bow—and go out into the countryside and hunt game for me

OET-LV GEN 27:3

3 And_now take_up please weapons_of_your quiver_of_your and_bow_of_your and_go_out the_field and_hunt to/for_me hunted_game.
Show passage in OET: ISA 7:24

OET-RV ISA 7:24

24 Because it’ll be so overgrown with briers, men will hunt there with their bows and arrows.

OET-LV ISA 7:24

24 With_arrows and_with_bow anyone_will_go there_(to) if/because thorn[s] and_bush[es] it_will_be all_of the_earth/land.
Show passage in OET: GEN 48:22

OET-RV GEN 48:22

22 I’m giving Shekem to you as an additional inheritance over that of your brothers. I captured it with my sword and my bow from the descendants of Amor and it’s now yours.”

OET-LV GEN 48:22

22 And_I I_give to/for_yourself(m) a_shoulder one over brothers_of_your which I_took from_the_hand_of the_ʼAmorī by_sword_of_my and_by_bow_of_my.
Show passage in OET: JOS 24:12

OET-RV JOS 24:12

12 I sent hornets ahead of you all and they drove out the two Amori kings—it wasn’t your swords or bows that did it.

OET-LV JOS 24:12

12 And_I_sent before_you(pl) DOM the_hornet and_it_drove_out them from_before_of_you(pl) the_two_of the_kings_of the_ʼAmorī not by_sword_of_your and_not by_bow_of_your.
Show passage in OET: EZE 39:9

OET-RV EZE 39:9

9 The people living in Yisrael’s cities will go out and they’ll use those weapons to kindle and make fires and burn them—small shields, large shields, bows, arrows, the clubs and spears—they’ll make fires with them for seven years.

OET-LV EZE 39:9

9 And_they_will_go_out the_inhabitants_of the_cities_of Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) and_they_will_kindle and_they_will_kindle_a_fire with_weaponry and_shield and_body_shield with_bow and_with_arrows and_with_staff_of hand and_with_spear and_they_will_kindle in/among_them fire seven years.
Show passage in OET: HOS 1:7

OET-RV HOS 1:7

7 But I’ll have mercy on Yehudah’s (Judah’s) descendants, and I’ll save them so they’ll be able to see that it was their god Yahweh. (I won’t save them using bows, swords, battles, horses, or horsemen.)”

OET-LV HOS 1:7

7 And_DOM the_house_of Yəhūdāh/(Judah) I_will_have_compassion_on and_I_will_save_them by_YHWH god_of_their and_not I_will_save_them by_bow and_by_sword and_by_battle by_horses and_by_horsemen.

Jump to OET GEN 21:20 section.

Jump to OET GEN 27:3 section.

Jump to OET ISA 7:24 section.

Jump to OET GEN 48:22 section.

Jump to OET JOS 24:12 section.

Jump to OET EZE 39:9 section.

Jump to OET HOS 1:7 section.

While the archer used the bow for hunting, it was particularly useful in war. Saul and Jonathan fought with sword and bow (1 Sm 18:4), and David’s army contained skilled bowmen (1 Chr 12:2). The kings of Israel equipped their troops with bows (2 Chr 17:17). Israel’s enemies, the Egyptians, Syrians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans, all had strong contingents of archers, with excellent pictures still available on some of their bas-reliefs.

Show passage in OET: SA1 18:4

OET-RV SA1 18:4

4 Yonatan took off the cloak that he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his armour, his sword and bow, and even his belt.

OET-LV SA1 18:4

4 And_ Yōnātān _he_stripped_himself DOM the_robe which on/upon/above_him/it and_he_gave_it to_Dāvid and_garments_of_his and_unto sword_of_his and_unto bow_of_his and_unto belt_of_his.
Show passage in OET: CH1 12:2

OET-RV CH1 12:2

2 armed with bows. Some used slings right-handed and some left-handed, as well as shooting arrows with a bow. They were from the Benyamin tribe, Sha’ul’s relatives.)

OET-LV CH1 12:2

2 They_were_equipped_of bow using_right_hand and_using_left_hand with_stones and_with_arrows with_bow some_of_the_relatives_of Shāʼūl from_Binyāmīn.
Show passage in OET: CH2 17:17

OET-RV CH2 17:17

 •  17 From the tribe of Benyamin, Elyada led two-hundred thousand men equipped with bows and shields,

OET-LV CH2 17:17

17 And_from Binyāmīn a_mighty_man_of strength ʼElyādāˊ and_were_with_him men_equipped_of bow and_shield two_hundred thousand.

Jump to OET SA1 18:4 section.

Jump to OET CH1 12:2 section.

Jump to OET CH2 17:17 section.

Job used the metaphor of God’s archers round about him when describing his many bodily ailments (Jb 16:13). At times the archer’s bow represents violence (Pss 11:2; 57:4) or divine judgment (Pss 7:13; 38:2; 64:7).

Show passage in OET: JOB 16:13

OET-RV JOB 16:13

13 ≈ Soldiers with bows and arrows surround me.
 ⇔ He pierces my kidneys but doesn’t care.
 ⇔ ≈ He splits my gallbladder and pours my bile out on the ground.

OET-LV JOB 16:13

13 They_surround (on)_me archers_of_his he_pierces kidneys_of_my and_not he_has_compassion he_pours_out to_ground gall_of_my.
Show passage in OET: PSA 11:2

OET-RV PSA 11:2

2 Because, look, wicked people are getting their bows ready.
 ⇔ They’ve got their arrows lined up on the strings
 ⇔ to shoot at the godly people in the darkness.

OET-LV PSA 11:2

2 If/because THERE the_wicked they_bend a_bow they_have_prepared arrow_of_their on the_bowstring to_shoot in gloom to_people_upright_of heart.
Show passage in OET: PSA 57:4

OET-RV PSA 57:4

4 My life is among lions.
 ⇔ ≈ I’m among those who are ready to devour me.
 ⇔ I’m among people whose teeth are spears and arrows,
 ⇔ ≈ and whose tongues are sharp swords.

OET-LV PSA 57:5

5  Self_of_my in_the_middle lions I_lie_with those_who_devour the_children_of humankind teeth_of_their are_a_spear and_arrows and_tongue_of_their is_a_sword sharp.
Show passage in OET: PSA 7:13

OET-RV PSA 7:13

13 because he’s prepared weapons of death—
 ⇔ he makes fiery arrows.

OET-LV PSA 7:14

14  And_to/for_him/it he_has_prepared weapons_of death arrows_of_his into_burning_things he_will_make.
Show passage in OET: PSA 38:2

OET-RV PSA 38:2

2 because your arrows pierce me,
 ⇔ ≈ and your hand presses me down.

OET-LV PSA 38:3

3  If/because arrows_of_your they_have_penetrated (in)_me and_it_has_come_down on_me hand_of_your.
Show passage in OET: PSA 64:7

OET-RV PSA 64:7

7 But God will shoot them—
 ⇔ suddenly they’ll be wounded by arrows.

OET-LV PSA 64:8

8  And_he_shot_at_them god an_arrow suddenly they_will_be wounds_of_their.

Jump to OET JOB 16:13 section.

Jump to OET PSA 11:2 section.

Jump to OET PSA 57:4 section.

Jump to OET PSA 7:13 section.

Jump to OET PSA 38:2 section.

Jump to OET PSA 64:7 section.

See also Armor and Weapons.