Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength. New Living Translation The bow of the mighty is now broken, and those who stumbled are now strong. English Standard Version The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength. Berean Standard Bible The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble are equipped with strength. King James Bible The 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 Bible The 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 Bible The bows of the warriors are broken, but the feeble are clothed with strength. Holman Christian Standard Bible The bows of the warriors are broken, but the feeble are clothed with strength. American Standard Version The bows of the mighty men are broken; And they that stumbled are girded with strength. Contemporary English Version Our LORD, you break the bows of warriors, but you give strength to everyone who stumbles. English Revised Version The 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 Translation The bows of strong soldiers are broken, but the weak grow strong. International Standard Version The bows of warriors are shattered, but those who stumble are equipped with strength. Majority Standard Bible The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble are equipped with strength. NET Bible The bows of warriors are shattered, but those who stumble find their strength reinforced. New Heart English Bible The bows of the mighty men are broken. Those who stumbled are armed with strength. Webster's Bible Translation The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded 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 Translation The 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 Version The 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 Version The 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 Translated The 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 Translation The 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 bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble are equipped with 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 37:15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. Psalm 46:9 He makes wars to cease throughout the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields in the fire. Psalm 76:3 There He shattered the flaming arrows, the shield and sword and weapons of war. Selah Psalm 147:10 He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. Isaiah 2:4 Then 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 10:33-34 Behold, 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 40:29 He gives power to the faint and increases the strength of the weak. Isaiah 54:17 No 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 9:23 This 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 50:36 A 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 2:18 On 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 10:5-6 They 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 5:5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Luke 1:52 He 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 hand is stretched out still. Jeremiah 37:10 For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but 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 Armed Bow Bows Broken Clothed Mighty Shattered Strength Stumbled Stumbling War WarriorsJump to Next Armed Bow Bows Broken Clothed Mighty Shattered Strength Stumbled Stumbling War Warriors1 Samuel 2 1. Hannah's song in thankfulness12. The sin of Eli's sons 18. Samuel's ministry 20. by Eli's blessing Hannah is more fruitful 22. Eli reproves his sons 27. A prophecy against Eli's house The bows of the mighty are broken This 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 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 Mighty Represents those who are strong and powerful in worldly terms, often relying on their own strength and resources. 3. The Feeble Symbolizes those who are weak or humble, often overlooked by society but favored by God. 4. Shiloh The place where Hannah prayed and dedicated Samuel to the Lord, and where this song of praise was likely offered. 5. The Lord Central 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 God True strength comes from God, not from our own abilities or resources. We should seek His strength in our weaknesses. Humility and Faith God honors humility and faith. Like Hannah, we should approach God with a humble heart, trusting in His provision and timing. God's Sovereignty This verse reminds us of God's ultimate control over all circumstances. We can find peace in knowing that He is sovereign over our lives.(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. Hebrew The bowsקֶ֥שֶׁת (qe·šeṯ) Noun - feminine singular construct Strong's 7198: A bow, for, shooting, the iris of the warriors גִּבֹּרִ֖ים (gib·bō·rîm) Adjective - masculine plural Strong's 1368: Powerful, warrior, tyrant are broken, חַתִּ֑ים (ḥat·tîm) Adjective - masculine plural Strong's 2844: Crushed, afraid, terror but the feeble וְנִכְשָׁלִ֖ים (wə·niḵ·šā·lîm) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 3782: To totter, waver, to falter, stumble, faint, fall are equipped אָ֥זְרוּ (’ā·zə·rū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 247: To gird, encompass, equip with 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 NLT 1 Samuel 2:4 ESV 1 Samuel 2:4 NASB 1 Samuel 2:4 KJV 1 Samuel 2:4 BibleApps.com 1 Samuel 2:4 Biblia Paralela 1 Samuel 2:4 Chinese Bible 1 Samuel 2:4 French Bible 1 Samuel 2:4 Catholic Bible OT History: 1 Samuel 2:4 The bows of the mighty men (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa) |
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