To depress , i.e. prostrate (especially reflexive, in homage to royalty or God)
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שָׁחָה (šāḥāh) is a Hebrew verb for bowing down or prostrating oneself. Depending on the object and setting, it can describe worship of the LORD, forbidden bowing to other gods or images, respectful homage before another person, petition before a ruler, or obeisance demanded by political authority.
Reader summary
Full entry for שָׁחָה (H7812) · Open the biblical lexicon
שָׁחָה (šāḥāh) is a Hebrew verb for bowing down or prostrating oneself. Depending on the object and setting, it can describe worship of the LORD, forbidden bowing to other gods or images, respectful homage before another person, petition before a ruler, or obeisance demanded by political authority.
The BSB source-word alignment has 172 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include and worshiped (16), to worship (12), and bowed down (10), and worship (10), and bowed (9).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 18:2. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (23), Psalms (17), Isaiah (14), 2 Samuel (13).
שָׁחָה (šāḥāh) is a Hebrew verb for bowing down or prostrating oneself. Depending on the object and setting, it can describe worship of the Lord, forbidden bowing to other gods or images, respectful homage before another person, petition before a ruler, or obeisance demanded by political authority. The bodily action is important, but the verb alone does not establish the participant's inward faith, consent, or the moral legitimacy of the act.
Genesis uses H7812 when Abraham bows before visitors and the people of the land, Jacob's family bows in fulfillment of Joseph's dreams, and Abraham describes the Moriah journey as going to worship. Exodus uses it when Israel responds to God's deliverance and when the commandments prohibit bowing to idols. Psalms invite worship before the Lord, while Esther shows a royal command to bow before Haman and records Mordecai's refusal. Context distinguishes ordinary respect, covenant worship, idolatry, and coerced allegiance.
Genesis 22:5 says, 'we will worship and return.' The plural wording belongs to Abraham's speech, but H7812 itself means bow or worship and does not lexically prove a detailed resurrection expectation. Likewise Isaiah 45:23 uses H3766 for the bending of every knee, not H7812. Philippians 2 develops that canonical theme in Greek; it should not be cited as a direct occurrence or simple lexical equivalent of H7812.
H7812 occurs broadly in narrative, law, worship, lament, royal settings, wisdom, and prophecy. The same physical action can communicate courtesy, homage, worship, idolatry, petition, or compelled submission.
Abraham bows before the people of the land during negotiations for Sarah's burial place, an act of social respect rather than worship of them as gods.
Abraham tells the servants that he and the boy will go to bow or worship and return; the verb names the act but does not itself explain Abraham's full expectation.
The commandment forbids bowing to or serving carved images, marking worshipful allegiance directed away from the Lord.
Joshua falls on his face and bows before the commander of the Lord's army, then receives instruction about holy ground.
Ruth bows with her face to the ground before Boaz while asking why he has shown favor to a foreigner.
David bows before Saul and addresses him as king, a politically charged act of respect within a dangerous encounter.
The congregation is invited to bow, kneel, and worship before the Lord their Maker.
The prophet condemns a land filled with idols before which people bow, identifying misdirected worship.
Kings and queens bow low before restored Zion in a prophetic reversal of status and power.
Royal servants are commanded to bow before Haman, but Mordecai refuses, making power, command, and conscience central to the scene.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Hebrew word. Physical act of lowering oneself expressing submission, homage, or worship before authority—divine or royal.
Physical act of lowering oneself expressing submission, homage, or worship before authority—divine or royal.
to depress, i.e. prostrate (especially reflexive, in homage to royalty or God) BDB: bow down Usage: bow (self) down, crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship.
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 175 lexical occurrence verses.
שָׁחָה is a primitive root - no further derivation.
This action shows that idolatry is not merely intellectual error but embodied allegiance directed toward created things. Isaiah 2:6-9
Highlights the irony of Sennacherib’s death during idol worship. Isaiah 37:36-38
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
H7812 teaches that worship and allegiance can take bodily form while warning that the same posture appears in ordinary courtesy, idolatry, and coercive power. Teachers should name the object and setting before assigning theological meaning. Bowing before God may express reverence, but no specific posture is a test of salvation, sincerity, or spiritual maturity.
The many scenes of people bowing before rulers cannot be used to demand unquestioning submission to leaders. Esther 3 helps surface coercion and conscience, while Ruth and vulnerable petitioners remind interpreters to notice unequal power. Communities should provide accessible options and never pressure disabled, injured, elderly, traumatized, or culturally hesitant people into a posture.
Ps.95.6
H7812 commonly appears in reflexive or causative-reflexive forms translated bow down, prostrate oneself, worship, or do homage. Its semantic range includes divine and human objects. H3766, not H7812, supplies the knee-bending verb in Isaiah 45:23, so the Philippians 2 connection is canonical rather than a direct H7812 occurrence.
New Testament proskyneō can likewise describe bowing or worship in different contexts. Philippians 2:10 echoes Isaiah 45:23's universal knee-bending and confession around Jesus' lordship, but neither passage is a direct H7812 occurrence. Canonical connections should preserve the distinct Hebrew and Greek wording.
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Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain