קָדַד
qa.dad
to bow
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Supported# The Hebrew Word קָדַד (Qadad): Bowing in Biblical Context The Hebrew verb qadad carries the fundamental meaning "to bow," describing a physical gesture of lowering one's body or head. With 15 occurrences across the biblical text, this word occupies a modest but consistent place in Hebrew vocabulary for expressing deference, submission, or reverence through bodily posture. The verb appears frequently enough to indicate it was a standard way of describing this particular form of physical expression rather than a rare or archaic term. The word's relatively limited frequency suggests it represents one option among several Hebrew verbs for depicting bowing and prostration. While the exact nuances distinguishing qadad from related terms cannot be determined from the data provided, its consistent definition across biblical occurrences indicates a stable, recognizable meaning. The physical act it describes—lowering one's body—functioned in biblical culture as a meaningful gesture, whether directed toward persons of authority, in worship, or during moments of grief or supplication. The word thus reflects the importance of bodily gesture as a form of communication within ancient Hebrew society.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
15 total occurrences across the text
Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before Yahweh, worshiping Yahweh.
2 Chronicles 29:30Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praises to Yahweh with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. They sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped.
Nehemiah 8:6Then Ezra blessed Yahweh, the great God. All the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with the lifting up of their hands. They bowed their heads, and worshiped Yahweh with their faces to the ground.
Genesis 24:26The man bowed his head, and worshiped Yahweh.
Genesis 24:48I bowed my head, and worshiped Yahweh, and blessed Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter for his son.
Exodus 4:31The people believed, and when they heard that Yahweh had visited the children of Israel, and that he had seen their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.
Genesis 43:28They said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” They bowed down humbly.
Exodus 12:27that you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of Yahweh’s Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians, and spared our houses.’ ” The people bowed their heads and worshiped.
Exodus 34:8Moses hurried and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped.
Numbers 22:31Then Yahweh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw Yahweh’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.
1 Samuel 24:8David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and showed respect.
1 Samuel 28:14He said to her, “What does he look like?” She said, “An old man comes up. He is covered with a robe.” Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and showed respect.
1 Kings 1:31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and showed respect to the king, and said, “Let my lord king David live forever!”
1 Kings 1:16Bathsheba bowed, and showed respect to the king. The king said, “What would you like?”
1 Chronicles 29:20Then David said to all the assembly, “Now bless Yahweh your God!” All the assembly blessed Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads and prostrated themselves before Yahweh and the king.