What does כָּרַע (kāraʿ) mean in the Bible?
כָּרַע (kāraʿ): Physical submission expressing submission to authority, defeat, or worship through bodily lowering
Hebrew · H3766
כָּרַע
To bend the knee; by implication, to sink , to prostrate
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כָּרַע H3766
Pronunciation kāraʿ
What does כָּרַע (kāraʿ) mean in the Bible?
כָּרַע (kāraʿ): Physical submission expressing submission to authority, defeat, or worship through bodily lowering
Full entry for כָּרַע (H3766) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3766?
The BSB source-word alignment has 36 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include he collapsed (3), bow down (2), bowed down (2), he crouches (2), You have subdued (2).
Where does כָּרַע (kāraʿ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 49:9. Its strongest book concentrations include Judges (7), Psalms (7), Isaiah (5), Esther (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It he collapsed 3× Judges 5:27
bow down 2× Esther 3:2, Esther 3:5
bowed down 2× 2 Chronicles 29:29, Esther 3:2
he crouches 2× Genesis 49:9, Numbers 24:9
You have subdued 2× 2 Samuel 22:40, Psalms 18:39
. . . 1× Judges 11:35
and bow down 1× Psalms 95:6
and he slumped down 1× 2 Kings 9:24
and I fell 1× Ezra 9:5
and subdued 1× Psalms 78:31
bow 1× Psalms 72:9
bowed 1× 1 Kings 19:18
Bring them to their knees 1× Psalms 17:13
but to crouch 1× Isaiah 10:4
collapse 1× Psalms 20:8
crouches 1× Isaiah 46:1
fell 1× 2 Kings 1:13
kneel 1× Judges 7:5
kneel down 1× Isaiah 65:12
knelt 1× Judges 7:6
she collapsed 1× 1 Samuel 4:19
sleep 1× Job 31:10
that were buckling 1× Job 4:4
they bowed down 1× 2 Chronicles 7:3
they crouch 1× Isaiah 46:2
They crouch down 1× Job 39:3
where he had been kneeling 1× 1 Kings 8:54
will bow 1× Isaiah 45:23
will kneel 1× Psalms 22:29
You have brought me to my knees 1× Judges 11:35
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 49:9 כָּרַ֨ע to he crouches Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Numbers 24:9 כָּרַ֨ע to He crouches Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Judges 5:27 כָּרַ֥ע to he collapsed Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Judges 5:27 כָּרַ֣ע to he collapsed Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Judges 5:27 כָּרַ֔ע to he collapsed Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Judges 7:5 יִכְרַ֥ע to kneel Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Judges 7:6 כָּרְע֥וּ to knelt Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Judges 11:35 הַכְרֵ֣עַ to You have brought me to my knees Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute Judges 11:35 הִכְרַעְתִּ֔נִי to . . . Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person feminine singular | first person common singular 1 Samuel 4:19 וַתִּכְרַ֣ע to she collapsed Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 49:9
Aligned rows 36
Books represented 13
Genesis 1 Numbers 1 Judges 7 1 Samuel 1 2 Samuel 1 1 Kings 2 2 Kings 2 2 Chronicles 2 Ezra 1 Esther 3 Job 3 Psalms 7 Isaiah 5
Source forms
כָּרַ֨ע 2x kā·ra‘ Genesis 49:9, Numbers 24:9
כָּרַ֥ע 2x kā·ra‘ Judges 5:27, Isaiah 46:1
כָֽרְעוּ֙ 2x ḵā·rə·‘ū 1 Kings 19:18, Isaiah 46:2
הִכְרִֽיעַ׃ 1x hiḵ·rî·a‘ Psalms 78:31
הַכְרִיעֵ֑הוּ 1x haḵ·rî·‘ê·hū Psalms 17:13
הַכְרֵ֣עַ 1x haḵ·rê·a‘ Judges 11:35
הִכְרַעְתִּ֔נִי 1x hiḵ·ra‘·ti·nî Judges 11:35
וָֽאֶכְרְעָה֙ 1x wā·’eḵ·rə·‘āh Ezra 9:5
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 7x Genesis 49:9, Numbers 24:9, Judges 5:27, Isaiah 10:4
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural 5x Judges 7:6, 1 Kings 19:18, 2 Chronicles 29:29, Psalms 20:8
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 2x 2 Kings 1:13, 2 Kings 9:24
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 2x 2 Samuel 22:40, Psalms 18:39
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural 2x Psalms 22:29, Psalms 72:9
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 2x Judges 7:5, Esther 3:2
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural 1x Psalms 95:6
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular 1x Ezra 9:5
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Physical submission expressing submission to authority, defeat, or worship through bodily lowering
Strong's H3766
Lexical occurrences 36 verses Word forms 2 forms 26 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Isaiah 45:20-25 Source Gloss
to bend the knee; by implication, to sink , to prostrate
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Physical submission expressing submission to authority, defeat, or worship through bodily lowering
to bend the knee; by implication, to sink, to prostrate BDB: bow down Usage: bow (down, self), bring down (low), cast down, couch, fall, feeble, kneeling, sink, smite (stoop) down, subdue, × very.
Grammatical Forms
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.
Form groups 2 Aligned forms 26
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 22×
Perfect Gen 49:9 · Isa 10:4 · Isa 46:1 · Judg 5:27 · Num 24:9 · 1Kgs 19:18 · 2Chr 29:29 · Isa 46:2 · Judg 7:6 · Ps 20:9 12×
Imperfect Esth 3:2 · Judg 7:5 · Ps 22:30 · Ps 72:9 · Isa 45:23 · Isa 65:12 · Job 39:3 7×
Participle active Esth 3:2 · Esth 3:5 · Job 4:4 3×
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 4×
Imperfect 2Sam 22:40 · Ps 18:40 2×
Infinitive absolute Judg 11:35 1×
Perfect Ps 78:31 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Physical act of bending knees in worship and submission to God
The wicked are brought low or cast down before the good
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 36 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
כָּרַע is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain