Bow and arrow. From early times the bow (Heb., qeʹsheth; Gr., toʹxon) was used in hunting and warfare. (Ge 21:20; 27:3; 48:22; Re 6:2) It was a standard weapon among the Israelites (2Ch 26:14, 15), those who fought for Egypt (Jer 46:8, 9), the Assyrians (Isa 37:33), and the Medo-Persians.​—Jer 50:14;

The expression ‘to bend the bow’ (literally, ‘to tread the bow’) refers to stringing the bow. (Ps 7:12; 37:14; Jer 50:14, 29) This might be done by firmly planting the foot against the middle of the bow; or one end of the bow with the string attached might be held to the ground by the foot while the other end was bent to receive the free end of the string.