κάμπτω G2578
To bend, bow (especially the knee); an act of worship, submission, or solemn reverence.
Describes the physical act of bending or bowing, nearly always in the New Testament with reference to the knee. Every occurrence carries deep theological weight: bowing the knee before God as an act of worship or submission. Spanish doblar ('to bend, fold') and German beugen ('to bow') both capture the physical gesture, while the contexts elevate it to covenant significance. Paul bows his knees before the Father in prayer (Eph 3:14), and the great Christological hymn declares that every knee shall bow at the name of Jesus (Phil 2:10).
Senses
1. sense 1 — To bend or bow the knee as an act of worship, reverence, or submission before God. Spanish doblar ('to bend') and German beugen ('to bow') emphasize the physical gesture of kneeling. In Rom 11:4, God has preserved seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal; in Rom 14:11 the Isaiah quotation declares every knee shall bow; Eph 3:14 shows Paul bowing his knees in prayer before the Father; and Phil 2:10 proclaims that at the name of Jesus every knee in heaven, on earth, and under the earth will bow. 4×
AR["أَحني", "تَجْثو", "سَتَنْحَنِي", "يَجْثُوا"]·ben["নত-করেছে", "নত-হবে", "নমন-করি", "নম্র-করে"]·DE["beugen"]·EN["I-bow", "bowed", "may-bow", "will-bow"]·FR["beugen", "courber"]·heb["כָּרְעוּ", "כּוֹרֵעַ", "תִּכְרַע", "תִּכְרַע,"]·HI["झुकाया", "झुके,", "झुकेगा", "मैन-झुक्त-होओन"]·ID["akan-bertekuk", "aku-menekuk", "bertelut", "menekuk"]·IT["kampsē", "kamptō", "piegare"]·jav["badhé-dhengkul", "kula-jengkeng", "sami-dhengkul", "sujud"]·KO["굿으리라", "굿히지", "굿힌다", "꾿으리라,"]·PT["dobraram", "dobrará", "dobro", "se-dobre"]·RU["-преклонили", "преклонилось", "преклонится", "преклоняю"]·ES["doblaron", "doblará", "doblo", "se-doble"]·SW["kitapiga", "lipige", "napiga-magoti", "piga"]·TR["bukulsun", "bukuyorum", "eğdiler", "eğilecek"]·urd["جھُکے", "جھکاتا-ہوں", "جھکایا", "جھکے-گا"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H7725 2. to bring back, restore (Hifil) (151×)H5674a 2. Qal: cross over (134×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
κάμπτω, future κάμψω Refs 8th c.BC+: aorist 1 ἔκαμψα Refs 8th c.BC+:—passive, future καμφθήσομαι Refs 1st c.AD+: aorist ἐκάμφθην Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect infinitive κεκάμφθαι Refs 5th c.BC+, participle κεκαμμένος Refs 5th c.BC+. (Cogn. with Lithuanian ka[mtilde]p-as 'corner', ku[mtilde]p-as 'curved', and probably Latin campus):—bend, curve, ὄφρα ἴτυν κάμψῃ that he may bend it into a chariot-rail,…