H1457 H1457
to crouch, bend down, stretch out—bowing the body in intercession or revival
This rare verb describes the physical posture of crouching or bending down over something. Elijah crouched to the ground with his face between his knees while praying for rain (1 Kgs 18:42). Elisha stretched himself out over the Shunammite's dead son—twice—in the act of reviving him (2 Kgs 4:34-35). The verb captures intense physical engagement in prophetic intercession or miracle-working. It suggests more than casual bending: a deliberate, focused posture of spiritual labor, whether in fervent prayer or resurrection ministry.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To bend down, crouch, or stretch out the body in prophetic intercession or miracle-working. In 1 Kings 18:42, Elijah crouched to the ground (with 'to the earth') in prayer for rain. In 2 Kings 4:34-35, Elisha stretched himself out over the dead child (with 'over him'), parallel to 'lay upon' in verse 34. Cross-linguistic glosses show two interpretations: English and Spanish use both 'crouched' and 'stretched out,' while French and German prefer 'stretched out/extended.' The contexts support both: crouching in prayer (Elijah) and extending the body over someone (Elisha's revival posture). 3×
AR["وَ-انْكَبَّ", "وَانْبَسَطَ"]·ben["এবং-নিজেকে-ঝুঁকল", "এবং-সে-নিচু-হল"]·DE["und-crouched", "und-streckte-aus-heraus"]·EN["and-crouched", "and-stretched-out"]·FR["et-crouched", "et-étendit-dehors"]·heb["ו-הגהר", "ו-התכופף"]·HI["और-झुका"]·ID["dan-ia-meniarap", "dan-membungkuk", "dan-meniarap"]·IT["e-crouched", "e-stese-fuori"]·jav["lan-nggulung", "lan-tumungkul"]·KO["그리고-구부렸다", "그리고-굿히-업드렸다"]·PT["e-estendeu-se", "e-inclinou-se"]·RU["и-простёрся", "и-склонился"]·ES["y-se-inclinó", "y-se-tendió"]·SW["na-akajiinamisha", "na-akajinyoosha"]·TR["ve-eğildi", "ve-gerildi"]·urd["اور-جھُکا", "اور-جھکا"]
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
† [גָּהַר] vb. bend, crouch (so Vrss)— Qal Impf. וַיִּגְהַר 1 K 18:42 sq. אַרְצָה Elijah, with face between knees; 2 K 4:34, 35 Elisha, over dead boy, sq. עליו (‖ וישׁכב v 34, cf. שׁכב).