Original Word: שָׁחָה
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: shachah
Pronunciation: shah-KHAH
Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-khaw')
Definition: To bow down, to prostrate oneself, to worship
Meaning: to depress, prostrate

Word Origin: A primitive root

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - G4352 προσκυνέω (proskuneo) - to worship, to bow down

- G2578 καμπτω (kampto) - to bend, to bow

Usage: The Hebrew verb "shachah" primarily means to bow down or prostrate oneself, often in the context of worship or showing deep respect and submission. It is used to describe both physical acts of bowing and the internal attitude of reverence and humility before God or a superior. In the context of worship, "shachah" signifies an acknowledgment of God's sovereignty and majesty.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Near Eastern cultures, bowing down or prostrating oneself was a common gesture of respect, submission, and worship. It was a physical expression of acknowledging the authority or divinity of another. In the Hebrew Bible, this act is often associated with worshiping Yahweh, the God of Israel, and is contrasted with the worship of idols or false gods. The act of bowing down was not merely ritualistic but was intended to reflect the worshiper's heart posture of humility and devotion.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to bow down
NASB Translation
bow (5), bow ourselves down (1), bow yourselves down (1), bow down (21), bowed (16), bowed in worship (1), bowed themselves down (2), bowed down (14), bowing (1), bowing down (1), bows down (1), did homage (1), down in homage (1), homage (1), lie down (1), paid homage (3), prostrate (2), prostrated (13), prostrating (1), weighs it down (1), worship (47), worshiped (31), worshiping (3), worships (2).

[שָׁחָה]₁₇₂ verb bow down (Late Hebrew id.; Jewish-Aramaic שְׁחִי (rare); akin to שׁוח, שׁחח); —

Qal Imperative feminine singular שְׁחִי Isaiah 51:23 bow down.

Hiph`il Imperfect3masculine singular suffix יַשְׁחֶ֑נָּה Proverbs 12:25, figurative, anxiety depresses it (that is לֵב; opposed to שִׂמֵּחַ).

Hithpa`lel₁₇₀ (Ges^{§ 75kk}) Perfect3masculine singular הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה Ezekiel 46:2; 2masculine singular הִשְׁתַּחֲוִ֫יתָ Deuteronomy 4:19 3t.; 1 singular הִשְׁתַּחֲוֵ֫יתִי 1 Samuel 16:4 2t.; 3 masculine plural הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ Jeremiah 8:2, etc.; Imperfect יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה 2 Samuel 15:32 3t.; apocopatic יִשְׁתַּ֫חוּ Isaiah 44:17 +; 3 masculine plural יִשְׁתַּחֲווּ Genesis 49:8 +; 2 feminine plural תִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֫יןָ Genesis 33:6; Genesis 37:7, etc.; Imperative feminine singular הִשְׁתַּחֲוִי Psalm 45:12; masculine plural הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ Psalm 29:2 +; Infinitive construct הִשְׁשַׁתַּחֲוֺת Genesis 37:10 +; suffix מִשְׁתַּחֲוֶי 2 Kings 5:18 (but ᵐ5 ᵑ9 and modern חֲוֺתוֺ-); Participle מִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה 2 Kings 19:27, etc.; מִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶּם Ezekiel 8:16, read וִים- all modern; —

1 bow down, prostrate oneself, before a monarch or superior, in homage, etc.:

a. with ל, after descriptive clause (especially with קדד, נפל 3b, q. v. ), 1 Samuel 24:9; Genesis 43:28 (J) 2 Samuel 14:4,22; Ruth 2:10; 1 Kings 1:31; 2 Kings 4:37 6t., + (after כָּרֵע) Esther 3:2 (twice in verse); Esther 3:5.

b. with ל, followed by phrase (לפני) על אפים ארצה 2 Samuel 14:33; 1 Kings 1:23; לאפים Genesis 48:12 (E) 2 Samuel 18:28; אפים Genesis 42:6 (E) + 4 t.; omit אפים Genesis 33:3 (J) + 3 t.; עַל כַּמּוֺת רֵנְלַיִךְ Isaiah 60:14.

c. with לְ person only, Genesis 23:7 (P) Genesis 27:29 (twice in verse); Genesis 37:9 (E), Genesis 49:8; Exodus 11:8 (J) + 8 t.; with לפני Genesis 23:12 (P); with אל Isaiah 45:14 ("" התפלּל); absolute Genesis 33:6,7 (twice in verse) (J), Exodus 18:7 (E) 2 Samuel 9:8; 2 Samuel 16:4; Isaiah 49:7.

2 before God, in worship, etc.:

a. with לְ, after descriptive phrase: קדד ארצה Exodus 34:8 (J); ארצה omitted Genesis 24:26,48 (J) + 4 t.; כרע אפים ארצה2Chronicles 7:3; כרע2Chronicles 29:29; נפל ארצה Job 1:20; נפל לפני2Chronicles 20:18.

b. followed by phrase: אפים ארצה ׳ל ׳קדד וישׁ Nehemiah 8:6; ׳ארצה ל Genesis 24:52 (J); ונכרעה ׳השׁ Psalm 95:6; בְּהַדְרַת קֹדֶשׁ ׳ל ׳השׁ Psalm 29:2; Psalm 96:9 = 1 Chronicles 16:29; אֶלהֵֿיכָל (looking towards) Psalm 5:8; Psalm 138:2; לַהֲדֹם רגלים Psalm 99:5; Psalm 132:7.

c. with לְ only: 1 Samuel 1:28 (but read וַתַּנִּחֵהוּ ᵐ5 and modern), 1 Samuel 15:25; Jeremiah 7:2; Psalm 66:4 9t.; with לפני Deuteronomy 26:10; Isaiah 66:23 4t.; with בְ local Isaiah 27:13; with לְ local Psalm 99:9; absolute Genesis 22:5 (E) Judges 7:15 5t.; accusative of location Exodus 33:10 (E) Jeremiah 26:2; Ezekiel 46:3; לפני (ה)מזבח Isaiah 36:7 = 2 Kings 18:22 2Chronicles 32:12; with על location Genesis 47:31 (J) 1 Kings 1:47; Ezekiel 46:2; מֵרֶחֹק after off Exodus 24:1 (E).

d. before angel in theoph.: after clause with נפל, קדד, Joshua 5:14; Numbers 22:31; followed by אפים ארצה Genesis 19:1; ארצה Genesis 18:2 (all J).

3 before other gods: absolute Isaiah 2:20; Isaiah 44:15,17; Isaiah 46:6; accusative of location 2 Kings 5:18 (3 t. in verse); 2 Kings 19:37 = Isaiah 37:38; with לְ, Exodus 20:5 = Deuteronomy 5:9 (10 words), Exodus 23:24 (E), Numbers 25:2 (J), Joshua 23:7 (D), Deuteronomy 8:19; Deuteronomy 11:16; 1 Kings 16:31 34t.; with על, Leviticus 26:1 (H); לפני2Chronicles 25:14 ("" קטּר).

bow self down, crouch, fall down flat, humbly beseech, do reverence, worship

A primitive root; to depress, i.e. Prostrate (especially reflexive, in homage to royalty or God) -- bow (self) down, crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship.

אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֨ה אשתחוה בְּהִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָ֙תִי֙ בהשתחויתי הִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ הִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֵ֔יתִי הִשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ הִשְׁתַּחֲו֥וּ הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ־ הַמִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙ הַמִּשְׁתַּחֲוִ֥ים המשתחוים השתחוו השתחוו־ השתחויתי וְ֭הִֽשְׁתַּחֲווּ וְֽ֭הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ וְאֶֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֛וּ וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִ֔יתָ וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִ֛יתָ וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֵ֖יתִי וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֵ֙יתִי֙ וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוָ֛ה וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוּ֔וּ וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִי־ וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוּוּ־ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲו֧וּ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִ֣יתָ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִ֥יתָ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֖ם וְיִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֥וּ וְיִֽשְׁתַּחֲוּ֑וּ וְיִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֤וּ וְיִשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙ וְיִשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־ וְיִשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ וְיִשְׁתַּחֲוּ֥וּ וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ־ וְנִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה וַ֝יִּשְׁתַּחֲו֗וּ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּֽחֲו֔וּ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֑וּ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֛וּ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּ֖וּ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּ֨וּ ׀ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּֽוּ׃ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֽוּ׃ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲווּ֙ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲווּ֮ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֕חוּ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֣חוּ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֤חוּ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֧חוּ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֨חוּ וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲו֥וּ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲוֻּ֛ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ־ וַיִּשְׁתָּ֑חוּ וַיִּשְׁתָּ֔חוּ וַיִּשְׁתָּֽחוּ׃ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּֽוּ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲו֥וּ וַתִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖יןָ וַתִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶֽיןָ׃ וַתִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ וַתִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ וַתִּשְׁתָּ֑חוּ וָֽאֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה וּלְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹ֣ת וּמִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִ֔ים וּמִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙ וּמִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה ואשתחוה והשתחוה והשתחוו והשתחוו־ והשתחוי־ והשתחוית והשתחויתי והשתחויתם וישתחו וישתחו׃ וישתחוה וישתחוו וישתחוו־ וישתחוו׃ ולהשתחות ומשתחוה ומשתחוים ונשתחוה ותשתחו ותשתחוין ותשתחוין׃ יִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֔וּ יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶֽה׃ יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוּֽוּ׃ יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוּוּ֙ יִשְׁתַּ֣חֲווּ יִשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה יִשְׁתַּחֲוּ֥וּ יַשְׁחֶ֑נָּה ישחנה ישתחוה ישתחוה׃ ישתחוו לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֹ֔ת לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֹ֖ת לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֹ֗ת לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֹ֧ת לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֹת֙ לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹ֖ת לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹ֣ת לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹ֥ת לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹ֨ת להשתחות מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִ֔ים מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִ֖ים מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֜ה מִשְׁתַּחֲוִֽים׃ מִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֥ם משתחוה משתחוים משתחוים׃ משתחויתם נִ֝שְׁתַּחֲוֶ֗ה נִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֣ה נשתחוה שְׁחִ֣י שחי תִ֝שְׁתַּחֲוֶ֗ה תִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ תִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֽוּ׃ תִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ תִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה תִשְׁתַּחְוֶ֥֣ה תִשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֤ה תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥֣ה תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה תשתחוה תשתחוו תשתחוו׃ ’eš·ta·ḥă·weh ’eštaḥăweh bə·hiš·ta·ḥă·wā·yā·ṯî behishtachavaYati bəhištaḥăwāyāṯî eshtachaVeh ham·miš·ta·ḥă·wîm hammishtachaVim hammištaḥăwîm hiš·ta·ḥă·wê·ṯî hiš·ta·ḥă·wū hiš·ta·ḥă·wū- hishtachaVeiti hishtachaVu hištaḥăwêṯî hištaḥăwū hištaḥăwū- lə·hiš·ta·ḥă·wōṯ lehishtachaVot ləhištaḥăwōṯ miš·ta·ḥă·weh miš·ta·ḥă·wî·ṯem miš·ta·ḥă·wîm mishtachaVeh mishtachaVim mishtachaviTem mištaḥăweh mištaḥăwîm mištaḥăwîṯem niš·ta·ḥă·weh nishtachaVeh ništaḥăweh šə·ḥî šəḥî sheChi ṯiš·ta·ḥă·weh tiš·ta·ḥă·wū ṯiš·ta·ḥă·wū ṯiš·taḥ·weh tishtachaVeh tishtachaVu tishtachVeh ṯištaḥăweh tištaḥăwū ṯištaḥăwū ṯištaḥweh ū·lə·hiš·ta·ḥă·wōṯ ū·miš·ta·ḥă·weh ū·miš·ta·ḥă·wîm ulehishtachaVot ūləhištaḥăwōṯ umishtachaVeh umishtachaVim ūmištaḥăweh ūmištaḥăwîm vaeshtachaVeh vaiyishtachaVeh vaiyishtachaVu vaiYishtachavVu vaiyishTachu vatTishtachaVeina vattishTachu veeshtachaVeh vehishtachaVah vehishtachaVeiti vehishtachavi vehishtachaVita vehishtachaviTem Vehishtachavu vehishtachavvu venishtachaVeh veyishtachaVu veyishtachavVu veyishTachu wā’eštaḥăweh wā·’eš·ta·ḥă·weh wat·tiš·ta·ḥă·we·nā wat·tiš·ta·ḥū wat·tiš·tā·ḥū wattištaḥăwenā wattištaḥū wattištāḥū way·yiš·ta·ḥă·weh way·yiš·ta·ḥă·wu way·yiš·ta·ḥă·wū way·yiš·ta·ḥă·wū- way·yiš·ta·ḥăw·wū way·yiš·ta·ḥū way·yiš·tā·ḥū wayyištaḥăweh wayyištaḥăwu wayyištaḥăwū wayyištaḥăwū- wayyištaḥăwwū wayyištaḥū wayyištāḥū wə’eštaḥăweh wə·’eš·ta·ḥă·weh wə·hiš·ta·ḥă·wāh wə·hiš·ta·ḥă·wê·ṯî wə·hiš·ta·ḥă·wî- wə·hiš·ta·ḥă·wî·ṯā wə·hiš·ta·ḥă·wî·ṯem wə·hiš·ta·ḥă·wū wə·hiš·ta·ḥăw·wū wə·hiš·ta·ḥăw·wū- wə·niš·ta·ḥă·weh wə·yiš·ta·ḥă·wū wə·yiš·ta·ḥă·wū- wə·yiš·ta·ḥăw·wū wə·yiš·ta·ḥū wəhištaḥăwāh wəhištaḥăwêṯî wəhištaḥăwî- wəhištaḥăwîṯā wəhištaḥăwîṯem wəhištaḥăwū wəhištaḥăwwū wəhištaḥăwwū- wəništaḥăweh wəyištaḥăwū wəyištaḥăwū- wəyištaḥăwwū wəyištaḥū yaš·ḥen·nāh yashChennah yašḥennāh yiš·ta·ḥă·weh yiš·ta·ḥă·wū yiš·ta·ḥăw·wū yishtachaVeh yishtachaVu yishtachavVu yištaḥăweh yištaḥăwū yištaḥăwwūInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts