טָחָה
to stretch a bow, as an archer
Definition
The Hebrew verb טָחָה (ṭâchâh) means to stretch or bend a bow in preparation for shooting an arrow. It specifically describes the action of an archer drawing back the bowstring, a crucial step before releasing a projectile. This verb appears only once in the Old Testament, in Genesis 21:16, where Hagar distances herself from her dying son Ishmael so she will not see him die, sitting 'about a bowshot' away. The term is a technical action within the broader semantic field of archery and warfare.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only one time in the entire Old Testament, in the narrative of Genesis 21:16. It is used in a descriptive, spatial sense to indicate a measured distance—specifically, how far Hagar positioned herself from Ishmael. The context is not one of active combat but of poignant personal tragedy and separation, using a common measurement of the era (the range of a bow) to convey physical space in a relatable way.
Etymology
טָחָה is considered a primitive root in Hebrew. Its core meaning is directly tied to the physical action of bending or stretching a bow. Cognates exist in other Semitic languages, such as Arabic and Aramaic, with related meanings involving plastering or daubing, which also imply a spreading or applying force. In Hebrew, however, the meaning specialized specifically to the archery context.
Semantic Range
While the action itself is mundane, its single biblical occurrence in Genesis 21:16 carries significant emotional and narrative weight. Understanding that Hagar went 'about a bowshot' away helps modern readers grasp the deliberate, measured distance of her heartbreaking retreat. It underscores her despair and the cultural reality of using common tools (a bow) as units of measurement, enriching the reader's connection to the raw human emotion in the story of Hagar and Ishmael's potential demise.
In ancient Near Eastern culture, the 'bowshot' was a standard, intuitive measure of distance, derived from the effective range of a warrior's or hunter's weapon. This reflects a society where warfare, hunting, and survival skills were daily realities. The measurement was not a precise, modern unit but a relatable approximation based on common experience, making the description in Genesis immediately understandable to its original audience.
דָּרַךְ (dārak, H1869) — to tread, bend (a bow); a more common verb for preparing a bow, often with a connotation of setting it in position or stepping on it to string it. יָרָה (yārâ, H3384) — to throw, shoot (arrows or lots); focuses on the act of casting or shooting the projectile itself, not the preparation of the bow.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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