Kneeling

A body position that means to worship, respect, or submit to someone.

Strong knees represented a person's strong faith, so kneeling showed respect for someone with greater authority. People knelt before kings, rulers, governors, or God. In Genesis 41:43, people knelt before Pharaoh and Joseph. People showed their respect for God by kneeling (Isaiah 45:23; Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10). During a famine when there was not enough food, some Israelites turned away from God. Those who stayed faithful were called “all whose knees have not bowed to Baal” (1 Kings 19:18; see Romans 11:4).

Firm knees meant strength, so hurting those knees meant destroying power (Deuteronomy 28:35). Isaiah asked God to make weak knees strong (Isaiah 35:3). Weak knees usually showed a lack of strong faith (Job 4:4; Hebrews 12:12). Sometimes it meant poor health (Psalm 109:24). Ezekiel talked about people whose knees “will turn to water” (Ezekiel 7:17; 21:7).

Kneeling before God was a way to show worship (Psalms 95:6) and also prayer (Daniel 6:10). Jesus himself knelt to pray in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:41). Peter, Paul, and Stephen all did the same (Acts 7:60; 9:40; 20:36; 21:5). Solomon knelt in prayer to God (1 Kings 8:54). Once he even had a platform built so everyone could see him kneeling before God (2 Chronicles 6:13).

Some knelt to show they were sorry like Ezra did at the evening sacrifice (Ezra 9:5). Peter knelt to beg the Lord’s forgiveness for his lack of faith and trust (Luke 5:8). People asking the prophet Elijah for help knelt before him as God’s representative (2 Kings 1:13). Many came kneeling and begging Jesus for healing (Matthew 17:14; Mark 1:40). Daniel knelt in wonder before an angel (Daniel 10:10). When Belshazzar was afraid, his “knees knocked together” (Daniel 5:6).

In the New Testament, Jesus was mocked by soldiers. They joked and pretended he was king. They kneeled before him and cried, “Hail, King of the Jews” (Matthew 27:29; Mark 15:19).