In the Bible, arrows are often used figuratively to convey various spiritual and moral truths. The imagery of arrows is employed to illustrate concepts such as divine judgment, human speech, and the piercing nature of sin and conviction.

1. Divine Judgment and Wrath: Arrows are frequently symbolic of God's judgment and wrath against sin and disobedience. In Deuteronomy 32:23, God declares, "I will heap disasters upon them; I will spend My arrows against them." Here, arrows represent the instruments of divine retribution, emphasizing the precision and inevitability of God's justice. Similarly, in Psalm 7:13, it is written, "He has prepared His deadly weapons; He ordains His arrows with fire." This imagery underscores the seriousness and intensity of God's righteous anger.

2. Human Speech and Words: Arrows are also used to describe the power and impact of human words. In Psalm 64:3, the psalmist speaks of evildoers who "sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows." This metaphor highlights the destructive potential of malicious speech, which can wound and harm as effectively as physical weapons. Proverbs 25:18 further illustrates this idea: "Like a club or sword or sharp arrow is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor."

3. Sin and Conviction: The piercing nature of arrows is used to depict the conviction of sin and the deep impact of guilt. In Job 6:4, Job laments, "For the arrows of the Almighty are within me; my spirit drinks their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me." Here, the arrows symbolize the profound sense of conviction and the inescapable awareness of one's own sinfulness before a holy God.

4. Protection and Deliverance: Conversely, arrows can also symbolize divine protection and deliverance. In Psalm 91:5, the faithful are assured, "You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day." This promise reflects God's safeguarding presence, shielding His people from both visible and invisible threats.

5. Spiritual Warfare: In the context of spiritual warfare, arrows represent the attacks of the enemy. Ephesians 6:16 instructs believers to take up "the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." This passage emphasizes the need for spiritual readiness and faith to withstand the assaults of Satan.

The figurative use of arrows in Scripture serves to communicate profound truths about God's character, human nature, and the spiritual realities that believers face. Through these vivid images, the Bible conveys the seriousness of sin, the power of words, and the assurance of divine protection and justice.Numbers 24:8
God brought him forth out of Egypt; he has as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.
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Deuteronomy 32:23,42
I will heap mischiefs on them; I will spend my arrows on them.
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Job 6:4
For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinks up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.
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Psalm 11:2
For, see, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow on the string, that they may privately shoot at the upright in heart.
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Psalm 21:12
Therefore shall you make them turn their back, when you shall make ready your arrows on your strings against the face of them.
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Psalm 38:2
For your arrows stick fast in me, and your hand presses me sore.
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Psalm 45:5
Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under you.
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Psalm 57:4
My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
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Psalm 58:7
Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bends his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.
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Psalm 91:5
You shall not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flies by day;
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Psalm 120:4
Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.
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Psalm 144:6
Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out your arrows, and destroy them.
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Proverbs 25:18
A man that bears false witness against his neighbor is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
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Lamentations 3:12,13
He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
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Ezekiel 5:16
When I shall send on them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine on you, and will break your staff of bread:
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Habakkuk 3:11
The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of your arrows they went, and at the shining of your glittering spear.
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1121. ben -- son
... name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including ... Hachmon-)
(Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon ...
/hebrew/1121.htm - 8k

Introduction.
... which pervade the works of God, and constitute the basis of all figurative language,
whether ... so well, was the drawing of the bow that plunged the arrow deep in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/arnot/the parables of our lord/introduction.htm

The Hebrew Sages and their Proverbs
... Poetical in structure, terse, often figurative or epigrammatic, the proverb was
well ... attrition all its unnecessary elements, so that, 'like an arrow,' it shot ...
/.../the origin and permanent value of the old testament/x the hebrew sages and.htm

Letter Xlv. To a Lapsed Monk.
... ears are wounded by a charge of adultery, flying swifter than an arrow, and piercing ...
seems no reason why "Jerusalem" may not be taken in a figurative sense for ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/letter xlv to a lapsed.htm

Tenants who Wanted to be Owners
... The highly figurative expression is meant to emphasise God's longing for men's hearts,
and His ... not cease from effort to win us so long as an arrow remains in ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/tenants who wanted to be.htm

Utterances of the Prophet Isaiah Regarding the Resurrection of the ...
... For, in the manner of prophecy, figurative and literal expressions are mingled,
so that ... wounded with love, [1425] "pierced, as it were, with the arrow of love ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 21 utterances of the prophet.htm

Psalm XLV.
... them to punishment: and now thou sayest unto Christ, "What dost Thou bid me do?"
O arrow sharp and ... It was however done as a figurative act: and he departed. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xlv.htm

The Conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch.
... it should be considered, that the Jews, resting too much upon the figurative language
of ... assigns to us that portion which God has appointed; an arrow shot at ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xi the conversion of.htm

The Second Commandment
... his power, yet it is absurd, from such metaphors and figurative expressions, to ... the
destroying angel has been abroad, and shed his deadly arrow of pestilence ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 2 the second commandment.htm

The Note of Accusation.
... as Hell, and said so,"sometimes with a great wealth of staking, figurative language
which was ... should be a hammer to break, a sword to pierce, an arrow in the ...
/.../jackson/the message and the man/chapter i the note of.htm

Hymns, Festival and Occasional.
... with the more modern and less figurative". ... As the winged arrow flies Speedily the
mark to find, As the lightening from the skies Darts and leaves no trace ...
/.../brown/the story of the hymns and tunes/chapter xiii hymns festival and.htm

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