Reference: Gestures
Hastings
The Oriental is a natural expert in appropriate and expressive gesture. To his impulsive and emotional temperament, attitude and action form a more apt vehicle for thought and feeling than even speech. Movement of feature, shrug of shoulder, turn of hand, express much, and suggest delicate shades of meaning which cannot be put in words. Conversation is accompanied by a sort of running commentary of gestures. Easterns conduct argument and altercation at the pitch of their voices; emphasis is supplied almost wholly by gestures. These are often so violent that an unskilled witness might naturally expect to see bloodshed follow.
The word does not occur in Scripture, but the thing, in various forms, is constantly appearing. Bowing the head or body marks reverence, homage, or worship (Ge 18:2; Ex 20:5; 1Ch 21:21; Ps 95:6; Isa 60:14). The same is true of kneeling (1Ki 19:18; 2Ki 1:13; Ps 95:6; Mr 1:40). This sign of homage the tempter sought from Jesus (Mt 4:9). Kneeling was a common attitude in prayer (1Ki 8:54; Ezr 9:6; Da 6:10; Lu 22:41; Eph 3:14 etc.). The glance of the eye may mean appeal, as the upward look in prayer (Job 22:26; Mr 6:41 etc.), anger (Mr 3:5), or reproach (Lu 22:61). A shake of the head may express scorn or derision (2Ki 19:21; Ps 109:25; Mr 15:29 etc.). A grimace of the lip is a sign of contempt (Ps 22:7). Shaking the dust off the feet, or shaking, however gently, one's raiment, indicates complete severance (Mt 10:14 etc.), denial of responsibility (Ac 18:16), and often now, total ignorance of any matter referred to. Rending the garments betokens consternation, real (Ge 37:29; Jos 7:6; Ac 14:14 etc.) or assumed (2Ch 23:13; Mt 26:65), and grief (Jg 11:35; 2Sa 1:11 etc.). Joy was expressed by dancing (Ex 15:20; 1Sa 30:16; Jer 31:4 etc.) and clapping the hands (Ps 47:1; Isa 55:12 etc.). Spitting upon, or in the face, indicated deep despite (Nu 12:14; Isa 50:6; Mt 26:67, etc.). See Hand, Mourning Customs, Salutation.
Some gestures in common use are probably ancient. One who narrowly escapes danger, describing his experience, will crack his thumb nail off the edge of his front teeth, suggesting Job's 'with the skin of my teeth' (Job 19:20). One charged with a fault will put his elbows to his sides, turn his palms outward, and shrug his shoulders, with a slight side inclination of the head, repudiating responsibility for an act which, in his judgment, was plainly inevitable.
W. Ewing.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
When he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth,
Now Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he tore his garments.
Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took the timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dancing.
"You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,
But the LORD said to Moses, "If her father had but spit in her face, would she not bear her shame for seven days? Let her be shut up for seven days outside the camp, and afterward she may be received again."
Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the LORD until the evening, both he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.
When he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, "Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you are among those who trouble me; for I have given my word to the LORD, and I cannot take it back."
When Solomon had finished praying this entire prayer and supplication to the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread toward heaven.
"Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him."
"This is the word that the LORD has spoken against him: 'She has despised you and mocked you, The virgin daughter of Zion; She has shaken her head behind you, The daughter of Jerusalem!
She looked, and behold, the king was standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpeters were beside the king. And all the people of the land rejoiced and blew trumpets, the singers with their musical instruments leading the praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and said, "Treason! Treason!"
and I said, "O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have risen above our heads and our guilt has grown even to the heavens.
"My bone clings to my skin and my flesh, And I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.
All who see me sneer at me; They separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying,
O clap your hands, all peoples; Shout to God with the voice of joy.
Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.
Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.
I also have become a reproach to them; When they see me, they wag their head.
I gave My back to those who strike Me, And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting.
"For you will go out with joy And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
"The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you, And all those who despised you will bow themselves at the soles of your feet; And they will call you the city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
"Again I will build you and you will be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! Again you will take up your tambourines, And go forth to the dances of the merrymakers.
Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.
and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me."
"Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.
Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy;
Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him,
And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."
After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.
And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food and broke the loaves and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before them; and He divided up the two fish among them all.
Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, "Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,
And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and began to pray,
The Lord turned and looked at Peter And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, "Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times."
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,