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
And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, three men standing near him. And when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent-door, and bowed himself to the earth,
And Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his garments,
And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the tambour in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambours and with dances.
thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I, Jehovah thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons to the third and to the fourth generation of them that hate me,
And Jehovah said to Moses, But had her father anyways spat in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? She shall be shut outside the camp seven days, and afterwards she shall be received in again.
And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of Jehovah until the evening, he and the elders of Israel, and threw dust upon their heads.
And when he saw her, he rent his clothes, and said, "Alas, my daughter! you have brought me very low, and you have become the cause of great trouble to me; for I have opened my mouth to the LORD, and I cannot take back my vow."
And it was so, that when Solomon had ended praying all this prayer and supplication to Jehovah, he arose from before the altar of Jehovah, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread forth to the heavens,
Yet I have left myself seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth that hath not kissed him.
This is the word that Jehovah has spoken against him: The virgin-daughter of Zion despiseth thee, laugheth thee to scorn; The daughter of Jerusalem shaketh her head at thee.
And she looked, and behold, the king stood on his dais at the entrance, and the princes and the trumpets were by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets; and the singers were there with the instruments of music, and such as taught to sing praise. And Athaliah rent her garments, and said, Conspiracy! Conspiracy!
and said: O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God; for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up to the heavens.
My bones cleave to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
Yea, then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto +God:
All they that see me laugh me to scorn; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying:
{To the chief Musician. Of the sons of Korah. A Psalm.} All ye peoples, clap your hands; shout unto God with the voice of triumph!
Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before Jehovah our Maker.
Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before Jehovah our Maker.
And I am become a reproach unto them; when they look upon me they shake their heads.
I gave my back to smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
And the children of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee The city of Jehovah, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
I will build thee again, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel! Thou shalt again be adorned with thy tambours, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.
And when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and, his windows being open in his upper chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
and says to him, All these things will I give thee if, falling down, thou wilt do me homage.
And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, as ye go forth out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He has blasphemed: what need have we any more of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard the blasphemy.
Then they spit in his face, and buffeted him, and some struck him with the palms of their hand,
And there comes to him a leper, beseeching him, and falling on his knees to him, and saying to him, If thou wilt thou canst cleanse me.
And looking round upon them with anger, distressed at the hardening of their heart, he says to the man, Stretch out thy hand. And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.
And having taken the five loaves and the two fishes, looking up to heaven, he blessed, and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples that they might set them before them. And the two fishes he divided among all.
And they that passed by reviled him, shaking their heads, and saying, Aha, thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days,
And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and having knelt down he prayed,
And the Lord, turning round, looked at Peter; and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he said to him, Before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice.
But the apostles Barnabas and Paul, having heard it, rent their garments, and rushed out to the crowd, crying
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,