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 shall lift up his eyes and shall see, and behold, three men stood by him: and he will see and will run to meet them from the door of the tent, and will bow himself to the earth.
And Reuben turned back to the pit; and behold, Joseph not in the pit: and he rent his garments.
And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, will take the drum in her hand; and all the women will go forth after her, with drums and with lutes.
Thou shalt not worship to them, and thou shalt not serve them: for I am Jehovah thy God, a jealous God, striking the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons to the third and to the fourth, to them hating me;
And Jehovah will say to Moses, And her father spitting, spit in her face, shall she not be ashamed seven days? She shall be shut seven days without the camp, and afterward she shall be taken back.
And Joshua will rend his garments and will fall upon his face to the earth before the ark of Jehovah even till evening, he and the old men of Israel; and they will lift up dust upon their heads.
And it will be when he saw her, and he will tear his garments, and will say, Alas, my daughter bowing down, thou didst bow me down, and thou art in my trouble: and I opened my mouth to Jehovah, and I shall not be able to turn back.
And it will be as Solomon finished praying to Jehovah all this supplication and prayer, he rose from the face of the altar of Jehovah, from bending upon his knees and his hands spread forth to the heavens.
And I left in Israel seven thousand, all the knees which bowed not to Baal, and every mouth which kissed him not
This the word which Jehovah spake concerning him: The virgin daughter of Zion despised, she derided thee; after thee the daughter of Jerusalem shook her head.
And she will see, and behold, the king standing upon his standing in the coming in, and the chiefs and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoicing, and they clanged upon the trumpets; and those singing with instruments of the song, and those knowing to praise. And Athaliah will rend her garments and say, A conspiracy! a conspiracy!
And saying, My God, I was ashamed and disgraced to lift up my face, O my God, to thee: for our iniquities were multiplied over the head, and our guilt was magnified even to the heavens.
My bone cleaved to my skin and to my flesh, and I shall escape with the skin of my teeth.
For then upon the Almighty shalt thou delight thyself, and thou shalt lift up thy face to God.
All seeing me will deride me: they will gape with the lip, they will shake the head.
To the overseer, to the son of Korah: chanting. All peoples ye shall clap the hand; shout to God with the voice of rejoicing.
Come, we will worship and bow down before Jehovah: he made us.
Come, we will worship and bow down before Jehovah: he made us.
And I was a reproach to them: they will see me and they will shake the head.
My back I gave to those smiting, and my cheeks to those tearing out the hair: and my face I hid not from shame and spittle.
For with joy shall ye go forth, and in peace shall ye be led forth; the mountains and hills shall break forth before you into shouting, and all the trees of the field shall clap the hand.
And sons humbling thee came bowing down to thee: and all they despising thee worshiped at the soles of thy feet; and they called thee, The city of Jehovah, Zion, the Holy One of Israel
I will yet build thee, and thou wert built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt yet be adorned with the tabret, and thou wentest forth into the dance of those playing.
And Daniel as soon as he knew that the writing was signed, went up into his house; and the windows being opened to him in his upper chambers before Jerusalem, three times in the day he kneeled upon his knees, and praying and praising before his God, for the cause that he did from before this
And he says to him, All these will I give to thee, if, falling down, thou wouldst worship me.
And whoever should not receive you, nor hear your words, coming out of that house or that city, shake off the cloud of the dust of your feet.
Then the chief priest tore his garments, saying, That he blasphemed: what further need have we of witnesses? see, now ye have heard his blasphemy.
Then did they spit in his face, and cuffed him, and struck him with a rod:
And a leprous one came to him, beseeching him, and supplicating him on his knees, and saying to him, That if thou wouldst, thou canst cleanse me.
And having looked round upon them with anger, grieved for the hardness of their heart, he says to the man, Stretch out thy hand. And he stretched out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
And having taken the five loaves and two fishes, having looked up to heaven, he praised, and he brake the loaves, and gave to his disciples that they might set before them; and the two fishes he divided to all.
And they going by blasphemed him, shaking their heads, and saying, Ali, thou loosing the temple, and building in three days,
And he was removed from them about a stone's cast, and having placed the knees, he prayed,
And the Lord having turned, looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he said to him, That before the cock utters a sound, thou shalt deny me thrice.
And Barnabas and Paul, the sent, having heard, having rent their garments, rushed in among the crowd, crying out,
For this I bend my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,