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 lifteth up his eyes and looketh, and lo, three men standing by him, and he seeth, and runneth to meet them from the opening of the tent, and boweth himself towards the earth,
And Reuben returneth unto the pit, and lo, Joseph is not in the pit, and he rendeth his garments,
And Miriam the inspired one, sister of Aaron, taketh the timbrel in her hand, and all the women go out after her, with timbrels and with choruses;
Thou dost not bow thyself to them, nor serve them: for I, Jehovah thy God, am a zealous God, charging iniquity of fathers on sons, on the third generation, and on the fourth, of those hating Me,
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'And her father had but spat in her face -- is she not ashamed seven days? she is shut out seven days at the outside of the camp, and afterwards she is gathered.'
And Joshua rendeth his garments, and falleth on his face to the earth before the ark of Jehovah till the evening, he and the elders of Israel, and they cause dust to go up on their head.
And it cometh to pass, when he seeth her, that he rendeth his garments, and saith, 'Alas, my daughter, thou hast caused me greatly to bend, and thou hast been among those troubling me; and I -- I have opened my mouth unto Jehovah, and I am not able to turn back.'
And it cometh to pass, at Solomon's finishing to pray unto Jehovah all this prayer and supplication, he hath risen from before the altar of Jehovah, from bending on his knees, and his hands spread out to the heavens,
and I have left in Israel seven thousand, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that hath not kissed him.'
this is the word that Jehovah spake concerning him: 'Trampled on thee -- laughed at thee, Hath the virgin daughter of Zion Behind thee shaken the head -- Hath the daughter of Jerusalem?
and seeth, and lo, the king is standing by his pillar in the entrance, and the heads, and the trumpets are by the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and shouting with trumpets, and the singers with instruments of song, and the teachers, to praise, and Athaliah rendeth her garments, and saith, 'Conspiracy, conspiracy.'
and say, 'O my God, I have been ashamed, and have blushed to lift up, O my God, my face unto Thee, for our iniquities have increased over the head, and our guilt hath become great unto the heavens.
To my skin and to my flesh Cleaved hath my bone, And I deliver myself with the skin of my teeth.
For then on the Mighty thou delightest thyself, And dost lift up unto God thy face,
All beholding me do mock at me, They make free with the lip -- shake the head,
To the Overseer. -- By sons of Korah. A Psalm. All ye peoples, clap the hand, Shout to God with a voice of singing,
Come in, we bow ourselves, and we bend, We kneel before Jehovah our Maker.
Come in, we bow ourselves, and we bend, We kneel before Jehovah our Maker.
And I -- I have been a reproach to them, They see me, they shake their head.
My back I have given to those smiting, And my cheeks to those plucking out, My face I hid not from shame and spitting.
For with joy ye go forth, And with peace ye are brought in, The mountains and the hills Break forth before you with singing, And all trees of the field clap the hand.
And come unto thee, bowing down, Have sons of those afflicting thee, And bowed themselves to the soles of thy feet Have all despising thee, And they have cried to thee: 'City of Jehovah, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.'
Again do I build thee, And thou hast been built, O virgin of Israel, Again thou puttest on thy tabrets, And hast gone out in the chorus of the playful.
And Daniel, when he hath known that the writing is signed, hath gone up to his house, and the window being opened for him, in his upper chamber, over-against Jerusalem, three times in a day he is kneeling on his knees, and praying, and confessing before his God, because that he was doing it before this.
and saith to him, 'All these to thee I will give, if falling down thou mayest bow to me.'
'And whoever may not receive you nor hear your words, coming forth from that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet,
Then the chief priest rent his garments, saying, -- 'He hath spoken evil; what need have we yet of witnesses? lo, now ye heard his evil speaking;
Then did they spit in his face and buffet him, and others did slap,
and there doth come to him a leper, calling on him, and kneeling to him, and saying to him -- 'If thou mayest will, thou art able to cleanse me.'
And having looked round upon them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their heart, he saith to the man, 'Stretch forth thy hand;' and he stretched forth, and his hand was restored whole as the other;
And having taken the five loaves and the two fishes, having looked up to the heaven, he blessed, and brake the loaves, and was giving to his disciples, that they may set before them, and the two fishes divided he to all,
And those passing by were speaking evil of him, shaking their heads, and saying, 'Ah, the thrower down of the sanctuary, and in three days the builder!
And he was withdrawn from them, as it were a stone's cast, and having fallen on the knees he was praying,
And the Lord having turned did look on Peter, and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he said to him -- 'Before a cock shall crow, thou mayest disown me thrice;'
and having heard, the apostles Barnabas and Paul, having rent their garments, did spring into the multitude, crying
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,