15. Etiquette

Etiquette

1. The Israelites, like other Orientals, gave stronger manifestations of their feelings of respect or dislike, than has ever been usual among western nations. In most cases their manner would express more, and ours less, than the real feeling; and, in general, the etiquette of Orientals is more refined than might be expected from their condition in life. Domestic servants who, in families of consideration, were foreign slaves, behaved with great submission and respect, and, when in actual attendance, stood at a distance with crossed arms, watching the slightest motion of the master’s and (Psa 123:2). When equals, being friends, met they kissed each other’s beards, as do the Arabians, placing the hand underneath (2Sa 20:9). Sometimes, the cheeks were merely placed together, and this also is described as a kiss or salutation. The kisses of affection, were on the lips and cheeks in women, and the beard and cheeks in men; the kiss of respect and homage was upon the brow (Gen 27:26; Exo 4:27; 1Sa 10:1; 2Sa 15:5; 2Sa 19:39; Psa 2:12; Pro 24:26; Mat 26:49; Acts 20:37). In meeting, they asked each other of their health, and the health of their connections, which, with other ceremonies; consumed so much time that persons charged with urgent messages were enjoined to salute no one by the way (2Ki 4:29; Luk 10:4).

Eastern Forms of Bowing

Various forms of bowing and prostration are mentioned in Scripture. The most usual, as now, were to bow or incline the head, in doing which the Orientals lay the right hand upon the heart (Gen 24:26; 1Ki 1:16; 1Ki 1:31, etc.); to bow the body very low “with the face towards the ground,” without bending the knees (1Sa 25:23; 1Sa 28:14; 2Sa 14:33; 1Ki 1:23; 2Ch 7:3, etc.); to bend the knees (Num 24:9; Jdg 7:6; 1Ki 19:18); to kneel, in worship (2Ch 6:13; Psa 95:6; Dan 6:11); and to prostrate one’s-self upon the ground, which was done either as an act of worship to God, or in reverence, homage, or humiliation before man (Gen 22:5; 1Sa 1:3; 2Sa 9:8; Psa 45:12; Acts 10:25-26; Rev 19:20; Rev 22:9).

Prostration

Head on the Ground

Kissing the Feet

Kissing the Hand

This last posture consisted sometimes in groveling flat upon the ground; but more usually with the knees bent, and the forehead rested on the earth. Other marks of reverence were, kissing the feet of the person reverenced, or the hem of his garment (Mat 9:20; Luk 7:38), which acts were usually connected with some of the postures of respect which have been mentioned. In their greetings nearly the same verbal salutations were in use as we now find among the Arabians and other Moslems. The most usual were, “Peace be with thee” (Jdg 19:20; 1Sa 25:6; 1Ch 12:18; Luk 24:36); “The blessing of the Lord be upon thee” (Psa 129:8); “Blessed be thou of the Lord” (Ruth 3:10; 1Sa 23:21). There is a pleasing instance of the interchange of salutations in the case of Boaz, who said to his reapers, “The Lord be with you,” and was answered, “The Lord bless thee” (Ruth 2:4).

2. It has always been the custom in the East for an inferior to make a present to a superior, when paying him a visit, or seeking any favor from him; and this custom was very prevalent among the Jews (Pro 18:16). It was considered a mark of respect which it would be uncivil to omit, even when the present was merely complimentary, and of no intrinsic value; and it might consist of money, different articles of food, clothes, arms, or anything which could, according to his means, evince the respect of the party making the offering (Gen 43:11; 1Sa 9:7; 1Sa 16:20; Job 42:11). Kings and princes were in the habit of making presents as marks of distinction and favor to those whom they wished to honor. These were generally dresses of more or less value (Gen 45:22-23; Est 8:15); and there was a royal wardrobe in which such garments were kept (2Ch 9:24). The most distinguished honor of this kind, was to receive a robe which the prince had himself worn (1Sa 18:4); and it was a great affront if the garment thus presented was not immediately and publicly worn (Mat 22:11-12).

3. When kings and princes entered their cities in state, it was usual to lay the dust by sprinkling the streets, to strew the road with flowers and branches of trees, and even to spread the ground with cloth, or with garments; while the spectators, crowding on the house-tops, and at the opened lattices fronting the street, clapped their hands and shouted for joy at other times they performed their obeisance in silence as the great one passed (2Sa 16:16; 1Ki 1:40; 2Ki 9:13; Isa 42:11; Zec 9:9; Mat 21:7-9).

4. The modes of showing insult and inflicting disgrace, among the Israelites, were very significant, although they appear to us childish. They consisted of maltreating the beard, as formerly mentioned; of plucking off the hair (Isa 50:6), and of spitting in the face (Isa 50:6; Mark 14:65). To put men to the employments of women was a dreadful degradation (Jdg 16:21; Lam 5:13); and clapping the hands, hissing, thrusting out the tongue and making a wide mouth, crunching the teeth, and wagging the head, are described as modes in which the populace testified their hatred, or showed malignant exultation or contempt (Job 27:23; Psa 57:4; Psa 112:10; Psa 124:6). But perhaps the greatest and most intolerable insult, was to cast contempt upon a man’s mother: thus Saul, to insult his son, spoke contemptuously of his own wife (1Sa 20:30); and more than once David speaks slightingly of his own sister Zeruiah, to humble her sons (2Sa 3:39; 2Sa 16:10; 2Sa 19:22). In popular tumults the people testified the vehemence of their rage by casting dust into the air (Acts 22:23). The dead were dishonored by denying them the rites of sepulture (Rev 11:8-9); by casting the great into the graves of the common people (Jer 26:23); by disinterring them after burial (Jer 8:1); or by exposing them to be devoured by ravenous beasts, and forbidding them to be publicly lamented (Jer 16:5-7; Jer 19:7; Jer 22:18-19).