A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

James Hastings • SECTION 493

Section 493

← A Dictionary of the Bible — Volume 4

SALTWORT (Job 30* RV).— See Mallows.

charity claims that he shall at least be dismissed wth /ktmmendation to the ^'vme car^ home^ thin- of formal di;,'nity mingles al.-o w tU tlie S salutations in the family Some of the chief occasions of salutation are: the buth ot a son a marr1a°e, the meeting of relatives away from h^iiie th; return of a friend from a journey, the

norae,_tue ict ^ ^ ,^„„„„,. Salutations are also

appe

SAJLU (Ni'rc).— The father of Zimri the Simeonite chief who was slain, along with the Midianitish woman by Phinehas, Nu 25" (B SaX^jci., A 2aXu,, ir SaxZ). 1 Mac 2^ (SaX^M. hence AV Salom).

SALUM (A SaXo*;» B om.), / Es 5- = Shallnm the head of a family of porters (cf . Ezr 2"). CaUed Sallumus, 1 Es 9^.

'^'^"^bv'?.^ rir- bt"? oVo^^ftfJ [Utl^'^ask Ketea^of ^ in ^^^1,^^^^^^^^^^ ^ AV ' sreet'l).— In the modem East some word or act of salutation accompanies all social intercourse tSe phrases and gestures be ng n^P^^'f J. ^/«°;^ °= to tlie occasion and the relationship of the parties It is against all the courtesies of Oriental life to deliver'any message. ««k information or pa^to any matter of business, without some form of salu- tation bv which inquiry is made after each other s weUare, and goodwill is^expressed. Thus a traveller Teekin^ direction from a peasant by the roadside mutt Srst hail him by expressing a wish that his toU may bring an ample reward. Similarly, a purchaser on entering a shop, before mentioning wl at he wants or engaging in the usual sword- play about the price, must salute the merchant (viti. the wish that the day may prove oneof ^ess^ inc and profit. Remoteness from cities and centres of civUization does not mean ignorance of such etiouette, as the Bedawin of the desert excel in ffio teness. No inferiority of position is aUowed to excuse the omission of such courtesy : the ^e.-ar at the door expects a salutation along with the copper or piece of bread, and. if refused

oiicred to the host after partakmg of refresti. monts upon meeting a feTlow-traveller on the rolld anYon visits o1 respect to ecclesiastical or govorniuent officials. „„,i„rT. nwps

^ Oriental salutation, ancient and modern "wes much of its originating motive and d'^tinttn en.ss of character to the toUowing facts of Oriental

^'^li^Th^ strong sense of personal <iionityo.mong OriLtals.-m Job 29 there is an enn™«J'\t^^°^ ° the elements of Oriental gie^tness, and a destrip tion of the happiness of the man who is met- on every side by the reverence, obedience, and loving eratftude of those to whom he has been a bene- factor The same sense of dignity implies a quiche rec^mition of affront, and a strong feeing of inKtion when the claim to respect is repudi- ated Hence the complaint over tfie cessation of the wonted reverence i'n Job 30 The narrative m the Ck. of Esther turns upon the salutation t^ia^ AtnrdMai refused to Hanian. Christ s urieui-ai Ers'would be deeply ^Uned bv the appea o the affronted guest Lk 1»-^), and by tie list oi indi^Ses helped upon the neglected .k>ng (Mt 25^^). The ancient sculptures and pa.nings of Assyria and Eg>-pt show the forms of prostration 4 vChgods SiS kings were saluted and suppli^ cated Similar formalities are mentioned in the Bible as being employed in^ordinary^ sociaUife

(Gn 32"-»; 33^ 1 S

oyeu ui uiiiii»'>'*j — -■— ^ 5i)-3i)_ The usual salute ot

• Both these pa'sages, judging by the context, evidently refer toth^^ele^^th^^^^ jranqu.Bhrf, in ''« 1^«" 't^' i^^uld have been encountered at

the latter U the correct account, and that the lormer u an M this plac«.

ikk5^of^=i^o^:s;iris=i ! Slt:^^/^i^ t!:n5=^S

^ rrn IsYr Tite ^mX n,S: f'm'ol Slu rtion i's to'knelflnd clasp aU kiss the et

^telcetucitlUTn bXalf ^f o^esJu oTa l^nd ^ K 4") When words fail, and there are no more l!iL*t^;shed.thiso.toryof.^^^^^^^^^^

rner(Ps51>^). if is the power o^f weakness over 8tren<^th through the confession of weakness

Si's -rr j .issv'srw^tS

urgent or important has to be done, the early morning is chosen, so that, if possible, Tff^°'

S=r^^=^^v^rs^r'i"^^H^ £^'\=iniS-"Hrf^'s\i^f'^>^

bi^gfa'ense^T^e^dfd comfort in the salutation of peace io^'7V shdld^n, elp^vv). implying both the safety r^iiine^totectio^^^^^^^^^

\Tl"^^^ S>5"49'. 1 ChV2-, Mk 5-). The ques-

SALUTATION

SALVATION, SAVIOUR

357

and Cliristians shrink from bcsto.viny upon each o'.her the sjilutation of peace. To the Moslem especially it seems heterodox to wish peace to tlie iniidcl, and an impertinence to be thus saluted by him. These limitations are left behind in Mt 5^'. Hence the directness of the question, ' Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?' (.Jos 5"), and the an.xious inquiry, ' Is it peace ? ' (2 K O""**). Hence al^o ihe abhorrence of deceitful salutation (Ps 28', Jer e" 8", Ezk 13'°). The ordinary hail of travellers on the road is the old formula mentioned in Ps US", Mt 21" 23*', 'Blessed is he that conieth.' Among relatives and familiar friends the form of Balutation after an interval of separation is to kiss on both cheeks, or on each side of the neck. It is the kiss of brotherly love, and is frequently re- ferred to in Scripture (Gn 27=' 29"- " 31" 33-', E.x 4", Ps 85" ; cf. Ko 1G'«, 1 Co 16=°, 2 Co 13" ' Salute one another with a holy kiss,' similarly 1 Th 5* ' Salute all the brethren with a holy kiss,' and 1 P 5" ' Salute one another with a kiss of love '). In the ca.se of children saluting their parents, scholars their teachers, and servants their masters, the custom is to stand, and, bowing down, to kiss the hand. In Oriental letters the opening sentence frequently begins with the e.xpression, 'After kissing 3'our hands,' as a token of respect. This reverential salutation of ki.ssing the hands is always given to priests, rabbis, and sheikhs of religion. It was the salutation claimed by the Pharisees (Mk 12**). Absalom chan<'ed the salutation of respect to that of equal friendship (2 S 15°-'). There prevails at the present time a compromise of courtesy by which one seizes the li.and of a friend in order to give the kiss of veneration, but the other defeats the design by quickly withdrawing his hand as soon as his lingers have been touched. See art. Kiss.

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