8.V.
Courtesy. Orientals are much more studious of politeness in word and act than Europeans (Niebuhr, Bfsdb". p.49; Arvieux, iii, 807). So were undoubted- ly the ancient Hebrews. Inferiors in an interview with superiors (both on meeting and separating, 2 Sam. zviii, 21) were wont to bow (^1 JHn^ri, vpooKwtXv ; see KAstner, De veneratione in S?S. Lips. 1735) low (Gen. six, 1 ; xziii, 7 ; 2 Sam. ix, 6 ; xviii, 21), in proportion to the rank towards the earth (even repeat- edly, Gen. zxxiii, 8 ; 1 Sam. xx, 41). In the pres- ence of princes, high civil officers, etc., persons threw themselves prostrate (at their fioet) upon the ground
(rcriK D^ait rnnTOh, Gen. xUi, 6; I'^ja b? bw,
or •PBK, 1 Sam. xxv, 28; 2 Sam. xiv, 4; 1 Kings xviii, ^7; comp. Judith x, 21 ; nx'nK bgj. Gen. xliv, 14 ; 1, 18 ; 2 Sam. i, 2 ; also simply D-ipfib %&a, 2 Sam. xix,19; comp. Matt, ii, 11 ; Herod. 1,184; ii,80; see Hyde, BeL veL Pers. p. 6 sq. ; Harmer, ii, 89 sq. ; Kype, Observ. 1,8, 410; BikppeU, Abyss, i, 217; ii, 94). They abo bent the knee (2 Kings i, 18 ; comp. Matt xxvii, 29; Acts x, 25). Of other gestures, which in the modem East are customary (Harmer, ii, 84; Shaw, Tras, p. 207; Niebuhr, Trap, i, 282), e. g. laying the
hand on the breast, there is no trace in the Bible. If an inferior mounted on a beast met a superior, ho quick- ly alighted (Arnob. vii, 18; see Orelli ad loc.), and made the due obeisance (Gen. xxiv, 64 ; 1 Sam. xxv, 28; see Niebuhr, Beschr. p. 44, 60; Trap, i, 189). Whether in such cases an individual turned out of the road, like the ancient Egyptians (Herod, ii, 80) and modem Arabians (Niebuhr, Beschr. p. 60), is uncer- tain, but probable. On the greeting by a kiss, which, however, does not appear to have been so usual or varied as among the modem Orientals (see Herod, i, 184 ; Harmer, ii, 86 sq. ; Burckhardt, Arab. p. 229), see ELiss. Rising from a sitting posture before per- sons entitled to respect, such as elders, was early uni- versal (Lev. xix, 82; Job xxiz, 8; comp. Porphyr. Abstin. ii, 61). See Elder. Forms of salutation on meeting or entrance consisted of a pious expression of well-wishing (Gen. xliii, 29; 1 Sam. xxv, 6 ; Judg. vi, 12; 2 Sam. zx, 9; Psa. cxxix, 8; see Harmer, iii, 172) and inquiries concerning the health of the family (2 Kings iv, 26; hence tShwh bKD=to greet, Exod. xviii, 7 ; Judg. xviii, 15 ; 1 Sam. x, 4 ; comp. Gesenius, Thes. Heb. p. 1847). One of the simplest formuIsB was ** Jehovah be with thee;" to which was replied, **The Lord bless thee ;" (Ruth ii, 4). Among the later Jewp, the phrase *illJ"«7, "May it go well with thee," was general (Lightfoot, p. 602). With the modem Arabs the expression of salutation, 8alam aleykum, " Peace be upon you," and the reply, Aleghtm es^akm, ^^ On you be peace," are customary (Niebuhr, Beschr. p. 48 so.; Welsted, Trav. i, 242). The Heb. equivalent, t]9 Dib\r, ** Peace to thee," does not appear in the O. T. (Judg. xix, 20 ; 1 Chron. xii, 18) as a constant form of salutation (yet comp. Luke xxiv, 86; John xx, 26; also Tobit v, 12 ; and comp. on this Purman's Expositio fom. salut. ''Pax Fo6«ctt»," Frcft. a. M. 1799). The Punic greetmg was il w (iin) oi Avodouni (^?^K iin), according to Plautus {Pan. v, 2, 84, 88 ; comp. Av^ovif, AnikoLGr.'my7!b\ epigr. 70). Persons were also sent on their way vrith a similar formula (Tob. v, 28). But besides such set terms, individuals meeting one another made use of verbose methods of inquiring after each other's circumstances (as appears from the prohibition in 2 Kings iv, 29 ; Luke x, 4 ; see Niebuhr, Beschr. p. 49 ; Arvieux, Hi, 162 ; Russel, Aleppo, i, 229 ; Jaubeit, p. 170; RQppell, Abgssin. i, 208). See Salutatioh. Whether the well-known custom among the Greeks and Romans (Homer, Odjfss. xvii, 541 ; Pliny, xxviii, 5; Petron. 98) of wishing well to one who sneezed (which was regarded as ominous, Eustath. ad Odgss. xvii, 545; Ckero^ Dkrin. ii, 40; Pliny, ii, 7; Xenopb. Anab. iii, 2, 9; Propert. U, 2, 84; Augusthie, Doctr. Chr. i, 20 ; comp. Apulci Metam. 9, p. 209, ed. Bip. ; Harduiu ad Plin. xxviii, 5 ; see Wemsdorf, De ritu stemutantibus bene preeandiyiAps. Tin ; Bhan, Z>s more stemutantibus salutem (^fpreeandi, Tigur. 1742), prevail- ed also among the Israelites, is uncertain ; the later Jews observed it, and the Rabbms maintain that it was an ancient usage (Buxtorf, Synag. p. 129).
In conversation (q. v.) the less important person spoke of himself in the third person, and styled him- self the other's servant (Gen. xviii, 8 ; xix, 2 ; xxxiii, 6 ; xliii, 28 ; Judg. xix, 19) and the other master (Gen. xxiv, 18 ; 1 Sam. xxvi, 18, etc). Sometimes he ap- plied, by way of ftirther abasement, epKliets (e. g. dog) of disparagement to himself (2 Sam. ix, 8 ; 2 Kings viii, 18; comp. Oedmann, Bamml v, 42 sq.). The usual title of respect was "^aHK, "My lord" (kter ^yi) ; other respectftU terms were also "^SK, "My father" (especially to prophets, 2 Kings v, 18 ;*vi, 21 ; xiii, 14 ; comp. the Romanist title " father" for priest); on the kter name, '^a'?, " My master, " see Rabbi. The later Jews seem to have utterly excluded, hi their bigotry, the heathen from all salntatioD (Bfatt v, 47 ?), as now,