Adoration
The acts and postures by which the Hebrews expressed adoration bear a great similarity to those still in use among Oriental nations. To rise up and suddenly prostrate the body was the most simple method; but, generally speaking, the prostration was conducted in a more formal manner, the person falling upon the knee and then gradually inclining the body until the forehead touched the ground.
Such prostration was usual in the worship of Jehovah, (Genesis 17:3; Psalms 95:6) it was the formal mode of receiving visitors, (Genesis 18:2) of doing obeisance to one of superior station, (2 Samuel 14:4) and of showing respect to equals. (1 Kings 2:19) It was accompanied by such acts as a kiss, (Exodus 18:7) laying hold of the knees or feet of the person to whom the adoration was paid, (Matthew 28:9) and kissing the ground on which he stood.
(Psalms 72:9; Micah 7:17) Similar adoration was paid to idols, (1 Kings 19:18) sometimes, however, the act consisted simply in kissing the hand to the object of reverence, (Job 31:27) and in kissing the statue itself. (Hosea 13:2)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Adoration
Adoration ad-o-ra'-shun: Though this word never occurs in English Versions, it represents aspects of worship which are very prominent in the Bible. ⇒See also the McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia. I. Etymology. The word is derived from Latin adorare = (1) "to speak to," (2) "to beseech," "entreat," (3) "to do homage," "to worship"; from the Latin, os (oris), mouth. Some have supposed that the root os points to the Roman practice of applying the hand to the mouth, i.e. kissing the hand to (a person or thing), as a token of homage. II. Meaning. Adoration is intense admiration culminating in reverence and worship, together with the outward acts and attitudes which accompany such reverence. It thus includes both the subjective sentiments, or feelings of the soul, in the presence of some superior object or person, and the appropriate physical expressions of such sentiments in outward acts of homage or of worship. In its widest sense it includes reverence to beings other than God, especially to monarchs, who in oriental countries were regarded with feelings of awe. But it finds its…
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Adoration
Under this term may be con- veniently considered certain phases or worship. The word itself does not occur either in AV or Rv, but both the disposition of mind and heart, and the outward expressions of that disposition, which are alike denoted by it, receive abundant illus- tration. From one of the actions expressive of A., — namely, lifting the hand to tlie mouth, either in order to indicate that the worshipper was dumb in the sacred presence, or, more commonly, to kiss it and then wave it towards the statue of the god, — the term itself is often supposed to be derived (admoventes oribus suis dexteram, Apul. Met. iv. 28 ; cf. Pliny, NH xxviii. 5 ; Min. Felbc, Oct. ii.). This practice of kissing the hand, accompanied by certain other gestures, was, among the Romans, the special meaning of adoratio as distinguished from oratio or prayer. It was, in antiquity, expressive of the deepest respect, and is alluded to in Job 31", possibly also in 1 K 19'», Ps 2'^ Hos 13». Adorare is however a compound verb, meaning, first, ' to address,' then, ' to entreat, to supplicate,' and, finally, ' to…
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia