Topic
Dance
18 passages cited, from 2 classic reference works.
These works date from 1884–1897 and are in the public domain. They reflect the Protestant scholarship of their time: their history, archaeology and dates can be out of date, and where they interpret, other traditions read the text differently. The verses are shown in the King James Version, the wording these works were written against.
The verses
The passages the works cite, those cited by more of them first.
- Exodus 15:20Easton
¶ And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
- Judges 11:34Easton
¶ And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.
- Judges 21:21Easton
And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
- Judges 21:23Easton
And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them.
- 1 Samuel 18:6Easton
And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.
- 2 Samuel 6:14Easton
And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.
- Job 21:11Easton
They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
- Psalms 30:11Easton
Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;
- Psalms 149:3Easton
Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
- Psalms 150:4Easton
Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
- Ecclesiastes 3:4Easton
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
- Isaiah 13:21Easton
But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.
Show 6 more
- Jeremiah 31:4 Easton
- Jeremiah 31:13 Easton
- Matthew 11:1–30 Easton
- Matthew 11:17 Easton
- Matthew 14:6 Easton
- Luke 15:25 Easton
In the reference works
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897) · 24 references
Found in Judg. 21:21, 23; Ps. 30:11; 149:3; 150:4; Jer. 31:4, 13, etc., as the translation of hul, which points to the whirling motion of Oriental sacred dances. It is the rendering of a word (rakad’) which means to skip or leap for joy, in Eccl. 3:4; Job 21:11; Isa. 13:21, etc.
In the New Testament it is in like manner the translation of different Greek words, circular motion (Luke 15:25); leaping up and down in concert (Matt. 11:17), and by a single person (Matt. 14:6).
It is spoken of as symbolical of rejoicing (Eccl. 3:4. Comp. Ps. 30:11; Matt. 11: 17). The Hebrews had their sacred dances expressive of joy and thanksgiving, when the performers were usually females (Ex. 15:20; 1 Sam. 18:6).
The ancient dance was very different from that common among Western nations. It was usually the part of the women only (Ex. 15:20; Judg. 11:34; comp. 5:1). Hence the peculiarity of David’s conduct in dancing before the ark of the Lord (2 Sam. 6:14). The women took part in it with their timbrels. Michal should, in accordance with the example of Miriam and others, have herself led the female choir, instead of keeping aloof on the occasion and “looking through the window.” David led the choir “uncovered”, i.e., wearing only the ephod or linen tunic. He thought only of the honour of God, and forgot himself.
From being reserved for occasions of religious worship and festivity, it came gradually to be practised in common life on occasions of rejoicing (Jer. 31:4). The sexes among the Jews always danced separately. The daughter of Herodias danced alone (Matt. 14:6).
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884) · 0 references
Texts: Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897); Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884), from the CrossWire SWORD modules (public domain). Verse references were parsed from the works' own markup and checked against the KJV verse list.