SALUTATION (sal'il-ta'shim), (Heb. baw ..— rak.', to kneel, to bend; , shaw-lome', well, joyous, happy, to he friendly; Gr. &coma pos, as-pas ntos', a salutation or greeting).
(1) Among the Hebrews. The forms of salu tation that prevailed among the Hebrews, so far as can be collected from Scripture, are the follow ing: 1. 'Blessed be thou of the Lord,' or equivalent phrases.
2. The Lord be with thee.
3. 'Peace be unto thee,' or `upon thee,' orsvith !her.' In countries often ravaged, and among people often ruined by war, 'peace' implied every blessing of life; and this phrase had therefore the force of 'Prosperous be thou.' This was the com monest of all salutations (Judg. xix :2o; Ruth ii: 4; t Sam. xxv:6; 2 Sam. xx :9; Ps. cxxix :8).
4. 'Live, my lord' ron) was a common sal utation among the Phoenicians, and was also in use among the Hebrews, but was by them only addressed to their kings in the extended form of 'Let the king live for ever!' (t Kings i :31) ; which was also employed in the Babylonian and Persian courts (Dan. ii :4; iii :9; v :io; Vi :21 ; Neh. ii:3).
5. 'Xa7pe, Xatpere, joy to thee! joy to you!' rendered by Hail! an equivalent of the Latin Ave! Salve! (Matt. xxvii :29; xxviii:9; Mark xv :i8; Luke i :28; John xix :3).
(2) Oriental Methods. The gestures and in flections used in salutation varied with the dignity and station of the person saluted; as is the case with the Orientals at this day. It is usual for the person who gives or returns the salutation, to place at the same time his right hand upon his breast, or to touch his lips, and then his forehead or turban, with the same hand. This latter mode, which is the most respectful, is often performed to a person of superior rank, not only at first, with the salam, but also frequently during a con versation. In some cases the body is gently in clined, while the right hand is laid upon the left breast. A person of the lower orders, in address ing a superior, does not always give the salam, but shows his respect to high rank by bending down his hand to the ground, and then putting it to his lips and forehead. It is a common custom for a man to kiss the hand of his superior instead of his own (generally on the back only, but some times on both back and front), and then to put it to his forehead in order to pay more particular respect. Servants thus evince their respect towards
their masters; when residing in the East, our own servants always did this on such little occasions as arose beyond the usage of their ordinary service; as on receiving a present, or on returning fresh from the public baths. The son also thus kisses the hand of his father, and the wife that of her husband. Very often, however, the superior does not allow this, hut only touches the hand extended to take his ; whereupon the other puts the hand that has been touched to his own bps and forehead. The custom of kissing the beard is still preserved. and follows the first and preliminary gesture ; it usually takes place on meeting after an absence of some duration, and not as an every-day compli ment. in this case, the person who gives the kiss lays the right hand under the beard and raises it slightly to his lips, or rather supports it while it receives his kiss. This custom strikingly illus trates 2 Sam. xx :9. In Arabia Petrzea, and some other parts. it is more usual for persons to lay the right sides of their cheeks together.
Among the Persians, persons in saluting under the same circumstances, often kiss each other on the lips, but if one of the individuals is of high rank, the kiss is given on the cheek instead of the lips. This seems to illustrate 2 Saul. xx :9: Gen xxix:11, 13; Exod. iv:27: xviii :7.
Another mode of salutation is usual among friends on meeting after a journey. Joining their right hands together, each of them compliments the other upon his safety, and expresses his wishes for his welfare, by repeating, alternately, many times the words selanzat (meaning 'I congratulate you on your safety'), and teiyibeen ('I hope you are well'). In commencing this ceremony, which is often continued for nearly a minute before they proceed to make any particular inquiries, they join their hands in the same manner as is usually practiced by us; and at each alternation of the two expressions, change the position of the hands. These circumstances further illustrate such pas as 2 Kings iv :26, 27; Luke x :4. Other par ticulars, more or less connected with this subject, have been considered in ArmunEs and Kiss (which see).