Obeisance

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

OBEISANCE . Obeisance is obedience (coming into Eng. through the French). It occurs only in the phrases ‘do obeisance’ and ‘make obeisance,’ and only in the OT. The meaning of the Heb. so translated is to prostrate oneself in token of reverence or for worship.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( n.) A manifestation of obedience; an expression of difference or respect; homage; a bow; a courtesy.

(2): ( n.) Obedience.

King James Dictionary

OBE'ISANCE, n. L. obedio.

A bow or courtesy an act of reverence made by an inclination of the body or the knee.  Genesis 37 .

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Genesis 37:7 43:28

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(a frequent rendering of שָׁחָה , Shachah', in Hithpael, to Bow one's self in reverence). In  1 Kings 1:16, when Bathsheba presented herself to David, it is said, "And Bathsheba bowed and did obeisance unto the king; and the king said, What wouldest thou?" In India, "When a husband goes on a journey, or when he returns," Roberts says, "his wife on seeing him puts her hands together, and presents them to him as an act of obeisance. When she has an important request to make, she does the same thing; and it is surprising to see the weakness of him who pretends to be the stronger vessel, for, undersuch circumstances, she will gain almost anything she wants. Hence the force of their popular proverb, ‘ The woman who regularly makes obeisance to her husband, can make it rain whenever she pleases.' When Bathsheba made her obeisance to the king, he asked, ‘ What wouldest ‘ thou?' but the Hebrew has this, ‘ What to thee?' This accords with the idiom of the Tamul language. Thus it will be asked of a person who stands with his hands presented to a great man, ‘ To thee what?' If speaking of a third person, ‘ To him what?' or, literally, ‘ Him to what?' (See Attitude); (See Bowing); (See Courtesy); (See Salutation).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ṓ - bā´sans  : It is used 9 times in the King James Version in the phrase "made (or did) obeisance" as a rendering of the reflexive form of ( שׁחה , shāḥāh ), and denotes the bow or curtsey indicative of deference and respect. The same form of the verb is sometimes translated "to bow one's self" when it expresses the deferential attitude of one person to another (  Genesis 33:6 ,  Genesis 33:7 , etc.). Occasionally the vow of homage or fealty to a king on the part of a subject is suggested. In Joseph's dream his brother's sheaves made obeisance to his sheaf ( Genesis 43:28; compare also  2 Samuel 15:5;  2 Chronicles 24:17 ). But in a large number of instances the verb denotes the prostrate posture of the worshipper in the presence of Deity, and is generally rendered, "to worship" in the King James Version. In all probability this was the original significance of the word ( Genesis 24:26 , etc.). Obeisance (= obedience) originally signified the vow of obedience made by a vassal to his lord or a slave to his master, but in time denoted the act of bowing as a token of respect.