Lift Up Your Heads

We are increasingly conscious of the significance of our body language in our everyday interactions. The writers of the Bible were also aware of the role this nonverbal form of communication played and have recorded aspects of this in their narratives, or used idioms based on such gestures as head or hand movements, eye contact, and modes of dress. As with spoken or written language, postures and gestures need to be interpreted against a cultural background. This book provides a comprehensive overview of this rich world of nonverbal communication in the Old and New Testaments for the general reader and scholar alike.

"In this fascinating volume John Davies draws attention to the importance of nonverbal communication in the Bible and its world by presenting a very rich survey of biblical and non-biblical sources. He demonstrates how attention to this important aspect of communication can add an extra dimension to understanding the Old and New Testaments. I recommend it to all readers of the Bible, who will learn much from this book."

--Ian Young, Associate Professor of Biblical Studies and Classical Hebrew, University of Sydney

John A. Davies is Principal Emeritus of Christ College, Sydney, Australia.