Dance Scriptures
Machol
Dance Ministries
I was raised in a church (Baptist, in case you’re interested) where I was taught that dance was worldly and not appropriate for the church. Sounded good to me, how could they be wrong? Then one day I read this scripture…
Psalm 150:4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance.
Imagine how surprised I was! It surely must be a fluke, only mentioned just once in the scripture! But then I found this…
Jeremiah 31:13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
Hmmm! Dance again! But did I read that correctly… both young men and old together …?
How could this be? Men don’t dance … not in this country … not manly men, anyway!
Then I found this one…
2 Samuel 6:14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might…
Wow! David had always been my favorite Old Testament person, and not only had he danced before the Lord, but also with all his might… Was there ever a more manly man than King David? He had killed thousands of Philistines, yet he was a man after God’s own heart.
This started me on an intense study of dance in the scriptures and the Hebrew words…
*The scripture words highlighted in RED indicate where the Hebrew word is found in each scripture.
Chagag: to hold a feast; move in a circle; to dance; to be giddy; march in a sacred procession, reel to and fro.
Exodus 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.
Leviticus 23:39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep (chagag) a feast (chag) unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.Gul: to spin around under the influence of a violent emotion; usually translated “rejoice”.
Psalm 9:14 That I may show forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation.
The word is rejoice, but it means to dance, no question about it!
Zepheniah 3:17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
This quickly became a favorite for me as I realized that God also rejoiced (or danced) over me!
Machol: A round dance; to twist or whirl in a circular or spiral manner.
Psalm 30:11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;
Jeremiah 31:13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their
sorrow.Mecholah: A dance company.
Exodus 15:20 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.
1 Samuel 18:6 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 music.
Pazaz: to spring as if separating the limbs; leap; be made strong, to be agile.
2 Samuel 6:16 And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping (pazaz) and dancing (karar) before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.
Raqad: to stamp; to spring about wildly or for joy; to jump, leap, or skip.
1 Chronicles 15:29 And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart.
Scripture also said she was barren. Was this a result of her envy and despising of David’s worship before the Lord?
Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Karar: to whirl.
2 Samuel 6:14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.
2 Samuel 6:16 And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping (pazaz) and dancing (karar) before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.
Chul: to twist or whirl in a circular or spiral manner; …also fear, tremble, and travail.
Judges 21:21-23 21And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances (mecholah), 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. 22And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them for our sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war: for ye did not give unto them at this time, that ye should be guilty. 23And 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.
Ok! But these are all Old Testament! Does the New Testament have anything to say about dancing? Let’s look and see…this time in Greek…
Orcheomai: to dance; a dance from ranklike or regular motion.
Matthew 11:17 And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.
Luke 7:32 They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.
Agalliao: to jump for joy: to exult; to rejoice.
Matthew 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Luke 1:46-47 46And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
Luke 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
Could this be the same concerning dance? Has it been hidden for and season, and is now being revealed to “babes”, or to those with a heart to embrace it?
Choros: a band of dancers and singers; circular dance; a ring that is round.
Luke 15:25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.
In this story of the Prodigal Son, there was much rejoicing and dancing because the lost son had returned home.
What else can be said? If scripture commands us even once to praise Him with dance, are we not bound to do so if we really love Him and want to honor him? It’s never too late to start.
