dust

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

(storm breath). Symbol of mourning (Josh. 7:6⁶And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. (Joshua 7:6); Isa. 47:1¹Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate. (Isaiah 47:1)); feebleness (Gen. 18:27²⁷And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: (Genesis 18:27); Job 30:19¹⁹He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes. (Job 30:19)); countless numbers (Gen. 13:16¹⁶And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. (Genesis 13:16)); low condition (1 Sam. 2:8⁸He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the world upon them. (1 Samuel 2:8)); rage (2 Sam. 16:13¹³And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust. (2 Samuel 16:13); Acts 22:23²³And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air, (Acts 22:23)); renunciation (Matt. 10:14¹⁴And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. (Matthew 10:14); Mark 6:11¹¹And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. (Mark 6:11); Acts 13:51⁵¹But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. (Acts 13:51)). A sand storm (Deut. 28:24²⁴The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed. (Deuteronomy 28:24)).

Concise Bible Dictionary:

Small particles of matter found on the ground, out of which man was formed, to whom it was said, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Gen. 2:7⁷And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7); Gen. 3:19¹⁹In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. (Genesis 3:19)). “The first man is of the earth, earthy” (1 Cor. 15:47⁴⁷The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:47)). It is used as a symbol of weakness: “he remembereth that we are dust” (Psa. 103:14¹⁴For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. (Psalm 103:14)). To “lick the dust” is figurative of defeat (Psa. 72:9⁹They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. (Psalm 72:9)). To “cast dust upon the head” was a sign of grief (Ezek. 27:30³⁰And shall cause their voice to be heard against thee, and shall cry bitterly, and shall cast up dust upon their heads, they shall wallow themselves in the ashes: (Ezekiel 27:30); Rev. 18:19¹⁹And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. (Revelation 18:19)). To “shake the dust off the feet” on leaving a city where the servants of Christ had been rejected, was leaving them to judgment: not even the dust of their city should be presented before the messengers’ Master (Matt. 10:14¹⁴And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. (Matthew 10:14); Acts 13:51⁵¹But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. (Acts 13:51)). Similarly dust was cast or shaken into the air by men in great indignation (Acts 22:23²³And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air, (Acts 22:23)).

Strong’s Dictionary of Greek Words:

Number:

5522 (find all occurrences in KJV Bible)

Greek:

χόος

Transliteration:

choos

Phonic:

kho’-os

Meaning:

from the base of 5494; a heap (as poured out), i.e. rubbish; loose dirt

KJV Usage:

dust