Biblical Views On Secret Hand Gestures

The Bible does not explicitly discuss "secret hand gestures" in the sense of coded signals used for clandestine communication or occult practices. However, it does refer to hands and gestures in various contexts, including those that are hidden, symbolic, or associated with secret acts.

The hand itself is a fundamental part of the human body, frequently mentioned in scripture for its role in actions such as feeling, taking, holding, working, writing, and making signs ^[1]. The Bible distinguishes between the right and left hands, and notes the fingers and palm ^[1]. Metaphorically, God's hand is described as strengthening or making impotent ^[1].

While there is no direct biblical concept of "secret hand gestures" as a system of communication, the Bible does address secret actions and their implications. For instance, the Babylonian Talmud, in discussing Proverbs 21:14 ("A gift in secret pacifies wrath"), alludes to the phrase "hand to hand" in the context of performing charitable deeds secretly. This suggests that even hidden acts of charity, while seemingly beneficial, do not exempt one from judgment if they are also engaged in adultery ^{[10, 11, 12]}. This interpretation highlights that secrecy in actions, even seemingly good ones, does not escape divine notice.

The concept of secrecy also appears in relation to divine actions and human understanding. In Ezekiel's vision, the "hands of a man under their wings" are interpreted by some as signifying that the operations of divine beings are hidden from human prying, and that their actions are prompted by God's secret will rather than their own power ^[9]. John Gill, in his commentary on Ezekiel, suggests that the "hands of a man" denote action guided by knowledge, and that ministers of the Gospel, like the figures in Ezekiel's vision, have much work to do in various aspects of their ministry ^[13].

The Bible also warns against "secret arts" and enchantments, which involve hidden practices. These are strictly forbidden in scripture, as seen in passages like Leviticus 19:26 and Isaiah 47:9 ^[2]. Such practices, though often performed in secret, are condemned as imposture ^[2]. The persistence of these tendencies is noted, even into the Christian era ^[2].

In Daniel 5:5, the "fingers of a man's hand" appear to write on the wall during Belshazzar's feast. This is a direct, visible manifestation of divine judgment, not a secret gesture, but it is performed by an unseen hand, emphasizing the awe-inspiring and mysterious nature of God's intervention ^[8]. The invisibility of the one moving the fingers heightened the impact of the scene ^[8].

The idea of God hiding or concealing individuals in a "secret place" or "shelter" is found in Psalms 31:20, where it speaks of protection from the schemes and accusing tongues of men ^[4]. This refers to divine protection rather than human secret communication.

The term "hand" is also used in names that carry connotations of secrecy or confession. For example, "Jadau" means "his hand; his confession," and "Nahbi" means "very secret" ^{[5, 7]}. "Tahapenes" is given the meaning "secret temptation" ^[6]. These names, while not directly about gestures, show how the concept of secrecy was integrated into personal identity and understanding.

In a more general sense, gestures are used for communication, as when Paul "beckoned with the hand" to silence a crowd ^[1]. However, these are overt acts, not secret signals. The "kiss of charity" was a customary salutation and a symbol of love in the early Christian church ^[3].

The Bible does not endorse or describe "secret hand gestures" as a legitimate form of communication or spiritual practice. Instead, it often associates secrecy with either divine mystery, forbidden occult practices, or hidden human actions that will ultimately be revealed and judged.

Sources

Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Hands, The — Necessary members of the body -- 1Co 12:21. Parts of, mentioned The palm. -- Isa 49:16; Mt 26:67. The thumb. -- Ex 29:20; Le 14:14,17. The fingers. -- 2Sa 21:20; Da 5:5. God strengthens -- Ge 49:24. God makes impotent -- Job 5:12. Operations of, mentioned Feeling. -- Ps 115:7; 1Jo 1:1. Taking. -- Ge 3:22; Ex 4:4. Holding. -- Jdj 7:20; Re 10:2. Working. -- Pr 31:19; 1Th 4:11. Writing. -- Isa 44:5; Ga 6:11. Making signs. -- Isa 13:2; Ac 12:17. Striking. -- Mr 14:65; Joh 19:3. Distinguished as The right. -- Ac 3:7. The left. -- Ge 14:15; Ac 21:3. Many alike”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Enchantments — The words so translated have several signification: the practice of secret arts, (Exodus 7:11,22; 8:7); "muttered spells," (2 Kings 9:22; Micah 5:12) the charming of serpents, (Ecclesiastes 10:11) the enchantments sought by Balaam, (Numbers 24:1) the use of magic, (Isaiah 47:9,12) Any resort to these methods of imposture was strictly forbidden in Scripture, (Leviticus 19:26; Isaiah 47:9) etc.; but to eradicate the tendency is almost impossible, (2 Kings 17:17) and we find it still flourishing at the Christian era. (Acts 13:6,8)”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Kiss — Kissing the lips by way of affectionate salutation was customary among near relatives of both sexes, in both patriarchal and later times. (Genesis 29:11; Song of Solomon 8:1) Between individuals of the same sex, and in a limited degree between those of different sexes, the kiss on the cheek as a mark of respect or an act of salutation has at all times been customary in the East, and can hardly be said to be extinct even in Europe. In the Christian Church the kiss of charity was practiced not only as a friendly salutation, but as an act symbolical of love and Ch”
Psalms “Psalms 31:20 (BSB) — You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the schemes of men. You conceal them in Your shelter from accusing tongues.”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Jadau — his hand; his confession”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Tahapenes — secret temptation”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Nahbi — very secret”
Daniel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Daniel 5:5: In the same hour--that the cause of God's visitation might be palpable, namely, the profanation of His vessels and His holy name. fingers of . . . hand--God admonishes him, not by a dream (as Nebuchadnezzar had been warned), or by a voice, but by "fingers coming forth," the invisibility of Him who moved them heightening the awful impressiveness of the scene, the hand of the Unseen One attesting his doom before the eyes of himself and his guilty fellow revellers. against the candlestick--the candelabra; where the mystic characters would be best seen.”
Ezekiel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ezekiel 1:8: The hands of each were the hands of a man. The hand is the symbol of active power, guided by skilfulness (Psa 78:72). under their wings--signifying their operations are hidden from our too curious prying; and as the "wings" signify something more than human, namely, the secret prompting of God, it is also implied that they are moved by it and not by their own power, so that they do nothing at random, but all with divine wisdom. they four had . . . faces and . . . wings--He returns to what he had stated already in Eze 1:6; this gives a reason why th”
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 99b.9:1: Even if the one who committed adultery performs charitable deeds secretly, as alluded to in the phrase “hand to hand,” and even if one might think that one who does so will go unpunished, as it is written with regard to charity of this kind: “A gift in secret pacifies wrath” (Proverbs 21:14), nevertheless, he will not be unpunished from the judgment of Gehenna.”
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 99a.9:1: Even if the one who committed adultery performs charitable deeds secretly, as alluded to in the phrase “hand to hand,” and even if one might think that one who does so will go unpunished, as it is written with regard to charity of this kind: “A gift in secret pacifies wrath” (Proverbs 21:14), nevertheless, he will not be unpunished from the judgment of Gehenna.”
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 5a.1: Even if the one who committed adultery performs charitable deeds secretly, as alluded to in the phrase “hand to hand,” and even if one might think that one who does so will go unpunished, as it is written with regard to charity of this kind: “A gift in secret pacifies wrath” (Proverbs 21:14), nevertheless, he will not be unpunished from the judgment of Gehenna.”
Ezekiel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ezekiel 1:8: And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides,.... "Hands of a man" denote action, according to knowledge; ministers of the Gospel are men of practice and business, as well as have the theory and knowledge of things; and they act like men in a rational way, according to the will of God revealed in the word: and these being "on their four sides", show that they have much work to do all around, on every side; in ministering the word, administering ordinances; visiting their people; giving counsel, caution, comfort, exhortation, instruction, &c. a”

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