Dust

Out of the ground came the first man: “the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life” (Genesis 2:7). Dust is where people begin and where they end, as Genesis 3:19 says plainly. Because of that, dust also becomes the sign of grief and humility. Joshua falls before the ark with dust on his head, Job’s friends sprinkle it on theirs, and Job himself says he repents “in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6). Jesus tells his followers to shake the dust of a rejecting town off their feet (Matthew 10:14). Few images carry both our smallness and God’s gift of breath.

9 verses

Genesis

Genesis 2:7

And 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 3:19

In 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.

Joshua

Joshua 7:6

And 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.

1 Samuel

1 Samuel 4:12

And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.

2 Samuel

2 Samuel 1:2

It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.

2 Samuel 15:30

And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

Job

Job 2:12

And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

Job 42:6

Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

Matthew

Matthew 10:14

And 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.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

Storms of sand and dust sometimes overtake Eastern travellers. They are very dreadful, many perishing under them. Jehovah threatens to bring on the land of Israel, as a punishment for forsaking him, a rain of “powder and dust” (Deut. 28:24).

To cast dust on the head was a sign of mourning (Josh. 7:6); and to sit in dust, of extreme affliction (Isa. 47:1). “Dust” is used to denote the grave (Job 7:21). “To shake off the dust from one’s feet” against another is to renounce all future intercourse with him (Matt. 10:14; Acts 13:51). To “lick the dust” is a sign of abject submission (Ps. 72:9); and to throw dust at one is a sign of abhorrence (2 Sam. 16:13; comp. Acts 22:23).

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