Kisses in the Bible

32 passages of the Berean Standard Bible, line by line, from Nave’s Topical Bible.

Greetings and farewells

Jacob kisses Rachel at the well and weeps aloudGen 29:11
The verses
Gen 29:11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
Laban kisses his grandchildren and daughters goodbyeGen 31:55
The verses
Gen 31:55Early the next morning, Laban got up and kissed his grandchildren and daughters and blessed them. Then he left to return home.
Esau runs to Jacob, embraces him and kisses himGen 33:4
The verses
Gen 33:4Esau, however, ran to him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.
Joseph kisses each of his brothers, weepingGen 45:15
The verses
Gen 45:15Joseph kissed each of his brothers as he wept over them. And afterward his brothers talked with him.
Aaron meets Moses at the mountain of God and kisses himExod 4:27
The verses
Exod 4:27Meanwhile, the LORD had said to Aaron, “Go and meet Moses in the wilderness.” So he went and met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him.
Moses bows to his father-in-law and kisses himExod 18:7
The verses
Exod 18:7So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and went into the tent.
Naomi kisses her daughters-in-law; Orpah kisses her goodbyeRuth 1:9, Ruth 1:14
The verses
Ruth 1:9May the LORD enable each of you to find rest in the home of your new husband.” And she kissed them as they wept aloud
Ruth 1:14Again they wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.
David and Jonathan kiss and weep together1 Sam 20:41
The verses
1 Sam 20:41When the young man had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone, fell facedown, and bowed three times. Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and wept together—though David wept more.
David kisses Barzillai at the Jordan2 Sam 19:39
The verses
2 Sam 19:39So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and Barzillai returned home.
Elisha asks to kiss his father and mother goodbye1 Kgs 19:20
The verses
1 Kgs 19:20So Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I will follow you.” “Go on back,” Elijah replied, “for what have I done to you?”
The father runs to his returning son and kisses himLuke 15:20
The verses
Luke 15:20So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
The Ephesian elders embrace Paul and kiss himActs 20:37
The verses
Acts 20:37They all wept openly as they embraced Paul and kissed him.

Family and affection

Isaac: “Come near and kiss me, my son”Gen 27:26–27
The verses
Gen 27:26–27Then his father Isaac said to him, “Please come near and kiss me, my son.” So he came near and kissed him. When Isaac smelled his clothing, he blessed him and said: “Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed.
Old Jacob, almost blind, kisses Joseph’s sonsGen 48:10
The verses
Gen 48:10Now Israel’s eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought his sons to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.
Joseph weeps over his dead father and kisses himGen 50:1
The verses
Gen 50:1Then Joseph fell upon his father’s face, wept over him, and kissed him.
Samuel anoints Saul and kisses him1 Sam 10:1
The verses
1 Sam 10:1Then Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance?
King David kisses Absalom after his return2 Sam 14:33
The verses
2 Sam 14:33So Joab went and told the king, and David summoned Absalom, who came to him and bowed facedown before him. Then the king kissed Absalom.
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!”Song 1:2
The verses
Song 1:2Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is more delightful than wine.
An honest answer is like a kiss on the lipsProv 24:26
The verses
Prov 24:26An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.

Kisses that deceive

The kisses of an enemy are deceitfulProv 27:6
The verses
Prov 27:6The wounds of a friend are faithful, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Absalom wins people over by kissing them2 Sam 15:5
The verses
2 Sam 15:5Also, when anyone approached to bow down to him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him, and kiss him.
Joab grabs Amasa’s beard to kiss him and stabs him2 Sam 20:9–10
The verses
2 Sam 20:9–10“Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him. Amasa was not on guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach and spilled out his intestines on the ground. And Joab did not need to strike him again, for Amasa was dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.
Judas: “The One I kiss is the man”Matt 26:48–49, Luke 22:48
The verses
Matt 26:48–49Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man; arrest Him.” Going directly to Jesus, he said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
Luke 22:48But Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

Worship and the early church

Kissing idols: Baal and the calves1 Kgs 19:18, Hos 13:2
The verses
1 Kgs 19:18Nevertheless, I have reserved seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
Hos 13:2Now they sin more and more and make for themselves cast images, idols skillfully made from their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. People say of them, “They offer human sacrifice and kiss the calves!”
A woman kisses Jesus’ feet; his host gave no kissLuke 7:38, Luke 7:45
The verses
Luke 7:38As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume.
Luke 7:45You did not greet Me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing My feet since I arrived.
Greet one another with a holy kissRom 16:16, 1 Thess 5:26, 1 Pet 5:14
The verses
Rom 16:16Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send you greetings.
1 Thess 5:26Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.
1 Pet 5:14Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

Sources

From Nave’s Topical Bible (Orville J. Nave, 1896; public domain): subjects chosen, lines shortened and put into modern words, lines of interpretation left out; each verse checked.

Berean Standard Bible · Public domain