hair Summary and Overview

(1.) The Egyptians let the hair of their head and beard grow only when they were in mourning, shaving it off at other times. "So particular were they on this point that to have neglected it was a subject of reproach and ridicule; and whenever they intended to convey the idea of a man of low condition, or a slovenly person, the artists represented him with a beard." Joseph shaved himself before going in to Pharoah (Gen. 41:14). The women of Egypt wore their hair long and plaited. Wigs were worn by priests and laymen to cover the shaven skull, and false beards were common. The great masses of hair seen in the portraits and statues of kings and priests are thus altogether artificial. (2.) A precisely opposite practice, as regards men, prevailed among the Assyrians. In Assyrian sculptures the hair always appears long, and combed closely down upon the head. The beard also was allowed to grow to its full length. (3.) Among the Greeks the custom in this respect varied at different times, as it did also among the Romans. In the time of the apostle, among the Greeks the men wore short hair, while that of the women was long (1 Cor. 11:14, 15). Paul reproves the Corinthians for falling in with a style of manners which so far confounded the distinction of the sexes and was hurtful to good morals. (See, however, 1 Tim. 2:9, and 1 Pet. 3:3, as regards women.) (4.) Among the Hebrews the natural distinction between the sexes was preserved by the women wearing long hair (Luke 7:38; John 11:2; 1 Cor. 11:6), while the men preserved theirs as a rule at a moderate length by frequent clipping. Baldness disqualified any one for the priest's office (Lev. 21). Elijah is called a "hairy man" (2 Kings 1:8) from his flowing locks, or more probably from the shaggy cloak of hair which he wore. His raiment was of camel's hair. Long hair is especially noticed in the description of Absalom's person (2 Sam. 14:26); but the wearing of long hair was unusual, and was only practised as an act of religious observance by Nazarites (Num. 6:5; Judg. 13:5) and others in token of special mercies (Acts 18:18). In times of affliction the hair was cut off (Isa. 3:17, 24; 15:2; 22:12; Jer. 7:29; Amos 8:10). Tearing the hair and letting it go dishevelled were also tokens of grief (Ezra 9:3). "Cutting off the hair" is a figure of the entire destruction of a people (Isa. 7:20). The Hebrews anointed the hair profusely with fragrant ointments (Ruth 3:3; 2 Sam. 14:2; Ps. 23:5; 45:7, etc.), especially in seasons of rejoicing (Matt. 6:17; Luke 7:46).

The Hebrews were fully alive to the importance of the hair as an element of personal beauty. Long hair was admired in the case of young men. #2Sa 14:26| In times of affliction the hair was altogether cut off. #Isa 3:17,24; 15:2; Jer 7:29| Tearing the hair #Ezr 9:3| and letting it go dishevelled were similar tokens of grief. The usual and favorite color of the hair was black, #So 5:11| as is indicated in the comparisons in #So 1:5; 4:1| a similar hue is probably intended by the purple of #So 7:6| Pure white hair was deemed characteristic of the divine Majesty. #Da 7:9; Re 1:14| The chief beauty of the hair consisted in curls, whether of a natural or an artificial character. With regard to the mode of dressing the hair, we have no very precise information; the terms used are of a general character, as of Jezebel, #2Ki 9:30| and of Judith, ch. 10:3, and in the New Testament, #1Ti 2:9; 1Pe 3:3| The arrangement of Samson's hair into seven locks, or more properly braids, #Jud 16:13,19| involves the practice of plaiting, which was also familiar to the Egyptians and Greeks. The locks were probably kept in their place by a fillet, as in Egypt. The Hebrews like other nations of antiquity, anointed the hair profusely with ointments, which were generally compounded of various aromatic ingredients, #Ru 3:3; 2Sa 14:2; Ps 23:6; 92:10; Ec 9:8| more especially on occasions of festivity or hospitality. #Lu 7:46| It appears to have been the custom of the Jews in our Saviour's time to swear by the hair, #Mt 5:36| much as the Egyptian women still swear by the side-locks, and the men by their beards.

HAIR . The difference between the Hebrews and their neighbors, the Egyptians, in the matter of wearing their hair is early, though incidentally, alluded to in the Bible. Thus Joseph, on being summoned into the presence of Pharaoh, "shaved himself," while in most other countries it would have been sufficient to comb his hair and trim his beard. But the Egyptian men -out of notions of cleanliness perhaps- shaved their heads; the priests shaved their whole bodies every third day. The women, however, wore their natural hair long and plaited. In place of the Egyptian mode of wearing the hair. (From a painting. British Museum.) natural hair, wigs were worn by the men; and these were so constructed as to afford more protection against the sun than the more modern turbans. The Assyrians, and the Asiatics generally, the neighbors of the Hebrews on the east, had opposite customs in regard to the hair of men. On the Assyrian sculptures the hair appears long and combed closely down upon the head; the beard is also full length. False hair seems to have been plaited in to make the greater show. Much care was given to the hair. The Greeks were great admirers of long hair in both men and women. Their manner of wearing it varied. The Roman men at the time of Christ wore their hair short. Shaving was also customary, and a long beard was regarded as slovenly. The Hebrews were accustomed to cut the hair very much as we do, and must have used a kind of scissors, 2 Sam 14:26. But in the case of a vow or religious obligation they let it grow, as in the case of the Nazarites. Num 6:5; Jud 13:5. See Nazarites. The precept to the priests, Eze 44:20, requires an avoidance of extremes; so that the "Israelites" should neither resemble the priests of the heathen gods, who shaved their hair close, nor yet the Nazarites, who did not cut the hair at all. It was prohibited, Lev 19:27, to round the corners of the head -that is (as it is generally understood), to shave off the hair about the temples. The hair (especially black or dark hair) was considered an ornament, and it was anointed with aromatic oil, particularly on festivals and other joyous occasions. Ruth 3:3; 2 Sam 14:2; Ps 23:5; 92:10: Eccl 9:8; Luke 7:46. Combs and hair-pins are mentioned in the Talmud as in use among the Jews. The hair is spoken of by the apostle as a natural veil or covering to women, which it is a shame to put off, 1 Cor 11:15. It was plaited or braided, as is the custom at this day among the Asiatic women. The excessive care bestowed upon the head-dress led to the apostolic rebuke. 1 Tim 2:9; 1 Pet 3:3. See Head-dress. The practice of shaving the head in token of great affliction and humiliation for sin was common among the Hebrews even as early as Job's day, Job 1:20. So that the exhortation to cut off the hair is equivalent to an exhortation to begin a course of deep mourning and sorrow, Jer 7:29. A change in the color of the hair was one of the earliest indications of the leprosy, and hence, after recovery, the removal of the hair as the seat of disease was particularly enjoined. Lev 13:4, Num 13:10, Lev 13:31-32; Lev 14:8-9. See Leprosy. Baldness disqualified for the priesthood; artificial baldness was forbidden, Lev 21:5. See Baldness. Hair was employed by the Hebrews as an image of what was least valuable in man's person, 1 Sam 14:45:2 Sam 14:11; Matt 10:30; Luke 13:7; Acts 27:34, as well as of what was innumerable Ps 40:12; Ps 69:4, or particularly fine. Jud 20:16).

Shaved closely by men, worn long by women, in Egypt. The Hebrew wore long beards; the Egyptians only in mourning did so. At the same time the Hebrew kept the distinction of sexes by clipping the hair of men (though hardly so much as we do; Leviticus 10:6; Hebrew: "let not loose (the hair of) your heads," not "uncover," etc.), but not of women (1 Corinthians 11:6, etc.; Luke 7:38). The law forbad them to "round the corners of their heads, or mar the cornners of the beard"; for the Arabs in honour of the idol Orotal cut the hair from the temples in a circular form, and in mourning marred their beards (Leviticus 19:27; Jeremiah 9:26 margin, Jeremiah 48:37). Baldness, being often the result of leprosy, disqualified for the priesthood (Leviticus 21:20, Septuagint). (See BALDNESS.) Absalom's luxuriant hair is mentioned as a sign of beauty, but was a mark of effeminacy; its weight perhaps was 20, not 200 shekels, the numeral resh (r) having by a copyist's error been substituted for kaph (k) (2 Samuel 14:26). Nazarites wore it uncut, a sign of humiliation and self-denial, at the same time of dedication of all the strength, of which hair was a token, to God (Numbers 6:5; Judges 13:5; Judges 16:17). Shaving the head was often practiced in fulfillment of a vow, as Paul did, the shaving being usually followed by a sacrifice in 30 days (Acts 18:18); probably his vow was made in some sickness (Galatians 4:13). Black was the favorite color. Song of Solomon 5:11, the bridegroom's locks are "bushy" (curled), betokening headship; Song of Solomon 4:1, the hair of goats in the East being fine like silk and flowing, the token of the bride's subjection; Song of Solomon 1:5; Song of Solomon 7:5, "purple," i.e. glossy black. Ecclesiastes 12:5, "the almond tree shall flourish." does not refer to white hair on the old, for the almond blossom is pink, but to the almond (lit. the wakeful) tree blossoming in winter, i.e. the wakefulness of old age shall set in. But Gesenius, "(the old man) loathes the (sweet) almond." In Song of Solomon 7:5, for "galleries" translated "the king is held (fascinated) with the flowing ringlets." The hair was often platted in braids, kept in their place by a fillet. So Samson's "seven locks" (Judges 16:13; Judges 16:19; compare 1 Timothy 2:9; 1 Peter 3:3). Egyptian women swear by their sidelocks, and men by their beards; the Jews' imitation of this our Lord condemns (Matthew 5:36). Hair represents what is least valuable (Matthew 10:30); innumerable to man, but "all numbered" by God's providence for His children. "Hair as the hair of women" (Revelation 9:8), long and flowing, a mark of semi-barbarous hosts (1 Corinthians 11:14-15).