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What is Hair?
        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).


Bibliography Information
Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'hair' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
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