Shaving
Summary
The practice of removing hair from the head, face, or body, which carried significant cultural and religious meaning in ancient Israel and the surrounding nations.
☩Egyptian and Hebrew Customs
The ancient Egyptians uniquely among Oriental peoples objected to wearing beards and customarily shaved their whole bodies. When Joseph was summoned from prison to interpret Pharaoh's dreams, he first shaved himself in conformity with Egyptian custom. The Hebrews, by contrast, cherished the beard as a mark of manhood and freedom, regarding its loss as deep disgrace. The humiliation David's ambassadors suffered when the king of Ammon shaved half their beards illustrates this cultural value.
☩Religious Regulations
Mosaic law prescribed shaving for specific ceremonial purposes: Levites shaved their entire bodies at consecration, and lepers shaved at their purification. Nazirites were forbidden to use a razor during their vow, but shaved completely when it ended or if defiled. Israelites were prohibited from shaving 'the corners of their beard,' distinguishing them from pagan mourning practices. Priests were specifically forbidden to shave their heads or beards in mourning rituals.
☩Mourning and Disgrace
Shaving the head and beard was commonly practiced in times of mourning, repentance, or calamity both by Hebrews and neighboring nations. Job shaved his head upon hearing of his children's deaths. Women taken captive in war shaved their heads before marriage to an Israelite husband. For women generally, being shorn was considered shameful—a fact Paul alludes to when discussing head coverings.
Related Verses7 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Shaving," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IX (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Shaving," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.American Tract Society, "Shaving," in American Tract Society Bible Dictionary (American Tract Society, 1859).