3587. xurao

Lexicon

xurao: To shave

Original Word: ξυράω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: xurao
Pronunciation: ksoo-rah'-o
Phonetic Spelling: (xoo-rah'-o)
Definition: To shave
Meaning: I shave, shear, cut off the hair.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

shave.

From a derivative of the same as xulon (meaning a razor); to shave or "shear" the hair -- shave.

see GREEK xulon

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 3587: ξυράω

ξυράω (a later form, from Diodorus (1, 84) down, for ξυρέω, which the earlier writers used from Herodotus down; (Winers Grammar, 24; Buttmann, 63 (55); especially Alexander Buttmann (1873) Ausf. Spr. ii., p. 53)), ξυρῷ: perfect passive participle ἐξυρημενος; middle, present infinitive ξυρᾶσθαι (for which some would read (1 Corinthians 11:6) ξυρᾶσθαι (1 aorist middle infinitive from ξυρῷ); see WH's Appendix, p. 166); 1 aorist subjunctive 3 person plural ξυρήσωνται (but T Tr WH read the future ξυρήσονται); (from ξυρόν a razor, and this from ξύω); the Sept. for גִּלַּח; to shear, shave: passive 1 Corinthians 11:5; middle to get oneself shaved, 1 Corinthians 11:6; 1 Corinthians 11:6; with an accusative specifying the object more precisely (cf. Buttmann, § 134, 7; Winer's Grammar, § 32, 5): τήν κεφαλήν, Acts 21:21 (the Sept. Numbers 6:9, 19: Leviticus 21:5; τάς ὀφρύας, Herodotus 2, 66; τό σῶμα, 2, 37).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek word ξυρόν (xuron), meaning "a razor."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • H1548 גָּלַח (galach): To shave, to be bald. This Hebrew verb is used in contexts similar to ξυράω, often related to purification or mourning rituals.
• H3587 כָּרַח (karach): To make bald, to shave. This term is used in the context of shaving the head, often as a sign of mourning or humiliation.

These Hebrew entries provide insight into the cultural and religious practices surrounding shaving in the biblical world, highlighting its significance across both the Old and New Testaments.

Usage: The verb ξυράω is used in the context of shaving, typically referring to the act of cutting hair from the head or face with a razor.

Context: The Greek verb ξυράω appears in the New Testament in contexts that involve the act of shaving, which was a common practice in ancient cultures for reasons of hygiene, religious observance, or social custom. In the biblical narrative, shaving can symbolize purification, consecration, or a change in status.

One notable instance of ξυράω is found in Acts 21:24, where the Apostle Paul is advised to join in the purification rites of four men who have taken a vow, which includes shaving their heads. This act was part of a Nazarite vow, a special commitment to God that included abstaining from wine, avoiding contact with the dead, and not cutting one's hair until the vow was completed. The shaving of the head marked the conclusion of the vow and the fulfillment of the individual's commitment to God.

The practice of shaving in biblical times was not merely a personal grooming choice but often carried significant religious and cultural implications. It could denote a transition from one state of life to another, such as moving from a period of dedication to God back to ordinary life.

In the broader biblical context, shaving is also mentioned in the Old Testament, where it is associated with mourning, shame, or purification. The act of shaving, therefore, holds a multifaceted significance, reflecting both personal and communal aspects of faith and identity.

Forms and Transliterations

εξυρημενη ἐξυρημένῃ εξυρημένοι εξύρησαν εξυρήσατο εξυρήσε εξύρησε εξύρησεν ξύη ξυρασθαι ξυράσθαι ξυρᾶσθαι ξυρηθήναι ξυρηθήσεσθε ξυρηθήσεται ξυρηθήσονται ξύρησαι ξυρήσασθαι ξυρήσει ξυρήσεις ξυρήσεται ξύρησιν ξύρησίν ξυρησονται ξυρήσονται ξυρήσωμαι ξυρήσωνται ξυρόν ξυρός ξυρώ ξυστούς ξύων exuremene exurēmenē exyremene exyrēmenē exyreménei exyrēménēi xurasthai xuresontai xurēsontai xyrasthai xyrâsthai xyresontai xyrēsontai xyrḗsontai

Englishman's Concordance

Acts 21:24 V-FIM-3P
GRK: αὐτοῖς ἵνα ξυρήσονται τὴν κεφαλήν
NAS: so that they may shave their heads;
KJV: that they may shave [their] heads:
INT: them that they may shave the head

1 Corinthians 11:5 V-RPM/P-DFS
GRK: αὐτὸ τῇ ἐξυρημένῃ
NAS: as the woman whose head is shaved.
KJV: all one as if she were shaven.
INT: same the with having been shaven

1 Corinthians 11:6 V-PNM/P
GRK: κείρασθαι ἢ ξυρᾶσθαι κατακαλυπτέσθω
NAS: or her head shaved, let her cover
KJV: or shaven, let her be covered.
INT: to be shaved or to be shaven let her be concealed

Strong's Greek 3587
3 Occurrences

ἐξυρημένῃ — 1 Occ.
ξυρᾶσθαι — 1 Occ.
ξυρήσονται — 1 Occ.