Topical Bible: Man Hair

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Biblical References and Cultural Context

In the Bible, hair is often mentioned in various contexts, symbolizing strength, dedication, and sometimes shame. For men, hair can represent different aspects of their relationship with God and society.

Strength and Vow:

One of the most notable references to a man's hair in the Bible is the account of Samson. Samson, a Nazirite, was set apart to God from birth, and his uncut hair was a symbol of his vow and the source of his supernatural strength. Judges 16:17 states, "He told her all that was in his heart and said to her, 'No razor has ever come to my head, because I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaved, my strength will leave me, and I will become as weak as any other man.'" This passage highlights the significance of hair as a sign of consecration and divine empowerment.

Cultural Practices:

In ancient Israelite culture, hair was an important aspect of a man's appearance and could signify various social and religious statuses. For instance, the Nazirite vow, as outlined in Numbers 6:5 , required that "All the days of his vow of separation, no razor shall pass over his head. He must be holy until the time of his consecration to the LORD is complete; he must let the hair of his head grow long." This practice set Nazirites apart as individuals dedicated to God.

Shame and Humiliation:

Conversely, the shaving of a man's head could symbolize shame or humiliation. In 2 Samuel 10:4 , we read about how Hanun, the king of the Ammonites, humiliated David's servants by shaving off half of their beards and cutting their garments. This act was intended to disgrace them, as a man's beard and hair were considered symbols of dignity and honor.

New Testament Teachings:

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul addresses the topic of hair in the context of worship and propriety. In 1 Corinthians 11:14 , Paul writes, "Does not nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him?" This passage reflects the cultural norms of the time, where long hair on men was often associated with effeminacy or rebellion against societal standards.

Symbolism and Spiritual Lessons:

Throughout the Bible, hair serves as a powerful symbol of a man's relationship with God, his strength, and his social standing. It can represent both dedication and disgrace, depending on the context. The accounts and teachings related to hair encourage believers to consider the deeper spiritual implications of their outward appearance and the vows they make before God.

Topical Bible Verses

1 Corinthians 11:14
Does not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame to him?
Topicalbible.org

Strong's Hebrew

7218. rosh -- head
... 1), favor* (1), finest (2), first (12), full (2), hair (3), head (256), heads (129),
laughingstock* (1), leader (4), leaders (8), leading man (1), leading men ...
/hebrew/7218.htm - 6k

Library

Here, it May be Said, My Book Ends Just Where it Ought to Begin. . ...
... But all this is not a bit wilder than the brute fact that a doctor can walk into
the house of a free man, whose daughter's hair may be as clean as spring ...
/.../chesterton/whats wrong with the world/chapter 46 here it may.htm

How Bishop John Cured a Dumb Man by his Blessing. [687 AD ]
... scab on his head, that no hair could ever grow on the top of it, but only some rough
hairs stood on end round about it. The bishop caused this young man to be ...
/.../bede/bedes ecclesiastical history of england/chap ii how bishop john.htm

A Strong Man who Lost his Strength
... web and beat it into form with the weaving pin, I would become weak like any other
man." So while he was asleep, she took the seven braids of his hair and wove ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/a strong man who lost.htm

On the Interior Man
... His head is Christ; in the apostle: the head of the man is Christ ... The hair is the
ornament of righteousness or sense; in the gospel: moreover, the hairs of your ...
/.../eucherius/the formulae of st eucherius of lyons/vi on the interior man.htm

Against Men who Embellish Themselves.
... superior nature. In this God deemed it right that he should excel, and
dispersed hair over man's whole body. Whatever smoothness ...
/.../clement/the instructor paedagogus/chapter iii against men who embellish.htm

About the Young Man who Killed the Maiden.
... up, some by the tongue, some by the hair, some by the hands, some by the feet, head
downwards, and smoked with smoke and sulphur; about whom that man who was ...
/.../unknown/acts of the holy apostle thomas/about the young man who.htm

Elijah and the Widow's Son.
... Ahab, the wicked King of Israel, was sitting in his house at Samaria, when suddenly
there appeared before him a wild-looking man, with long hair and a cape of ...
/.../anonymous/children of the old testament/elijah and the widows son.htm

On the Nativity of Our Lady
... Now, when these evil, unclean hairs have been cut off with sharp shears, then
the hair grows again, and man must show renewed diligence. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tauler/the inner way/sermon xix on the nativity.htm

Of the Production of the Beasts and of Man.
... For our Creator and Parent, God, has given to man perception and reason, that it ...
For He clothed them all with their own natural hair, [1810] in order that they ...
/.../lactantius/on the workmanship of god/chap ii of the production of.htm

Aubrey Leigh was a Man who had Chosen his Own Way of Life...
... infuriated forms of Greek tragedy"their arms tossing, their hair streaming, their
faces ... of the parish, a kindly, sympathetic, very simple old man, who really ...
/.../corelli/the master-christian/xviii aubrey leigh was a.htm