the Third Week of Advent
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!
Bible Dictionaries
Hair
People's Dictionary of the Bible
or Hair. The Hebrews allowed the hair to grow thick and somewhat long. Ezekiel 8:3. Baldness was disliked, as sometimes symptomatic of leprosy, Leviticus 13:40-44 : hence the reproach uttered against Elisha, 2 Kings 2:23. Cuttings of the hair, such as were usual in idolatrous worship, were forbidden. Leviticus 19:27; Deuteronomy 14:1. Still this seems to have been a Hebrew custom in mourning, Jeremiah 7:29; while, on the contrary, the Egyptians let their hair grow when in distress, and shaved or cut it on returning prosperity. Genesis 41:14 : comp. Herodotus, lib. ii. 36. in. 12. The way in which Absalom let his hair grow was no doubt the vanity of a young and handsome man. 2 Samuel 14:26. Thus, to uncover the ear is a common phrase for communicating a secret, 1 Samuel 9:15, marg., 20:2, marg., as if it were necessary to put aside the locks in order to whisper in the ear. There was, however, a clear distinction made between the sexes in this respect, 1 Corinthians 11:14-15; so that the women wore their hair very long. Luke 7:38; John 12:3. Hence, perhaps, the long hair of the Nazirites was to indicate humility and subjection. Numbers 6:5. The color of the hair was generally black, Song of Solomon 5:11; but the gray hairs of age were regarded as especially venerable, Proverbs 16:31; on this account, perhaps, the hairs of the Ancient of Days are likened to "pure wool." Daniel 7:9. Samson had seven plaits in his hair, Judges 16:13; Judges 16:19; and these must have been fastened with a fillet. Ezekiel 24:17. Of course greater pains were taken by females in thus adorning themselves; so that we read in many passages of both scripture and the apocrypha of tiling the head and braiding the hair. 2 Kings 9:30; 1 Timothy 2:9; 1 Peter 3:3; Judith 10:3. It was also worn in curls: the "well-set hair," Isaiah 3:24, probably implied the artistical arrangement of these. There are several references to the curls in the descriptions of Solomon's Song. Thus "the chain of the neck," Song of Solomon 4:9, might be a long lock or curl falling down upon the neck; and the "galleries," R. V., "tresses," 7:5, were the curls in orderly array. The hair was commonly anointed with fragrant oil or perfume. Psalms 23:5; Psalms 133:2; Matthew 6:17; Luke 7:46.
These files are public domain.
Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Rice, Edwin Wilbur, DD. Entry for 'Hair'. People's Dictionary of the Bible. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/rpd/h/hair.html. 1893.
