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Genesis 6:2,4
That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that theywere fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose…

Exodus 4:22,23
And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israelis my son,even my firstborn: …

Psalm 82:6,7
I have said, Yeare gods; and all of youare children of the most High…

Leviticus 19:27,28
Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard…

Leviticus 21:5
They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.

Jeremiah 16:6
Both the great and the small shall die in this land: they shall not be buried, neither shallmen lament for them, nor cut themselves, nor make themselves bald for them:

do not cut yourselves
This prohibition addresses a specific mourning practice common among pagan cultures surrounding Israel, such as the Canaanites and other Near Eastern peoples. Cutting oneself was often a ritualistic act to appease or communicate with the dead or deities. The Israelites are commanded to avoid such practices to maintain their distinctiveness and purity, as they are set apart for God. This command underscores the importance of trusting in God rather than resorting to pagan rituals.

or shave your foreheads on behalf of the dead,
Shaving the forehead was another mourning ritual associated with pagan practices. Such acts were believed to honor the dead or invoke their favor. By prohibiting these actions, God instructs the Israelites to reject superstitions and practices that contradict their faith in Him. This command is part of a broader biblical theme of life and death, where God is the sovereign over life, and the dead are not to be venerated or feared. The New Testament continues this theme, emphasizing hope in the resurrection and eternal life through Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).

The verse opens with a breathtaking reminder of identity: “You are sons of the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 14:1a).

• God personally claims Israel as His children, echoing earlier words, “Israel is My firstborn son” (Exodus 4:22).

• Being God’s child means belonging, protection, and inheritance (Romans 8:15–17;2 Corinthians 6:18).

• Because children resemble their Father, the call is to reflect His holiness (Deuteronomy 7:6;1 John 3:1–3).

When we grasp this family status, every behavioral command that follows becomes more than rule-keeping; it is family likeness lived out.

The next phrase forbids self-mutilation in mourning: “do not cut yourselves” (Deuteronomy 14:1b).

• Pagans slashed their bodies to appease or arouse dead spirits or deities (1 Kings 18:28). God’s people must not imitate these hopeless practices.

•Leviticus 19:28 and 21:5 give the same prohibition, stressing that our bodies are gifts, not canvases for despair.

• Under the new covenant, our bodies are “a temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19). Honoring that temple means rejecting any act that disfigures it in faithless grief.

• Because believers have a sure resurrection hope, grief never drives us to self-harm (1 Thessalonians 4:13–14).

Last, Israel is told not to “shave your foreheads on behalf of the dead” (Deuteronomy 14:1c).

• Ancient mourning rites often included cutting off hair or carving bald patches to signal allegiance to a deceased ancestor or local deity (Jeremiah 16:6;Jeremiah 48:37).

• God marks His own people in a different way—by His name and covenant, not by disfiguring hairstyles (Isaiah 44:5;Revelation 22:4).

• Their distinct appearance was to witness to surrounding nations that faith in the living God brings hope, not despair.

• Even priests were barred from extreme shaving (Ezekiel 44:20), showing that leadership as well as laity must embody this hope-filled restraint.

Deuteronomy 14:1 ties identity to conduct. Because God calls His people “sons,” they must grieve differently from the world—no cutting, no ritual shaving, no hopeless frenzy. Their bodies remain whole, their mourning restrained, and their witness clear: the living God promises resurrection and life, so His children display trust, dignity, and holy distinctiveness in every season, even in sorrow.

(1)Ye are the children of Jehovah.--This fact is made the foundation of all the laws of ceremonial and moral holiness in the Pentateuch, more especially in the Book of Leviticus, where these laws are chiefly to be found.

Ye shall not cut yourselves.--The precept is repeated with little variation fromLeviticus 19:28.

Any baldness between your eyes--i.e.,apparently, "on your foreheads." The word for baldness in this place is generally used for baldness on the back of the head.