Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical times, the act of shaving held various cultural, religious, and symbolic meanings. The practice is mentioned in several contexts throughout the Scriptures, reflecting its significance in ancient Israelite society and neighboring cultures.
Cultural and Religious Practices:1.
Nazirite Vow: One of the most notable references to shaving in the Bible is related to the Nazirite vow. Nazirites were individuals who took a special vow of consecration to God, which included abstaining from wine, avoiding contact with the dead, and not cutting their hair.
Numbers 6:5 states, "For the entire period 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." At the end of the vow, the Nazirite was required to shave his head as part of the purification process (
Numbers 6:18).
2.
Levitical Laws: The Levitical laws also address shaving in the context of ritual purity.
Leviticus 14:8-9 describes the cleansing process for a person healed of a skin disease, which includes shaving off all hair. This act symbolized a new beginning and purification.
3.
Mourning Practices: Shaving was sometimes associated with mourning. In
Isaiah 15:2, the prophet describes the people of Moab shaving their heads and beards as a sign of lamentation: "Dibon goes up to its temple, to its high places to weep; Moab wails over Nebo and Medeba. Every head is shaved, every beard is cut off."
Symbolism and Metaphor:1.
Humiliation and Shame: Shaving could symbolize humiliation or shame. In
2 Samuel 10:4, 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 full beard was a sign of dignity and honor in ancient Near Eastern cultures.
2.
Divine Judgment: The prophets sometimes used shaving as a metaphor for divine judgment. In
Isaiah 7:20, the prophet declares, "On that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates—the king of Assyria—to shave your head and the hair of your legs, and to remove your beard as well." This imagery conveyed the totality of God's impending judgment on the people.
Practical Considerations:1.
Personal Grooming: While the Bible does not provide extensive details on personal grooming practices, it is evident that shaving was a part of daily life for some individuals. The act of shaving could be associated with cleanliness and personal care.
2.
Cultural Differences: The significance of shaving varied among different cultures and peoples mentioned in the Bible. For instance, Egyptians were known for their clean-shaven appearance, while Israelites and other Semitic peoples typically wore beards.
In summary, shaving in the biblical context is multifaceted, encompassing religious rituals, cultural practices, and symbolic meanings. It reflects the broader themes of consecration, purity, mourning, and judgment found throughout the Scriptures.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. t.) to cut off closely, as with a razor; as, to shave the beard.
2. (v. t.) To cut or pare off from the surface of a body with a razor or other edged instrument
3. (v. t.) To make bare or smooth by cutting off closely the surface, or surface covering, of; especially, to remove the hair from with a razor or other sharp instrument; to take off the beard or hair of; as, to shave the face or the crown of the head; he shaved himself.
4. (v. t.) To cut off thin slices from; to cut in thin slices.
5. (v. t.) To skim along or near the surface of; to pass close to, or touch lightly, in passing.
6. (v. t.) To strip; to plunder; to fleece.
7. (v. i.) To use a razor for removing the beard; to cut closely; hence, to be hard and severe in a bargain; to practice extortion; to cheat.
8. (n.) A thin slice; a shaving.
9. (n.) A cutting of the beard; the operation of shaving.
10. (n.) An exorbitant discount on a note.
11. (n.) A premium paid for an extension of the time of delivery or payment, or for the right to vary a stock contract in any particular.
12. (n.) A hand tool consisting of a sharp blade with a handle at each end; a drawing knife; a spokeshave.
13. (n.) The act of passing very near to, so as almost to graze; as, the bullet missed by a close shave.
Greek
3587. xurao -- toshave... to
shave. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: xurao Phonetic Spelling:
(xoo-rah'-o) Short Definition: I
shave Definition: I
shave, shear, cut off the hair.
...3587b. xureo -- toshave
... toshave. Transliteration: xureo Short Definition:shave. Word Origin from xuron
(a razor) Definition toshave NASB Word Usageshave (1), shaved (1)....
3587a. xurao -- toshave
... xurao. 3587b . toshave. Transliteration: xurao Short Definition: shaved. Word
Origin a late form of xureo Definition toshave NASB Word Usage shaved (1)....
Strong's Hebrew
1548. galach -- to be bald,shave,shave off... 1547, 1548. galach. 1549 . to be bald,
shave,
shave off. Transliteration: galach
Phonetic Spelling: (gaw-lakh') Short Definition:
shave. Word Origin a prim
...1494. gazaz -- to shear
... shearing (2), sheepshearers (2), sheepshearers* (1). cut off, poll,shave, shearer.
A primitive root (akin to guwz); to cut off; specifically...
8593. taar -- a razor, sheath
... Word Origin from arah Definition a razor, sheath NASB Word Usage knife (1), razor
(5), sheath (7). penknife, razor, scabbard,shave, sheath....
5595. saphah -- to sweep or snatch away, catch up
... A primitive root; properly, to scrape (literally, toshave; but usually figuratively)
together (ie To accumulate or increase) or away (ie To scatter, remove...
1639. gara -- to diminish, restrain, withdraw
... A primitive root; to scrape off; by implication, toshave, remove, lessen, withhold --
abate, clip, (di-)minish, do (take) away, keep back, restrain, make small...
7139. qarach -- to make bald
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to make bald NASB Word Usage bald* (1), baldness*
(1), made bald (1), make (2), make yourself bald (1),shave his head (1)....
7760. sum -- to put, place, set
... set (1), recite* (1), regard* (1), render (1), repaid (1), required (1), seized
(1), seized* (2), serve (1), served (1), set (108), sets (3),shave* (1), shed...
1532. gallab -- a barber
... Usage barber's (1). barber. From an unused root meaning toshave; a barber --
barber. 1531, 1532. gallab. 1533 . Strong's Numbers.
5674. abar -- to pass over, through, or by, pass on
... through), (cause to, make) + proclaim(-amation), perish, provoke to anger, put away,
rage, + raiser of taxes, remove, send over, set apart, +shave, cause to...
7144. qorchah -- baldness, bald spot
... Origin from qarach Definition baldness, bald spot NASB Word Usage bald (2), bald*
(1), baldness (4), baldness* (1), plucked-out scalp (1),shave* (1), shaving...
Library
Against Men who Embellish Themselves.
... For their service the towns are full of those who take out hair by pitch-plasters,
shave, and pluck out hairs from these womanish creatures....
Whether those who are Ordained Ought to Wear the Tonsure?
... since the Nazarenes were not ordained to the Divine ministry, it would seem that
the ministers of the Church should not receive the tonsure orshave the head...
How Even Apostles Thought that a Lie was Often Useful and the...
... These take and sanctify thyself with them and bestow on them, that they mayshave
their heads; and all will know that the things which they have heard of thee...
The Mercy of God
... Isaiah 28: He is not used to it. When the Lord wouldshave off the pride of a nation,
he is said to hire a razor, as if he had none of his own....
Epistle iv. To Cyriacus, Bishop.
... Whence it is rightly said through Ezekiel [1685] , Let not the priestsshave their
heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; but polling let them poll their...
The Doctrine Adorned
... I heard somebody tell a story about a man who was too pious toshave himself on
Sunday, and yet he was pretty keen during the other six days trying, in his...
Separation to God.
... UNWITTING DEFILEMENT: verses 9-12. "If any man die very suddenly by him, and he
hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shallshave his head in the...
That the Ruler Relax not his Care for the Things that are Within...
... Hence it is well said to Ezekiel, The priests shall notshave their heads, nor suffer
their locks to grow long, but polling let them poll their heads (Ezekiel...
Letter Lxxv. (AD 404. )
... do what he was unwilling to do; wherefore did he let his hair grow in accordance
with a vow of his own making, and afterwards, when in Cenchrea,shave his head...
Paul in Jerusalem.
... we say to thee: we have four men which have a vow on them; them take, and purify
thyself with them, and be at charges with them that they mayshave their heads...
Thesaurus
Shave (19 Occurrences)... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) to cut off closely, as with a razor; as, to
shave the beard.
... Multi-Version Concordance
Shave (19 Occurrences).
...Beard (23 Occurrences)
... the most fastidious care (2 Samuel 19:24), and their neglet was an indication of
deep sorrow (Isaiah 15:2; Jeremiah 41:5). The custom was toshave or pluck off...
Shaving (2 Occurrences)
... & vb. n.) ofShave.... 3. (n.) That which is shaved off; a thin slice or strip pared
off with ashave, a knife, a plane, or other cutting instrument. Int....
Shaved (23 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (imp.) ofShave. 2. (pp) ofShave. Multi-Version
Concordance Shaved (23 Occurrences). Acts 18:18 Paul...
Dedicated (37 Occurrences)
... Numbers 6:9 "'If any man dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles the head
of his separation; then he shallshave his head in the day of his cleansing....
Pare (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To cut orshave off the outside; as, to
pare an apple; to pare a horse's hoof. 2. (vt) To remove...
Barber
... 1. (n.) One whose occupation it is toshave or trim the beard, and to cut and dress
the hair of his patrons. 2. (vt) Toshave and dress the beard or hair of....
Bathe (35 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 14:8 "He who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, andshave off
all his hair, and bathe himself in water; and he shall be clean....
Beards (6 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 21:5 "'They shall notshave their heads, neither shall theyshave off
the corners of their beards, nor make any cuttings in their flesh....
Cleansing (37 Occurrences)
... Numbers 6:9 "'If any man dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles the head
of his separation; then he shallshave his head in the day of his cleansing....
Resources
What does the Bible say about shaving? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is Occam's Razor? Does Occam's Razor disprove the existence of God? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about hair length? | GotQuestions.orgShave: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
