Various conditions, both physical and spiritual, are indicated in Scripture by human hair. Animal hair is used for a variety of purposes.
Physical qualities of human hair
A woman's hair is attractive
Song of Solomon 7:5 See also 2 Kings 9:30; Song of Solomon 4:1; 1 Corinthians 11:15
Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel, the hair of your head like purple threads; the king is captured in your tresses.
A man's hair shows vigour
Judges 16:17–22 See also 2 Samuel 14:26; Song of Solomon 5:11
Samson told her all that was in his heart: “My hair has never been cut, 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.” When Delilah realized that he had revealed to her all that was in his heart, she sent this message to the lords of the Philistines: “Come up once more, for he has revealed to me all that is in his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came to her, bringing the money in their hands. And having lulled him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his head. In this way she began to subdue him, and his strength left him. Then she called out, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” When Samson awoke from his sleep, he thought, “I will escape as I did before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him. Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze shackles and forced to grind grain in the prison. However, the hair of his head began to grow back after it had been shaved.
Grey hair shows the glory of old age
Proverbs 16:31 See also Leviticus 19:32 “aged” may be translated “grey-haired”; Proverbs 20:29
Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is attained along the path of righteousness.
Greying hair as a sign of declining strength
White hair as a sign of age and wisdom
Revelation 1:14 See also Daniel 7:9
The hair of His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like a blazing fire.
Hair as indicating physical or spiritual conditions
Unharmed hair speaks of protection
Matthew 10:30 parallel Luke 12:7 See also 1 Samuel 14:45; 2 Samuel 14:11; Daniel 3:27; Luke 21:18; Acts 27:34
And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Hair standing on end indicates fear
Baldness may indicate God's judgment
Isaiah 3:24 See also Isaiah 3:17
Instead of fragrance there will be a stench; instead of a belt, a rope; instead of styled hair, baldness; instead of fine clothing, sackcloth; instead of beauty, shame.
Hair colour may indicate skin disease
Leviticus 13:3 See also Leviticus 13:10–11, Leviticus 13:26, Leviticus 13:30–37, Leviticus 13:40–45
The priest is to examine the infection on his skin, and if the hair in the infection has turned white and the sore appears to be deeper than the skin, it is a skin disease. After the priest examines him, he must pronounce him unclean.
Rituals and customs involving the hair
Rules concerning hair for those under a vow
Numbers 6:5 See also Numbers 6:9, Numbers 6:18–19; Judges 13:5, Judges 16:17; 1 Samuel 1:11; Acts 18:18, Acts 21:23–24
For the entire period of his vow of separation, no razor shall touch his head. He must be holy until the time of his separation to the LORD is complete; he must let the hair of his head grow long.
Rules concerning hair for those being cleansed
Mourning customs affecting hair
Micah 1:16 See also Leviticus 10:6; Deuteronomy 21:12–13; Job 1:20; Jeremiah 16:6, Jeremiah 47:5, Jeremiah 48:37; Amos 8:10
Shave yourselves bald and cut off your hair in mourning for your precious children; make yourselves as bald as an eagle, for they will go from you into exile.
Grief signified by tearing or cutting one's hair
Ezra 9:3 See also Isaiah 22:12; Jeremiah 7:29
When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled out some hair from my head and beard, and sat down in horror.
Humiliating others by shaving or pulling out the hair
2 Samuel 10:4 parallel 1 Chronicles 19:4 See also Nehemiah 13:25; Isaiah 7:20
So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away.
Pagan customs to be avoided
Leviticus 19:27 See also Deuteronomy 14:1–2
You must not cut off the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.
Customs concerning hair and public worship
1 Corinthians 11:6, 1 Corinthians 11:13–15; 1 Timothy 2:9; 1 Peter 3:3
Animal hair
Animal hair used in tabernacle furnishings
Exodus 26:7 See also Exodus 25:4, Exodus 35:26, Exodus 36:14
You are to make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle — eleven curtains in all.
A prophet's clothing made from animal hair
2 Kings 1:8 See also Zechariah 13:4; Matthew 3:4 parallel Mark 1:6
“He was a hairy man,” they answered, “with a leather belt around his waist.” “It was Elijah the Tishbite,” said the king.
Animal hair as a disguise
Genesis 27:16 See also 1 Samuel 19:13, 1 Samuel 19:16
She also put the skins of the young goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck.
Hair used to wipe Jesus Christ's feet
John 12:3 See also Luke 7:38, Luke 7:44; John 11:2
Then Mary took about a pint of expensive perfume, made of pure nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
Nazirite vows forbade the cutting of hair
The reason for taking a Nazirite vow, separation to the Lord
Numbers 6:1–2 While attention is often focused on Nazirite prohibitions, it is important to note that the primary reason was for separating oneself to God. Both men and women could make the vow; Numbers 6:8
The requirements of the Nazirite vow
Numbers 6:2–4 Nazirites must abstain from all produce of the vine; Numbers 6:5 Nazirites must not cut their hair; Numbers 6:6–7 Nazirites must not touch a dead body.
The rules for re-establishing a broken Nazirite vow
The regulations for completing the Nazirite vow
Numbers 6:13–17 The Nazirite vow is completed, first, through prescribed sacrifices; Numbers 6:18 The Nazirite vow is completed, second, through cutting off one's hair and burning it on the altar; Numbers 6:19–20 The Nazirite vow is completed, third, through ritual acts performed by the priest.
Examples of people dedicated to being lifelong Nazirites
Samson was a lifelong Nazirite: Judges 13:2–7, Judges 16:1–22; 1 Samuel 1:10–11 Samuel was a lifelong Nazirite; Luke 1:13–15 John the Baptist was possibly a Nazirite.
Examples of temporary Nazirite vows
Nazirites to be seen as gifts from God to his people
Expressions involving hair
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.