Beard

How Nave’s arranged it

• Worn long by AaronPsalms 133:2
• SamsonJudges 16:17
• David1 Samuel 21:13Ezekiel 5:1
• Shaven by EgyptiansGenesis 41:14
• Untrimmed in mourning2 Samuel 19:24
• PluckedEzra 9:3
• CutIsaiah 7:20Isaiah 15:2Jeremiah 11:5Jeremiah 48:37
• Lepers required to shaveLeviticus 13:29–33Leviticus 14:9
• Idolatrous practice of marring, forbiddenLeviticus 19:27Leviticus 21:5
• Beards of David's ambassadors half shaven by the king of the Amorites2 Samuel 10:4

The passages, in Bible order (16)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Genesis 41:14

   So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, who was quickly brought out of the dungeon. After he had shaved and changed his clothes, he went in before Pharaoh.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 41:141 voice

   “It is done with all possible expedition, and Joseph is brought in, perhaps almost as much surprised as Peter was, Acts xii. So suddenly is his captivity brought back that he is as one that dreams, Ps. cxxvi.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 41:14→

   Verse page →Original language →

2. Leviticus 13:29–33

   If a man or woman has an infection on the head or chin,

   Verse page →Original language →

3. Leviticus 14:9

   On the seventh day he must shave off all his hair—his head, his beard, his eyebrows, and the rest of his hair. He must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and he will be clean.

   Verse page →Original language →

4. Leviticus 19:27

   You must not cut off the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.

   ›Commentary on Leviticus 19:272 voices

   “Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, &c.--It seems probable that this fashion had been learned by the Israelites in Egypt, for the ancient Egyptians had their dark locks cropped short or shaved with great nicety, so that what remained on the crown appeared in the form of a circle surrounding the head, while the beard was dressed into a square form.

   “Ye shall not round the corners your heads - This and the following verse evidently refer to customs which must have existed among the Egyptians when the Israelites sojourned in Egypt; and what they were it is now difficult, even with any probability, to conjecture. Herodotus observes that the Arabs shave or cut their hair round, in honor of Bacchus, who, they say, had his hair cut in this way, lib. iii., cap.

   Everything gathered on Leviticus 19:27→

   Verse page →Original language →

5. Leviticus 21:5

   Priests must not make bald spots on their heads, shave off the edges of their beards, or make cuts in their bodies.

   ›Commentary on Leviticus 21:51 voice

   “These prohibitions given to the people at large (compare the margin reference.) had a special fitness for the Hebrew priests. They were the instruments of the divine will for averting death, all their sacrifices were a type of the death of Christ, which swallowed up death in victory 1Co 15:54-57, and it would therefore have been unsuitable that they should have the same freedom as other people to become mourners.

   Everything gathered on Leviticus 21:5→

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Judges 16:17

   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.”

   ›Commentary on Judges 16:171 voice

   “If I be shaven, then my strength will go from me - The miraculous strength of Samson must not be supposed to reside either in his hair or in his muscles, but in that relation in which he stood to God as a Nazarite, such a person being bound by a solemn vow to walk in a strict conformity to the laws of his Maker. It was a part of the Nazarite’s vow to permit no razor to pass on his head; and his long hair was the mark of his Nazirate, and of his vow to God.

   Everything gathered on Judges 16:17→

   Verse page →Original language →

7. 1 Samuel 21:13

   So he changed his behavior before them and feigned madness in their hands; he scratched on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down his beard.

   ›Commentary on 1 Samuel 21:131 voice

   “Scrabbled - literally, made marks (margin), namely, the mark of the “tau” (t), which in the ancient Hebrew and Phoenician was in the shape of a cross. (See Eze 9:4.) On the doors of the gate - The gate of Achish’s palace-yard or court, in which the attendants waited. The house itself stood in this court. (Compare Est 2:19, Est 2:21.)

   Everything gathered on 1 Samuel 21:13→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. 2 Samuel 10:4

   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.

   ›Commentary on 2 Samuel 10:41 voice

   “Shaved off the one half of their beards - The beard is held in high respect in the East: the possessor considers it his greatest ornament; often swears by it; and, in matters of great importance, pledges it. Nothing can be more secure than a pledge of this kind; its owner will redeem it at the hazard of his life. The beard was never cut off but in mourning, or as a sign of slavery.

   Everything gathered on 2 Samuel 10:4→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. 2 Samuel 19:24

   Then Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, went down to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king had left until the day he returned safely.

   ›Commentary on 2 Samuel 19:241 voice

   “Neither dressed his feet - He had given the fullest proof of his sincere attachment to David and his cause; and by what he had done, amply refuted the calumnies of his servant Ziba.

   Everything gathered on 2 Samuel 19:24→

   Verse page →Original language →

10. Ezra 9:3

    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.

    ›Commentary on Ezra 9:31 voice

    “Plucking out the hair with the hands, so common among the Classical nations, is, comparatively speaking, rarely mentioned as practiced by Asiatics.

    Everything gathered on Ezra 9:3→

    Verse page →Original language →

11. Psalms 133:2

    It is like fine oil on the head, running down on the beard, running down Aaron’s beard over the collar of his robes.

    ›Commentary on Psalms 133:22 voices

    “Like ointment upon the head, which runs down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron. Oh, if there were time for us to discuss each detail, a day could not suffice us. We read in Exodus how the priestly ointment is prepared; then we read how there was another ointment, with which the kings were anointed. There was also another ointment with which the prophets were anointed. And why do I say more? All the ointments had their own distinctions and mysteries. Do we marvel about holy persons?

    “It is like the precious ointment upon the head,.... The composition which Moses was ordered to make of the principal spices, and therefore called precious; and which was poured on the heads of kings and priests, when they were anointed with it, Exo 30:23; that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard; this was put upon the head of Aaron when he was anointed, and so on any other high priest, and trickled down to his beard; see Exo 29:

    Everything gathered on Psalms 133:2→

    Verse page →Original language →

12. Isaiah 7:20

    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.

    ›Commentary on Isaiah 7:201 voice

    “The river - That is, the Euphrates: הנהר hanahar. So read the Septuagint and two MSS. Shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired “Jehovah shall shave by the hired razor” - To shave with the hired razor the head, the feet, and the beard, is an expression highly parabolical, to denote the utter devastation of the country from one end to the other; and the plundering of the people, from the highest to the lowest, by the Assyrians, whom God employed as his instrument to punish the Jews.

    Everything gathered on Isaiah 7:20→

    Verse page →Original language →

13. Isaiah 15:2

    Dibon goes up to its temple to weep at its high places. Moab wails over Nebo, as well as over Medeba. Every head is shaved, every beard is cut off.

    ›Commentary on Isaiah 15:22 voices

    “(Vers. 2.) The house ascends, and Dibon ascends to the heights in lamentation over Nabo, and over Medaba Moab will howl. Do not be troubled that I am proceeding along the path of history, for you yourself desired that I do so. It is understood, however, that the royal house and the city of Dibon ascend to the idols that are placed on the heights: over Nabo and over Medaba, distinguished cities, the entire province will wail. For in Nabo there was consecrated the idol Chamos, which is called by another name Beelphegor.

    “He is gone to Bajith, and to Dibon - עלה הבית alah habbayith, should be rendered, he is gone to the House, i.e., to their chief temple, where they practiced idolatry. Dibon was the name of a tower where also was an idolatrous temple; thither they went to weep and pray before their idols, that they might interpose and save them from their calamities. So R. D. Kimchi.

    Everything gathered on Isaiah 15:2→

    Verse page →Original language →

14. Jeremiah 11:5

    This was in order to establish the oath I swore to your forefathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is to this day.” “Amen, LORD,” I answered.

    ›Commentary on Jeremiah 11:51 voice

    “As it is this day - God had kept the terms of the covenant. Whether the promised land would permanently remain the property of the Jews would depend upon their observance of their part of the covenant. So be it, O Lord - Or, “Amen, Yahweh.” The prophet was literally obeying the command given in Deu 27:14-26, and the same word should be kept in both places.

    Everything gathered on Jeremiah 11:5→

    Verse page →Original language →

15. Jeremiah 48:37

    For every head is shaved and every beard is clipped; on every hand is a gash, and around every waist is sackcloth.

    Verse page →Original language →

16. Ezekiel 5:1

    “As for you, son of man, take a sharp sword, use it as a barber’s razor, and shave your head and beard. Then take a set of scales and divide the hair.

    ›Commentary on Ezekiel 5:12 voices

    “And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife,.... Or, "sword" (m). The word signifies any sharp instrument, by which anything is cut off, or cut asunder; what is here meant is explained by the following: take thee a barber's razor.

    “Translate it: take thee a sharp sword, for a barber’s razor thou shalt take it thee. Even if the action were literal, the use of an actual sword would best enforce the symbolic meaning. The “head” represents the chief city, the “hair” the inhabitants - its ornament and glory - the “hair cut from the head” the exiles cast forth from their homes. It adds to the force of the representation that “to shave the head” was a token of mourning Job 1:20, and was forbidden to the priests Lev 21:

    Everything gathered on Ezekiel 5:1→

    Verse page →Original language →