What does the Bible say about facial hair?
Bible Topic · WEB
The Bible treats facial hair as an ordinary part of human appearance, sometimes connected with cultural customs, mourning, honor, shame, and ceremonial regulations, rather than as a universal measure of godliness. Leviticus 19:27 and 21:5 prohibited Israel from adopting certain pagan shaving practices, while Ezra 9:3 and Jeremiah 41:5 show hair and beard cutting as expressions of grief. David’s servants were deeply humiliated when their beards were shaved in 2 Samuel 10:4-5, and Isaiah 50:6 prophetically portrays the Servant suffering abuse. Psalm 133:2 uses Aaron’s beard to picture the richness of covenant unity. Christians should therefore avoid legalism, honor modesty and conscience, and remember that true holiness is found in faith and obedience to God.
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Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible
- Leviticus 19:27
You shall not cut the hair on the sides of your heads, neither shall you clip off the edge of your beard.
- 2 Samuel 10:4-5
[4] So Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away. [5] When they told it to David, he sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, Wait at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.
- Leviticus 21:5
"'They shall not shave their heads, neither shall they shave off the corners of their beards, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.
- Psalms 133:2
It is like the precious oil on the head, That ran down on the beard, Even Aaron's beard; That came down on the edge of his robes;
- Ezra 9:3
When I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded.
- Ezekiel 5:1
You, son of man, take a sharp sword; [as] a barber's razor shall you take it to you, and shall cause it to pass on your head and on your beard: then take balances to weigh, and divide the hair.
- Jeremiah 41:5
that there came men from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even eighty men, having their beards shaved and their clothes torn, and having cut themselves, with meal-offerings and frankincense in their hand, to bring them to the house of Yahweh.
- 1 Chronicles 19:4-5
[4] So Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away. [5] Then there went certain persons, and told David how the men were served. He sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, Stay at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.
- Isaiah 50:6
I gave my back to the strikers, and my cheeks to those who plucked off the hair; I didn't hide my face from shame and spitting.
- 1 Corinthians 11:14
Doesn't even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?
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