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Bible Question: The
Old Testament says that people should not cut their hair. Why do Christians
not follow that rule?
Bible Answer: The
Old Testament has a number of commands about cutting or not cutting
hair. In general, the Old Testament does not prohibit a person from
cutting their hair.
Priests and the Nazirite Vow.
The
Old Testament provides guidelines for the hair of priests and those
who take a Nazirite vow. For the priest, God required that the hair
of their head not be too long, contrary to modern belief. Their hair
could not be too short either and they could not be bald. They were
not allowed to shave the edges of their bread. God wanted the priests
to have a full beard which regularly trimmed.
A
man or a woman who took a Nazirite vow was not allowed to cut their
hair (Numbers 6:2-4). The Nazirite vow was a very unusual vow of dedication
to God. It was taken for a period of time in which the person dedicated
themselves to God. It was an expression of total commitment.
The Nazirite vow had a starting point and an ending point. The most
interesting commitment a person had to make during the vow was to
not cut his hair. However, when the period of time was over, the person
was required to cut his/her hair.
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Category |
Requirement |
Reference |
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Priests |
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Could
not have any physical defect. |
Leviticus
21:17-21 |
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Could
not marry a widow or divorced person. |
Leviticus
21:14-15 |
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Do
not touch the dead. |
Leviticus
21:1 |
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|
Have
no wine. |
Leviticus
10:9 |
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|
Cutting
of the hair was regulated. |
Leviticus
21:5
Ezekiel 44:20 |
|
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Nazirite
Vow |
|
|
|
| |
|
Do
not touch the dead. |
Numbers
6:6-7 |
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No
contact with wine. |
Numbers
6:1-4 |
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|
At
Initiation: Do not cut the hair or beard. |
Numbers
6:5 |
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Upon
Completion: Cut the hair or beard. |
Numbers
6:13-18 |
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Prohibition
against unclean food. |
Judges
13:4-7 |
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