Reference: Beard
American
The Hebrews regarded a thin, scanty beard as a great deformity; while a long, full, flowing beard was esteemed the noblest ornament of personal beauty and dignity. A man's honor was lodged, as it were, his beard. To insult it by word or act was the grossest indignity; to take it respectfully in the right hand and kiss it, was a mode of expressing high esteem and love permitted only to the nearest friends. It was cherished with great care, Ps 133:2; Da 10:3. To neglect, tear, or cut it, indicated the deepest grief, Ezr 9:3; Isa 15:2; Jer 41:5; 48:37; while to be deprived of it was a mark of servility and infamy. Many would prefer death to such a mutilation. These facts explain many passages of Scripture: as the gross insult offered to David's ambassadors, 2Sa 10:4-14; the zealous indignation of Nehemiah, Ne 13:25; the mode in which the feigned insanity of David was expressed, 1Sa 21:12, and the grief of Mephibosheth, 1Sa 19:24; the treachery of Judas; also several passages in the prophets, Isa 7:20; 50:6; Eze 5:1-5.
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And he stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and fell naked all that day and all that night, wherefore it is a common saying, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
And David put those words into his heart and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
Wherefore Hanun took David's servants and shaved off the one half of every man's beard and cut off their garments even in the middle, even hard by the buttocks of them and sent them away. When it was told David he sent against them - for they were men exceedingly ashamed - and said, "Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return." read more. And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank unto David, they sent and hired the sons of Bethrehob of the Syrians of Zobah: twenty thousand footmen; and of king Maacah: a thousand men; and of Ishtob: twelve thousand men. And when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the host of strong men. And the children of Ammon came out and waged battle before the gate, and the Syrians of Zobah, of Rehob, Ishtob and Maacah were by themselves in the fields. When Joab saw that the front of the battle was before and after, he chose of all the best of Israel and put them in array against the Syrians. And the rest of the people he delivered in the hand of Abishai his brother, which put them in array against the children of Ammon. And he said, "If the Syrians overcome me, then succor me. But if the children of Ammon be too good for thee, I will come and succor thee. Quite thee like a man, and let us fight lustily for our people and for the cities of our God. And the LORD do what seemeth best in his eyes." And forthwith Joab proceeded, and the people that was with him, into battle against the Syrians: which fled before him. And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. And so Joab returned from the children of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.
When I heard this, I rent my clothes and my raiment, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat mourning.
And I reproved them, and cursed them, and smote certain men of them, and plucked them up, and took an oath of them by God, "Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, neither shall ye take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.
It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down unto the beard; even unto Aaron's beard, and went down to the skirts of his clothing.
At the same time shall the LORD shave the hair of the head and the feet and the beard clean off, with the razor that he shall hire beyond the water: namely, with the king of the Assyrians.
They went up to the idols' house, even to Dibon to the high places, to weep for Nebo; and Moab did mourn for Medeba. All their heads were bald, and all their beards shaven.
But I offer my back unto the smiters, and my cheeks to the nippers. I turn not my face from shame and spitting,
there came certain men from Shechem, from Shiloh and Samaria, to the number of eighty, which had shaven their beards, rent their clothes, and were all heavy, bringing meat offerings, and incense in their hands, to offer it in the house of the LORD.
All heads shall be shaven, and all beards clipped off: all hands bound, and all loins girded about with sack cloth.
O Thou son of man, take thee then a sharp knife, namely a razor. Take that, and shave the hair of thy head and beard: Then take the scales and weight, and divide the hair asunder. And burn the third part thereof in the fire in the midst of the city, and cut the other third part in pieces with a knife. As for the third part that remaineth, cast it in the wind, and then show the bare knife. read more. Yet afterward take a little of the same, and bind it in thy coat lap. Then take a courtesy of it, and cast it in the midst of the fire: and burn it in the fire. Out of the same fire shall there go a flame upon the whole house of Israel." Moreover, thus said the LORD God, "This same is Jerusalem. I set her in the midst of the Heathen and nations that are round about her:
so that I had no lust to eat bread: as for flesh and wine, there came none within my mouth: No, I did not once anoint myself, till the whole three weeks were out.
Easton
The mode of wearing it was definitely prescribed to the Jews (Le 19:27; 21:5). Hence the import of Ezekiel's (Eze 5:1-4) description of the "razor" i.e., the agents of an angry providence being used against the guilty nation of the Jews. It was a part of a Jew's daily toilet to anoint his beard with oil and perfume (Ps 133:2). Beards were trimmed with the most fastidious care (2Sa 19:24), and their neglet was an indication of deep sorrow (Isa 15:2; Jer 41:5). The custom was to shave or pluck off the hair as a sign of mourning (Isa 50:6; Jer 48:37; Ezr 9:3). The beards of David's ambassadors were cut off by hanun (2Sa 10:4) as a mark of indignity.
On the other hand, the Egyptians carefully shaved the hair off their faces, and they compelled their slaves to do so also (Ge 41:14).
Illustration: Modes of Wearing Beard
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Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph. And they made him haste out of prison. And he shaved himself and changed his raiment, and went in to Pharaoh.
Ye shall not round the locks of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the tufts of thy beard.
They shall make them no baldness upon their heads or shave off the locks of their beards, nor make any marks in their flesh.
Wherefore Hanun took David's servants and shaved off the one half of every man's beard and cut off their garments even in the middle, even hard by the buttocks of them and sent them away.
And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet nor shaved his beard nor washed his clothes from the time the king departed, until he came again in peace.
When I heard this, I rent my clothes and my raiment, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat mourning.
It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down unto the beard; even unto Aaron's beard, and went down to the skirts of his clothing.
They went up to the idols' house, even to Dibon to the high places, to weep for Nebo; and Moab did mourn for Medeba. All their heads were bald, and all their beards shaven.
But I offer my back unto the smiters, and my cheeks to the nippers. I turn not my face from shame and spitting,
there came certain men from Shechem, from Shiloh and Samaria, to the number of eighty, which had shaven their beards, rent their clothes, and were all heavy, bringing meat offerings, and incense in their hands, to offer it in the house of the LORD.
All heads shall be shaven, and all beards clipped off: all hands bound, and all loins girded about with sack cloth.
O Thou son of man, take thee then a sharp knife, namely a razor. Take that, and shave the hair of thy head and beard: Then take the scales and weight, and divide the hair asunder. And burn the third part thereof in the fire in the midst of the city, and cut the other third part in pieces with a knife. As for the third part that remaineth, cast it in the wind, and then show the bare knife. read more. Yet afterward take a little of the same, and bind it in thy coat lap. Then take a courtesy of it, and cast it in the midst of the fire: and burn it in the fire. Out of the same fire shall there go a flame upon the whole house of Israel."
Fausets
With Asiatics, a badge of manly dignity. The Egyptians mostly shaved the hair of the face and head, except in mourning. In consonance with this Egyptian usage, Scripture, with the undesigned propriety of truth, represents Joseph as having "shaved his beard," which he had allowed to grow in prison, before entering Pharaoh's presence (Ge 41:14). Many Egyptians wore a false beard of plaited hair, private individuals small ones, kings long ones square below, the gods one turning at the end. Their enemies are represented bearded on the monuments.
The Jews were forbidden to "round the corners of their heads or mar (i.e. shave off) the corners of their beards" (Le 19:27; 21:5). Baal worshippers rounded the beard and hair to make their faces round, like the sun. The Arabs trimmed their beard round in sign of dedication to some idol. Possibly the Israelites retained the hair between the ear and eye, which the Arabs shaved away (Jer 9:26 margin; Jer 25:23; 49:32; compare Herodotus, 3:8).
The beard is sworn by in the E. as an object of veneration. Not to trim it marked affliction, as in Mephibosheth's case during Absalom's occupation of Jerusalem (2Sa 19:24). An insult to it was resented as a gross outrage, as David did when Hanun shaved off half the beards of his ambassadors (2Sa 10:4). Compare God's threat of "shaving" away His people as "hair" with the Assyrian king as His "razor" (Isa 7:20). This was one gross indignity to which Jesus was subjected: "I gave My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair" (Isa 50:6). It was shaved in mourning (Isa 15:2; Jer 41:5; 48:37). Only the nearest friends were permitted to touch the beard, which marks the foul treachery of Joab in taking his cousin Amasa's beard to kiss him, or rather it (2Sa 20:9). The precious ointment flowed from Aaron's head at his consecration, upon his beard (Ps 133:2). The leper, at purification, had to shave his head and beard and eyebrows (Le 14:9).
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Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph. And they made him haste out of prison. And he shaved himself and changed his raiment, and went in to Pharaoh.
Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph. And they made him haste out of prison. And he shaved himself and changed his raiment, and went in to Pharaoh.
When the seventh day is come, he shall shave off all his hair both upon his head and his beard and on his brows: and even all the hair that is on him, shall be shaven off. And he shall wash his clothes and his flesh in water, and then he shall be clean.
When the seventh day is come, he shall shave off all his hair both upon his head and his beard and on his brows: and even all the hair that is on him, shall be shaven off. And he shall wash his clothes and his flesh in water, and then he shall be clean.
Ye shall not round the locks of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the tufts of thy beard.
Ye shall not round the locks of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the tufts of thy beard.
They shall make them no baldness upon their heads or shave off the locks of their beards, nor make any marks in their flesh.
They shall make them no baldness upon their heads or shave off the locks of their beards, nor make any marks in their flesh.
Wherefore Hanun took David's servants and shaved off the one half of every man's beard and cut off their garments even in the middle, even hard by the buttocks of them and sent them away.
Wherefore Hanun took David's servants and shaved off the one half of every man's beard and cut off their garments even in the middle, even hard by the buttocks of them and sent them away.
And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet nor shaved his beard nor washed his clothes from the time the king departed, until he came again in peace.
And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet nor shaved his beard nor washed his clothes from the time the king departed, until he came again in peace.
And Joab said to Amasa, "Are all things in rest and peace my brother?" And Joab took Amasa by the chin with the right hand, as though he would have kissed him.
And Joab said to Amasa, "Are all things in rest and peace my brother?" And Joab took Amasa by the chin with the right hand, as though he would have kissed him.
It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down unto the beard; even unto Aaron's beard, and went down to the skirts of his clothing.
It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down unto the beard; even unto Aaron's beard, and went down to the skirts of his clothing.
At the same time shall the LORD shave the hair of the head and the feet and the beard clean off, with the razor that he shall hire beyond the water: namely, with the king of the Assyrians.
At the same time shall the LORD shave the hair of the head and the feet and the beard clean off, with the razor that he shall hire beyond the water: namely, with the king of the Assyrians.
They went up to the idols' house, even to Dibon to the high places, to weep for Nebo; and Moab did mourn for Medeba. All their heads were bald, and all their beards shaven.
They went up to the idols' house, even to Dibon to the high places, to weep for Nebo; and Moab did mourn for Medeba. All their heads were bald, and all their beards shaven.
But I offer my back unto the smiters, and my cheeks to the nippers. I turn not my face from shame and spitting,
But I offer my back unto the smiters, and my cheeks to the nippers. I turn not my face from shame and spitting,
The Egyptians, the Jews, the Edomites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, and the shaven Midianites that dwell in the wilderness. For all the Gentiles are uncircumcised in the flesh, but all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart."
The Egyptians, the Jews, the Edomites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, and the shaven Midianites that dwell in the wilderness. For all the Gentiles are uncircumcised in the flesh, but all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart."
there came certain men from Shechem, from Shiloh and Samaria, to the number of eighty, which had shaven their beards, rent their clothes, and were all heavy, bringing meat offerings, and incense in their hands, to offer it in the house of the LORD.
there came certain men from Shechem, from Shiloh and Samaria, to the number of eighty, which had shaven their beards, rent their clothes, and were all heavy, bringing meat offerings, and incense in their hands, to offer it in the house of the LORD.
All heads shall be shaven, and all beards clipped off: all hands bound, and all loins girded about with sack cloth.
All heads shall be shaven, and all beards clipped off: all hands bound, and all loins girded about with sack cloth.
Their camels shall be stolen, and the droves of their cattle driven away. Moreover, these that be shaven will I scatter toward all the winds, and bring them to destruction: yea and that through their own familiars, sayeth the LORD.
Their camels shall be stolen, and the droves of their cattle driven away. Moreover, these that be shaven will I scatter toward all the winds, and bring them to destruction: yea and that through their own familiars, sayeth the LORD.
Hastings
Morish
The Israelites always cultivated the beard, and highly valued it. The law forbade them to 'mar the corners of their beards,' Le 19:27, and a priest must not shave off the corner of his beard as a sign of mourning. Le 21:5. King Hanun inflicted a sore indignity when he marred the beards of David's ambassadors. 2Sa 10:4. Ezra in great grief at the sin of the people plucked off the hair of his head and of his beard. Ezr 9:3: cf. Jer 41:5. God's judgement on Israel is compared to the beard being consumed by a razor, Isa 7:20; and they were to be scattered as hair that is cut off. Eze 5:1-2,12. Of Moab it was said, every beard should be cut off. Isa 15:2; Jer 48:37.
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Ye shall not round the locks of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the tufts of thy beard.
They shall make them no baldness upon their heads or shave off the locks of their beards, nor make any marks in their flesh.
Wherefore Hanun took David's servants and shaved off the one half of every man's beard and cut off their garments even in the middle, even hard by the buttocks of them and sent them away.
When I heard this, I rent my clothes and my raiment, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat mourning.
At the same time shall the LORD shave the hair of the head and the feet and the beard clean off, with the razor that he shall hire beyond the water: namely, with the king of the Assyrians.
They went up to the idols' house, even to Dibon to the high places, to weep for Nebo; and Moab did mourn for Medeba. All their heads were bald, and all their beards shaven.
there came certain men from Shechem, from Shiloh and Samaria, to the number of eighty, which had shaven their beards, rent their clothes, and were all heavy, bringing meat offerings, and incense in their hands, to offer it in the house of the LORD.
All heads shall be shaven, and all beards clipped off: all hands bound, and all loins girded about with sack cloth.
O Thou son of man, take thee then a sharp knife, namely a razor. Take that, and shave the hair of thy head and beard: Then take the scales and weight, and divide the hair asunder. And burn the third part thereof in the fire in the midst of the city, and cut the other third part in pieces with a knife. As for the third part that remaineth, cast it in the wind, and then show the bare knife.
One third part within thee shall die of the pestilence and of hunger: Another third part shall be slain down round about thee with the sword: The other third part, that remaineth, will I scatter abroad toward all the winds, and draw out the sword after them.
Smith
Beard.
Western Asiatics have always cherished the beard as the badge of the dignity of manhood, and attached to it the importance of a feature. The Egyptians, on the contrary for the most part shaved the hair of the face and head, though we find some instances to the contrary. The beard is the object of an oath, and that on which blessing or shame is spoken of as resting. The custom was and is to shave or pluck it and the hair out in mourning,
Ezr 9:3; Isa 15:2; 50:6; Jer 41:5; 48:37
Bar. 6:31; to neglect it in seasons of permanent affliction,
and to regard any insult to it as the last outrage which enmity can inflict.
The beard was the object of salutation.
The dressing, trimming, anointing, etc., of the beard was performed with much ceremony by persons of wealth and rank
The removal of the beard was a part of the ceremonial treatment proper to a leper.
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When the seventh day is come, he shall shave off all his hair both upon his head and his beard and on his brows: and even all the hair that is on him, shall be shaven off. And he shall wash his clothes and his flesh in water, and then he shall be clean.
Wherefore Hanun took David's servants and shaved off the one half of every man's beard and cut off their garments even in the middle, even hard by the buttocks of them and sent them away.
And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet nor shaved his beard nor washed his clothes from the time the king departed, until he came again in peace.
And Joab said to Amasa, "Are all things in rest and peace my brother?" And Joab took Amasa by the chin with the right hand, as though he would have kissed him.
When I heard this, I rent my clothes and my raiment, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat mourning.
It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down unto the beard; even unto Aaron's beard, and went down to the skirts of his clothing.
They went up to the idols' house, even to Dibon to the high places, to weep for Nebo; and Moab did mourn for Medeba. All their heads were bald, and all their beards shaven.
But I offer my back unto the smiters, and my cheeks to the nippers. I turn not my face from shame and spitting,
there came certain men from Shechem, from Shiloh and Samaria, to the number of eighty, which had shaven their beards, rent their clothes, and were all heavy, bringing meat offerings, and incense in their hands, to offer it in the house of the LORD.
All heads shall be shaven, and all beards clipped off: all hands bound, and all loins girded about with sack cloth.
Watsons
BEARD. The Hebrews wore their beards, but had, doubtless, in common with other Asiatic nations, several fashions in this, as in all other parts of dress. Moses forbids them, Le 19:27, "to cut off entirely the angle, or extremity of their beard;" that is, to avoid the manner of the Egyptians, who left only a little tuft of beard at the extremity of their chins. The Jews, in some places, at this day suffer a little fillet of hair to grow from below the ears to the chin: where, as well as upon their lower lips, their beards are long. When they mourned, they entirely shaved the hair of their heads and beards, and neglected to trim their beards, to regulate them into neat order, or to remove what grew on their upper lips and cheeks, Jer 48:37. In times of grief and affliction, they plucked away the hair of their heads and beards, a mode of expression common to other nations under great calamities. The king of the Ammonites, designing to insult David in the person of his ambassadors, cut away half of their beards, and half of their clothes; that is, he cut off all their beard on one side of their faces, 2Sa 10:4-5; 1Ch 19:5. To avoid ridicule, David did not wish them to appear at his court till their beards were grown again. When a leper was cured of his leprosy, he washed himself in a bath, and shaved off all the hair of his body; after which, he returned into the camp, or city; seven days afterward, he washed himself and his clothes again, shaved off all his hair, and offered the sacrifices appointed for his purification, Le 14:9. The Levites, at their consecration, were purified by bathing, and washing their bodies and clothes; after which, they shaved off all the hair of their bodies, and then offered the sacrifices appointed for their consecration, Nu 8:7.
Nothing has been more fluctuating, in the different ages of the world and countries than the fashion of wearing the beard. Some have cultivated one part and some another; some have endeavoured to extirpate it entirely, while others have almost idolized it; the revolutions of countries have scarcely been more famous than the revolutions of beards. It is a great mark of infamy among the Arabs to cut off the beard. Many people would prefer death to this kind of treatment. As they would think it a grievous punishment to lose it, they carry things so far as to beg for the sake of it: "By your beard, by the life of your beard, God preserve your blessed beard." When they would express their value for any thing, they say, "It is worth more than a man's beard." And hence we may easily learn the magnitude of the offence of the Ammonites in their treatment of David's ambassadors, as above mentioned; and also the force of the emblem used Eze 5:1-5, where the inhabitants of Jerusalem are compared to the hair of his head and beard. Though they had been dear to God as the hair of an eastern beard to its owner, they should be taken away and consumed, one part by pestilence and famine, another by the sword, another by the calamities incident on exile.
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When the seventh day is come, he shall shave off all his hair both upon his head and his beard and on his brows: and even all the hair that is on him, shall be shaven off. And he shall wash his clothes and his flesh in water, and then he shall be clean.
Ye shall not round the locks of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the tufts of thy beard.
And this do unto them when thou cleansest them: sprinkle water of purifying upon them and make a razor to run along upon all the flesh of them, and let them wash their clothes, and then they shall be clean.
Wherefore Hanun took David's servants and shaved off the one half of every man's beard and cut off their garments even in the middle, even hard by the buttocks of them and sent them away. When it was told David he sent against them - for they were men exceedingly ashamed - and said, "Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return."
All heads shall be shaven, and all beards clipped off: all hands bound, and all loins girded about with sack cloth.
O Thou son of man, take thee then a sharp knife, namely a razor. Take that, and shave the hair of thy head and beard: Then take the scales and weight, and divide the hair asunder. And burn the third part thereof in the fire in the midst of the city, and cut the other third part in pieces with a knife. As for the third part that remaineth, cast it in the wind, and then show the bare knife. read more. Yet afterward take a little of the same, and bind it in thy coat lap. Then take a courtesy of it, and cast it in the midst of the fire: and burn it in the fire. Out of the same fire shall there go a flame upon the whole house of Israel." Moreover, thus said the LORD God, "This same is Jerusalem. I set her in the midst of the Heathen and nations that are round about her: