Reference: Head
Hastings
Not the head but the heart was regarded as the seat of intellect; it was, however, the seat of life, and was naturally held in honour. Hence phrases such as 'keeper of my head' (1Sa 28:2; cf. Ps 140:7), 'swearing by the head' (Mt 5:36), and the metaphorical use, common to all languages, as equivalent to 'chief.' In De 28:13; Isa 9:14, we find 'head and tail' as a proverbial expression. Christ is the head of the Church (Eph 4:15; Col 1:18; 2:19), as man is of the woman (Eph 5:23). To lift up the head is to grant success (Ps 27:6; 110:7; Ge 41:13, where there is an obvious ironical parallel in Ge 41:19). The hand on the head was a sign of mourning (2Sa 13:19; Jer 2:37); so dust or ashes (2Sa 1:2; La 2:10); or covering the head (2Sa 15:30; Jer 14:3). On the other hand, to uncover the head, i.e. to loose the turban and leave the hair in disorder, was also a sign of mourning (see AV and Revised Version margin, Le 10:6; 13:45; Eze 24:17). Similarly shaving the head, a common practice in the East (Job 1:20; Isa 15:2; 22:12; Eze 7:18; Am 8:10); it was forbidden to priests (Le 21:5), and, in special forms, to all Israelites (Le 19:27; De 14:1). It might also mark the close of a period of mourning (De 21:12), or of a Nazirite's vow (Nu 6:9; Ac 18:18), or of a Levite's purification (Nu 8:7). In De 32:42 there is a reference to the warrior's long hair, Revised Version margin. Laying hands on the head was (a) part of the symbolism of sacrifice (Le 16:21), (b) a sign of blessing (Ge 48:14), (c) a sign of consecration or ordination (Nu 27:23; Ac 6:6). In 2Ki 2:3 the reference seems to be to the pupil sitting at the feet of his master. 'Head' is also used, like 'face,' as a synonym for 'self' (Ps 7:16; and probably Pr 25:22; Ro 12:20).
C. W. Emmet.
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And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; he restored me to my office, and he hanged him.
And, behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ill-favored and lean-fleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness.
And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands deliberately, for Manasseh was the firstborn.
And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons, Let not the hair of your heads go loose, neither tear your clothes, that ye not die, and that he not be angry with all the congregation, but let your brothers, the w
And the man with a leprous disease in whom the disease is, his clothes shall be torn, and the hair of his head shall go loose, and he shall cover his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.
And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the sons of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins. And he shall put them upon the head of the goat, a
Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, nor shall thou mar the corners of thy beard.
They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.
And if any man dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles the head of his separation, then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing; on the seventh day he shall shave it.
And thus thou shall do to them to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of expiation upon them, and let them cause a razor to pass over all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and cleanse themselves.
Ye are the sons of LORD your God. Ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.
then thou shall bring her home to thy house. And she shall shave her head, and pare her nails,
And LORD will make thee the head, and not the tail. And thou shall only be above, and thou shall not be beneath, if thou shall hearken to the commandments of LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do,
I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh, with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the head of the leaders of the enemy.
And David said to Achish, Therefore thou shall know what thy servant will do. And Achish said to David, Therefore I will make thee my chief bodyguard forever.
it came to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes torn, and earth upon his head. And so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the ground, and did obeisance.
And Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her garment of various colors that was on her. And she laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went.
And David went up by the ascent of the [mount of] Olives, and wept as he went up, and he had his head covered, and went barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they we
And the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said to him, Do thou know that LORD will take away thy master from thy head today? And he said, Yes, I know it; hold ye your peace.
Then Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped.
His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violence shall come down upon his own scalp.
And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies round about me. And I will offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy. I will sing, yea, I will sing praises to LORD.
O lord LORD, the strength of my salvation, thou have covered my head in the day of battle.
For thou will heap coals of fire upon his head, and LORD will reward thee.
Therefore LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, palm-branch and rush, in one day.
They have gone up to Bayith, and to Dibon, to the high places, to weep. Moab wails over Nebo, and over Medeba. On all their heads is baldness. Every beard is cut off.
And in that day the Lord, LORD of hosts, called for weeping, and for mourning, and for baldness, and for girding with sackcloth.
Thou shall also go forth from there with thy hands upon thy head. For LORD has rejected those in whom thou trust. And thou shall not prosper with them.
And their ranking men send their little ones to the waters. They come to the cisterns, and find no water. They return with their vessels empty. They are put to shame and confounded, and cover their heads,
The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground. They keep silence. They have cast up dust upon their heads. They have girded themselves with sackcloth. The virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground.
They shall also gird themselves with sackcloth, and horror shall cover them. And shame shall be upon all faces, and baldness upon all their heads.
Sigh, but not aloud. Make no mourning for the dead. Bind thy headdress upon thee, and put thy shoes upon thy feet. And do not cover thy lips, and do not eat the bread of men.
And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation. And I will bring sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head, and I will make it as the mourning for an only son, and the end thereof as a b
Neither shall thou swear by thy head, because thou cannot make one hair white or black.
men whom they placed before the apostles. And having prayed, they laid hands upon them.
But Paul, who still remained considerable days with the brothers, having separated, sailed away to Syria (and with him Priscilla and Aquila), having shaved his head in Cenchrea, for he had a vow.
Therefore if thine enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him to drink. For by doing this thou will heap coals of fire upon his head.
But being truthful in love, we may cause all things to grow for him who is the head--the Christ--
Because a husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church, and himself the savior of the body.
And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might become preeminent in all things.
and not holding to the head, from whom all the body, being supplied and held together through the connections and bonds, develops its growth from God.
Morish
Besides the common use of this as 'chief,' referring to the heads of families and heads of tribes, the word was used symbolically of government and power, as when God declared that the Seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's 'head.' Ge 3:15. In the N.T. the term ?????? is employed for the relative position of man in nature, and of Christ and of God: the head of the woman is the man; the head of every man is Christ; and the head of Christ is God. 1Co 11:3. In another connection Christ is the head of the church, Eph 5:23; Col 1:18; and He is head over all things to the church. Eph 1:22; Col 2:10. As head of the church Christ removes entirely every other controlling or guiding authority. As the head of a man guides and controls his body, so Christ has the complete control over His church.
In Re 12:3 the 'head' symbolises a form of power or kingdom; and in Re 17:3,9, the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth, representing Rome, which was commonly described as built upon seven hills, and the woman signifies Papal Rome.
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And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. He shall bruise thy head, and thou shall bruise his heel.
But I want you to know that the head of every man is the Christ, and the head of a woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.
And he subordinated all things under his feet, and appointed him head over all things for the church,
Because a husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church, and himself the savior of the body.
And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might become preeminent in all things.
And ye are men who have been made full in him, who is the head of every principal office and position of authority.
And another sign was seen in heaven. And behold, a great fiery dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems upon his heads.
And he carried me away in spirit into a wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast containing names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Here is the mind that has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains where the woman sits on them.
Watsons
HEAD. This word has several significations, beside its natural one, which denotes the head of a man. It is sometimes used in Scripture for the whole man: "Blessings are upon the head of the just," Pr 10:6.; that is, upon their persons. God says of the wicked, "I will recompense their way upon their head," Ezekiel 9., 10. It signifies a chief or capital city: "The head of Syria is Damascus," Isa 7:8. It denotes a chief or principal member in society: "The Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail. The ancient and honourable, he is the head," Isa 9:14-15. "The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent," Ge 3:15; that is, Christ Jesus, the blessed seed of the woman, shall overthrow the power, policy, and works of the devil. The river in paradise was divided into four heads or branches. In times of grief, the mourners covered their heads: they cut and plucked off their hair. Amos, speaking of unhappy times, says, "I will bring baldness upon every head," Am 8:10. In prosperity, they anointed their heads with sweet oils: "Let thy head lack no" perfumed "ointment," Ec 9:8. To shake the head at any one, expresses contempt: "The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee," Isa 37:22.
Head is taken for one that hath rule and preeminence over others. Thus God is the head of Christ; as Mediator, from him he derives all his dignity and authority. Christ is the only spiritual head of the church, both in respect of eminence and influence; he communicates life, motion, and strength to every believer. Also the husband is the head of his wife, because by God's ordinance he is to rule over her, Ge 3:16; also in regard to pre- eminence of sex, 1Pe 3:7, and excellency of knowledge, 1Co 14:35. The Apostle mentions this subordination of persons in 1Co 11:3: "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God." "The stone which the builders rejected was made the head of the corner," Ps 118:22. It was the first in the angle, whether it were disposed at the top of that angle to adorn and crown it, or at the bottom to support it. This, in the New Testament is applied to Christ, who is the strength and beauty of the church, to unite the several parts of it, namely, both Jews and Gentiles together.
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And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. He shall bruise thy head, and thou shall bruise his heel. To the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy pain and thy childbearing, in pain thou shall bring forth children. And thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner.
Blessings are upon the head of a righteous man, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
Let thy garments be always white, and let not thy head lack oil.
For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. And within sixty-five years Ephraim shall be broken in pieces, so that is shall not be a people.
Therefore LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, palm-branch and rush, in one day. The elder and the honorable man, he is the head. And the prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.
this is the word which LORD has spoken concerning him: The virgin daughter of Zion has despised thee and laughed thee to scorn. The daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head at thee.
And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation. And I will bring sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head, and I will make it as the mourning for an only son, and the end thereof as a b
But I want you to know that the head of every man is the Christ, and the head of a woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.
And if they want to learn anything, let them question their own husbands at home, for it is an ugly thing for women to speak in an assembly.
Likewise the husbands living together knowledgably, as with a weaker vessel, apportioning worth to the female as also joint-heirs of the grace of life, for your prayers not to be hindered.