'Heads' in the Bible

On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he gave a feast for all his servants. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.

He fell asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, came up on one stalk.

After them, seven heads of grain, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up.

The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven plump, ripe ones. Then Pharaoh woke up, and it was only a dream.

In my dream I had also seen seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, coming up on one stalk.

After them, seven heads of grain—withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind—sprouted up.

The thin heads of grain swallowed the seven plump ones. I told this to the magicians, but no one can tell me what it means.”

The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven ripe heads are seven years. The dreams mean the same thing.

The seven thin, ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven worthless, scorched heads of grain are seven years of famine.

These are the heads of their fathers’ families:The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel:Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.These are the clans of Reuben.

Aaron’s son Eleazar marriedone of the daughters of Putieland she bore him Phinehas.These are the heads of the Levite families by their clans.

“If you present a grain offering of firstfruits to the Lord, you must present fresh heads of grain, crushed kernels, roasted on the fire, for your grain offering of firstfruits.

“Priests may not make bald spots on their heads, shave the edge of their beards, or make gashes on their bodies.

These are the men called from the community; they are leaders of their ancestral tribes, the heads of Israel’s clans.”

the leaders of Israel, the heads of their ancestral houses, presented an offering. They were the tribal leaders who supervised the registration.

Next the Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls. Sacrifice one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to the Lord, to make atonement for the Levites.

However, if one is sounded, only the leaders, the heads of Israel’s clans, are to gather before you.

When you enter your neighbor’s standing grain, you may pluck heads of grain with your hand, but you must not put a sickle to your neighbor’s grain.

I will make My arrows drunk with bloodwhile My sword devours flesh—the blood of the slain and the captives,the heads of the enemy leaders.”

If anyone goes out the doors of your house, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if anyone with you in the house should be harmed, his blood will be on our heads.

Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell before the ark of the Lord with his face to the ground until evening, as did the elders of Israel; they all put dust on their heads.

He had the clans of Judah come forward, and the Zerahite clan was selected. He had the Zerahite clan come forward by heads of families, and Zabdi was selected.

The Israelites received these portions that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the Israelite tribes gave them in the land of Canaan.

These were the portions that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families distributed to the Israelite tribes by lot at Shiloh in the Lord’s presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing up the land.

The heads of the Levite families approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the Israelite tribes.

They sent 10 leaders with him—one family leader for each tribe of Israel. All of them were heads of their families among the clans of Israel.

When Phinehas the priest and the community leaders, the heads of Israel’s clans who were with him, heard what the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh had to say, they were pleased.

They captured Oreb and Zeeb, the two princes of Midian; they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb, while they were pursuing the Midianites. They brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon across the Jordan.

And God also returned all the evil of the men of Shechem on their heads. So the curse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal came on them.

The Philistine commanders, however, were enraged with Achish and told him, “Send that man back and let him return to the place you assigned him. He must not go down with us into battle only to become our adversary during the battle. What better way could he regain his master’s favor than with the heads of our men?

David was climbing the slope of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he ascended. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. Each of the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they ascended.

At that time Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, all the tribal heads and the ancestral leaders of the Israelites before him at Jerusalem in order to bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from the city of David, that is Zion.

His servants said to him, “Consider this: we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. So let’s put sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads, and let’s go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your life.”

So they dressed with sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, went to the king of Israel, and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please spare my life.’”So he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”

Then Jehu wrote them a second letter, saying: If you are on my side, and if you will obey me, bring me the heads of your master’s sons at this time tomorrow at Jezreel. All 70 of the king’s sons were being cared for by the city’s prominent men.

When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and slaughtered all 70, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.

When the messenger came and told him, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons,” the king said, “Pile them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.”

These were the heads of their ancestral houses: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were brave warriors, famous men, and heads of their ancestral houses.

Tola’s sons: Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel, the heads of their ancestral houses. During David’s reign, 22,600 descendants of Tola were recorded as warriors in their genealogies.

Bela’s sons: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri—five. They were warriors and heads of their ancestral houses; 22,034 were listed in their genealogies.

Their genealogies were recorded according to the heads of their ancestral houses—20,200 warriors.

All these sons of Jediael listed by heads of families were warriors; there were 17,200 who could serve in the army.

All these were Asher’s sons. They were the heads of their ancestral houses, chosen men, warriors, and chiefs among the leaders. The number of men listed in their genealogies for military service was 26,000.

These were Ehud’s sons, who were the heads of the families living in Geba and who were deported to Manahath:

Jeuz, Sachia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of families.

Beriah and Shema, who were the heads of families of Aijalon’s residents and who drove out the residents of Gath,

These were heads of families, chiefs according to their genealogies, and lived in Jerusalem.

and 956 of their relatives according to their genealogical records. All these men were heads of their ancestral houses.

and 1,760 of their relatives, the heads of households. They were capable men employed in the ministry of God’s temple.

The singers, the heads of the Levite families, stayed in the temple chambers and were exempt from other tasks because they were on duty day and night.

These were the heads of the Levite families, chiefs according to their genealogies, and lived in Jerusalem.

Some Manassites defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. However, they did not help the Philistines because the Philistine rulers sent David away after a discussion. They said, “It will be our heads if he defects to his master Saul.”

He said to them, “You are the heads of the Levite families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves so that you may bring the ark of the Lord God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it.

Shimei’s sons: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran—three. Those were the heads of the families of Ladan.

These were the sons of Levi by their ancestral houses—the heads of families, according to their registration by name in the headcount—20 years old or more, who worked in the service of the Lord’s temple.

Since more leaders were found among Eleazar’s descendants than Ithamar’s, they were divided accordingly: 16 heads of ancestral houses were from Eleazar’s descendants, and eight heads of ancestral houses were from Ithamar’s.

The secretary, Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded them in the presence of the king and the officers, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the heads of families of the priests and the Levites. One ancestral house was taken for Eleazar, and then one for Ithamar.

They also cast lots the same way as their relatives the sons of Aaron did in the presence of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the families of the priests and Levites—the family heads and their younger brothers alike.

From the sons of Ladan, who were the sons of the Gershonites through Ladan and were the heads of families belonging to Ladan the Gershonite: Jehieli.

This Shelomith and his brothers were in charge of all the treasuries of what had been dedicated by King David, by the heads of families who were the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and by the army commanders.

There were among Jerijah’s relatives, 2,700 capable men who were heads of families. King David appointed them over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh as overseers in every matter relating to God and the king.

This is the list of the Israelites, the heads of families, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, and their officers who served the king in every matter to do with the divisions that were on rotated military duty each month throughout the year. There were 24,000 in each division:

Then Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every leader in all Israel—the heads of the families.

At that time Solomon assembled at Jerusalem the elders of Israel—all the tribal heads, the ancestral chiefs of the Israelites—in order to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord up from the city of David, that is, Zion.

Jehoshaphat also appointed in Jerusalem some of the Levites and priests and some of the heads of the Israelite families for deciding the Lord’s will and for settling disputes of the residents of Jerusalem.

They made a circuit throughout Judah. They gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah and the heads of the families of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.

The total number of heads of families was 2,600 brave warriors.

Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the Lord’s house before the leading priests, Levites, and heads of the Israelite families in Jerusalem.”

And I said:My God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face toward You, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads and our guilt is as high as the heavens.

Listen, our God, for we are despised. Make their insults return on their own heads and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity.

On the twenty-fourth day of this month the Israelites assembled; they were fasting, wearing sackcloth, and had put dust on their heads.

These are the heads of the province who stayed in Jerusalem (but in the villages of Judah each lived on his own property in their towns—the Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants, and descendants of Solomon’s servants—

They are exalted for a moment, then they are gone;they are brought low and shrivel up like everything else.They wither like heads of grain.

Everyone who sees me mocks me;they sneer and shake their heads:

Lift up your heads, you gates!Rise up, ancient doors!Then the King of glory will come in.

Lift up your heads, you gates!Rise up, ancient doors!Then the King of glory will come in.

They will be made to stumble;their own tongues work against them.All who see them will shake their heads.

You let men ride over our heads;we went through fire and water,but You brought us out to abundance.

Surely God crushes the heads of His enemies,the hairy head of one who goes on in his guilty acts.

You divided the sea with Your strength;You smashed the heads of the sea monsters in the waters;

You crushed the heads of Leviathan;You fed him to the creatures of the desert.

I have become an object of ridicule to my accusers;when they see me, they shake their heads in scorn.

When those who surround me rise up,may the trouble their lips cause overwhelm them.

The Lord also says:Because the daughters of Zion are haughty,walking with heads held highand seductive eyes,going along with prancing steps,jingling their ankle bracelets,

the Lord will put scabs on the headsof the daughters of Zion,and the Lord will shave their foreheads bare.

It will be as if a reaper had gathered standing grain—his arm harvesting the heads of grain—and as if one had gleaned heads of grainin the Valley of Rephaim.

On that day the Lord God of Hostscalled for weeping, for wailing, for shaven heads,and for the wearing of sackcloth.

For the Lord has poured out on youan overwhelming urge to sleep;He has shut your eyes—the prophets,and covered your heads—the seers.

Say to the king and the queen mother:Take a humble seat,for your glorious crownshave fallen from your heads.

Their nobles send their servants for water.They go to the cisterns;they find no water;their containers return empty.They are ashamed and humiliated;they cover their heads.

The ground is crackedsince no rain has fallen on the land.The farmers are ashamed;they cover their heads.

י YodThe elders of Daughter Zionsit on the ground in silence.They have thrown dust on their headsand put on sackcloth.The young women of Jerusalemhave bowed their heads to the ground.

ס SamekAll who pass byscornfully clap their hands at you.They mock and shake their headsat Daughter Jerusalem:Is this the city that was calledthe perfection of beauty,the joy of the whole earth?

The shape of an expanse, with a gleam like awe-inspiring crystal, was spread out over the heads of the living creatures.

A voice came from above the expanse over their heads; when they stood still, they lowered their wings.

They will put on sackcloth,and horror will overwhelm them.Shame will cover all their faces,and all their heads will be bald.

But as for Me, I will not show pity or spare them. I will bring their actions down on their own heads.”

Then I looked, and there above the expanse over the heads of the cherubim was something like sapphire stone resembling the shape of a throne that appeared above them.

But as for those whose hearts pursue their desire for detestable things and practices, I will bring their actions down on their own heads.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.

and say: This is what the Lord God says: Woe to the women who sew magic bands on the wrist of every hand and who make veils for the heads of people of every height in order to ensnare lives. Will you ensnare the lives of My people but preserve your own?