Bible Hairstyles

Long curly hair was popular among both women and men in biblical times.
(1st Corinthians 11:15).

A fine head of hail was a mark of great beauty to the Israelites. Both men and women wore their hair long. Rulers even had their hair curled and braided in elaborate patterns.

King David's son Absalom was renowned for his long hair. He cut it only once a year, "when it was heavy on him" (2nd Samuel 14:26), but his long hair cost him his life. While Absalom was fleeing on a donkey after a failed revolt against his father, his hair got caught in the branches of a tree and, as he dangled there, David's general killed him.

Some religious customs governed hair trimming. To become a member of a religious group called the Nazirites, a man had to vow that "no razor shall come upon the head" (Numbers 6:5). After his head was shaved, Samson, a Nazirite, lost the superhuman strength God had granted him.

The look of a person's hair also showed his or her emotional state. Anointing hair with oil was a sign of joy and good fortune. People oiled their hair for festivals, and hosts offered their guests oil for their hair as a sign of welcome. On the other hand, people in mourning let their hair become disheveled.

The gray hair of old age brought a person respect. Even so, King Herod the Great dyed his hair dark when it began to turn gray.

Did you know? Baldness was thought to be embarrassing. When some boys taunted the Prophet Elisha for being bald, he cursed them. Suddenly two bears appeared and chased the boys away (2nd Kings 2:23-24).

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