What the Bible has to Say about Covering and Shaving One’s Head

In the Old Testament

There were head coverings for Aaron and his sons called turbans (Exodus 28:40, 29:6, 9, 39:28, Leviticus 8:9-13, Ezekiel 21:26, Daniel 3:21, Zechariah 3:5). It seems likely that these turbans were for all priests (all the descendants of Aaron), but not for the general male Israelite population. An uncovered head was a sign of mourning for a priest (Leviticus 10:6, Ezekiel 24:17). But for the rest of the men, covering one’s head was sign of mourning or shame (II Samuel 15:30, Jeremiah 14:4, Esther 6:12).

Priests were not usually supposed to shave their heads, but they were not to have long hair either (Ezekiel 44:20). Shaving one’s head was also a sign of mourning for males (Job 1:20, Isaiah 15:2, 22:12, Jeremiah 16:6, 48:37, Amos 8:10, Ezekiel 17:18).

Moses put a veil over his head after he had received the Ten Commandments because his face was so bright from having been in the presence of God, that it was blinding (Exodus 34:35). Paul said that this incident symbolizes that a veil was put over their hearts which prevented them from understanding the true meaning of the Ten Commandments. This veil was removed by Christ (II Corinthians 3:14). We have (symbolically) unveiled faces in Christ (II Corinthians 3:18).

The covering of a woman’s face was a sign of prostitution (Genesis 38:15). This is much different from a head covering like the turban the priests wore. This was a veil over the face which was meant to tantalize men (Ezekiel 13:18).

When captive women were taken as wives, they had to shave their heads (Deuteronomy 21:12). This could have been to mourn for the people of their country who were killed by the Israelites in battle. It also could have been a form of purification for the women, since they were “unclean” Gentiles.

Lepers had to cover themselves from head to toe (Leviticus 13:12). This was, presumably, to prevent the spreading of disease.

In the New Testament

The most famous passage about covering of the head in the New Testament is, of course, I Corinthians 11. It says that “Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—just as though it were shaved.” (verses 4 and 5)

I want to point out that no where in I Corinthians 11 does it say anything about a church service. So verse 5 and 13 should apply to every prayer and prophecy, not just in a church service.

Why would Paul use arguments based on Adam and Eve (verses 8 and 9) and the angels (verse 10)? Paul was not changing Jewish custom, but the Levitical priesthood was being done away with (see Hebrews 7:11, 12). All Christians are priests (Revelation 1:6), but it is not the Levitical order. There is a different order (Hebrews 7:17) in which the laws of the Levitical priesthood do not apply (Hebrews 7:18). The Levitical priesthood was only a type of what was to come. Therefore, I can’t say that this is just a cultural issue.

There is some controversy over whether the “covering of the head” refers to something put on the head or hair. The NIV footnote has a different rendering to this effect. What is written in the text seems to support the idea that it is something put on the head. The Greek word for uncovered (177) in verse is the Greek antonym for the Greek word for covered (2619) in verses 7, and cover (two times) in verse 6. These are the only three places in the Bible where this word is used. A different Greek word (4018) is used for covering (of hair) in verse 15. The only other place in the Bible where this Greek word is used is in Hebrews 1:12, speaking of how God will roll up the heavens and the earth as a garment or mantle. The word covered in the NIV of verse 4 is not from any Greek word. The NAS reads, “Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying, disgraces his head.” (The word something is italicized because there is no Greek word that this comes from. It is added by the translators just so that the sentence makes sense in English.)

Verse 14 says, “Does not the very nature of things tell you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him”. In this passage, the Greek word for nature (5449) comes from the Greek word for natural (5446) in the passage in Romans 1:26, 27 which speaks of “natural functions” as opposed to homosexual ones.

Conclusion

Paul says, “Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?” (I Corinthians 11:13) “If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God.” (I Corinthians 11:16)