What Does the Bible Say About Facial Hair?

Leviticus 19:27 ESV / 283 helpful votes

You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard.

2 Samuel 10:4-5 ESV / 171 helpful votes

So Hanun took David's servants and shaved off half the beard of each and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away. When it was told David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return.”

Leviticus 21:5 ESV / 159 helpful votes

They shall not make bald patches on their heads, nor shave off the edges of their beards, nor make any cuts on their body.

Psalm 133:2 ESV / 129 helpful votes

It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!

Ezra 9:3 ESV / 128 helpful votes

As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat appalled.

Ezekiel 5:1 ESV / 96 helpful votes

“And you, O son of man, take a sharp sword. Use it as a barber's razor and pass it over your head and your beard. Then take balances for weighing and divide the hair.

Jeremiah 41:5 ESV / 88 helpful votes

Eighty men arrived from Shechem and Shiloh and Samaria, with their beards shaved and their clothes torn, and their bodies gashed, bringing grain offerings and incense to present at the temple of the Lord.

1 Chronicles 19:4-5 ESV / 75 helpful votes

So Hanun took David's servants and shaved them and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away; and they departed. When David was told concerning the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return.”

Isaiah 50:6 ESV / 73 helpful votes

I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.

1 Corinthians 11:14 ESV / 71 helpful votes

Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him,

2 Samuel 19:24 ESV / 69 helpful votes

And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. He had neither taken care of his feet nor trimmed his beard nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came back in safety.

Isaiah 15:2 ESV / 65 helpful votes

He has gone up to the temple, and to Dibon, to the high places to weep; over Nebo and over Medeba Moab wails. On every head is baldness; every beard is shorn;

Ezekiel 44:20 ESV / 59 helpful votes

They shall not shave their heads or let their locks grow long; they shall surely trim the hair of their heads.

Jeremiah 48:37 ESV / 48 helpful votes

“For every head is shaved and every beard cut off. On all the hands are gashes, and around the waist is sackcloth.

Isaiah 7:20 ESV / 36 helpful votes

In that day the Lord will shave with a razor that is hired beyond the River—with the king of Assyria—the head and the hair of the feet, and it will sweep away the beard also.

1 Samuel 21:13 ESV / 32 helpful votes

So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard.

2 Samuel 10:5 ESV / 29 helpful votes

When it was told David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return.”

Amos 8:10 ESV / 20 helpful votes

I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation; I will bring sackcloth on every waist and baldness on every head; I will make it like the mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day.

Judges 16:17 ESV / 20 helpful votes

And he told her all his heart, and said to her, “A razor has never come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother's womb. If my head is shaved, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man.”

Jeremiah 49:32 ESV / 18 helpful votes

Their camels shall become plunder, their herds of livestock a spoil. I will scatter to every wind those who cut the corners of their hair, and I will bring their calamity from every side of them, declares the Lord.

Acts 18:18 ESV / 16 helpful votes

After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow.

Psalm 133:1-2 ESV / 14 helpful votes

A Song of Ascents. Of David. Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!

1 Corinthians 11:1-34 ESV / 13 helpful votes

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. ...

Song of Solomon 5:10 ESV / 10 helpful votes

My beloved is radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand.

2 Samuel 20:9 ESV / 8 helpful votes

And Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

1 Chronicles 19:3-4 ESV / 5 helpful votes

But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun, “Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Have not his servants come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?” So Hanun took David's servants and shaved them and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away;

Amos 1:2 ESV / 4 helpful votes

And he said: “The Lord roars from Zion and utters his voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the top of Carmel withers.”

Daniel 10:3 ESV / 4 helpful votes

I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.

Ezra 9:1-3 ESV / 4 helpful votes

After these things had been done, the officials approached me and said, “The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands with their abominations, from the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. For they have taken some of their daughters to be wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands. And in this faithlessness the hand of the officials and chief men has been foremost.” As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat appalled.

1 Chronicles 19:5 ESV / 4 helpful votes

And they departed. When David was told concerning the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return.”

1 Chronicles 19:3-5 ESV / 4 helpful votes

But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun, “Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Have not his servants come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?” So Hanun took David's servants and shaved them and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away; and they departed. When David was told concerning the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return.”

2 Samuel 20:8-10 ESV / 4 helpful votes

When they were at the great stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a soldier's garment, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened on his thigh, and as he went forward it fell out. And Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. But Amasa did not observe the sword that was in Joab's hand. So Joab struck him with it in the stomach and spilled his entrails to the ground without striking a second blow, and he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.

1 Samuel 17:35 ESV / 4 helpful votes

I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him.

1 Samuel 16:12 ESV / 4 helpful votes

And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.”

Numbers 6:5 ESV / 4 helpful votes

“All the days of his vow of separation, no razor shall touch his head. Until the time is completed for which he separates himself to the Lord, he shall be holy. He shall let the locks of hair of his head grow long.

Mark 14:65 ESV / 3 helpful votes

And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows.

Genesis 41:14 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit. And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh.

Matthew 26:67 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him,

38 Bible Verses about Facial Hair

Leviticus 19:27 ESV / 283 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Samuel 10:4-5 ESV / 171 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Leviticus 21:5 ESV / 159 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 133:2 ESV / 129 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ezra 9:3 ESV / 128 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ezekiel 5:1 ESV / 96 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jeremiah 41:5 ESV / 88 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Chronicles 19:4-5 ESV / 75 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 50:6 ESV / 73 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 11:14 ESV / 71 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Samuel 19:24 ESV / 69 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 15:2 ESV / 65 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ezekiel 44:20 ESV / 59 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jeremiah 48:37 ESV / 48 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 7:20 ESV / 36 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Samuel 21:13 ESV / 32 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Samuel 10:5 ESV / 29 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Amos 8:10 ESV / 20 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Judges 16:17 ESV / 20 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jeremiah 49:32 ESV / 18 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Acts 18:18 ESV / 16 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 133:1-2 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 11:1-34 ESV / 13 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Song of Solomon 5:10 ESV / 10 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Samuel 20:9 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Chronicles 19:3-4 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Amos 1:2 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Daniel 10:3 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ezra 9:1-3 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Chronicles 19:5 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Chronicles 19:3-5 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Samuel 20:8-10 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Samuel 17:35 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Samuel 16:12 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Numbers 6:5 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Mark 14:65 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 41:14 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 26:67 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

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