Hairstyles, including braids, are mentioned in the Bible, often symbolizing beauty or wealth. However, the Bible also warns against focusing too much on outward appearance and encourages inner beauty and character. What can we learn from these verses, and how should we approach personal style in a way that honors God?
Also Read: What Does The Bible Say About Church And State
What Does The Bible Say About Braids
1 Timothy 2:9
“Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire.”
This verse reminds women to prioritize inner beauty and modesty rather than focusing on external adornment such as braided hair and extravagant jewelry. It encourages them to cultivate a spirit of self-control and humility.
While braided hair itself is not inherently wrong, this verse serves as a reminder to women not to place excessive emphasis on their outward appearance, but rather, to cultivate a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight (1 Peter 3:3-4).
1 Peter 3:3-4
“Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.”
In this passage, Peter emphasizes the value of inner beauty over external adornment. It encourages believers, particularly women, not to prioritize superficial aspects like braided hair, excessive jewelry, or flashy clothing.
Instead, Peter urges believers to focus on cultivating a gentle and quiet spirit, which reflects the character of Christ. This inner beauty is precious in the eyes of God and endures beyond the temporal nature of external appearance.
1 Corinthians 11:15
“but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.”
In this verse, Paul affirms that long hair is a source of glory for a woman. He refers to how a woman’s hair can be seen as a natural covering that God has given her.
This verse suggests that women can find dignity and honor in the natural beauty of their long hair. It encourages them to appreciate this gift from God and to display modesty and grace in how they present themselves.
Song of Solomon 4:1
“Behold, you are beautiful, my love, behold, you are beautiful! Your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats leaping down the slopes of Gilead.”
This verse from the Song of Solomon illustrates the beauty and attraction of the beloved through metaphorical language. The lover compares the woman’s hair to a flock of goats leaping down the slopes of Gilead, a picturesque image of vitality and grace.
It serves as a poetic expression of admiration and praise, highlighting the beloved’s physical beauty, including her hair. This verse celebrates the uniqueness and attractiveness of the woman and her hair.
Proverbs 16:31
“Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.”
This verse acknowledges the honor and wisdom associated with gray or white hair. It suggests that aging and the acquisition of gray hair can be a visible representation of a life lived righteously.
Achieving a long life and gaining gray hair can be seen as a sign of God’s blessings and a symbol of wisdom and experience. This verse calls for respect and reverence towards the elderly, recognizing the value and honor that comes with age.
1 Corinthians 11:6
“For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head.”
In this verse, Paul addresses the practice of head coverings for women in worship. He states that if a woman chooses not to cover her head, she should cut her hair short, yet he considers it disgraceful for a wife to have shaved or very short hair.
This verse speaks to the cultural significance of head coverings during that time and emphasizes the importance of maintaining appropriate gender distinctions and modesty within the church.
Matthew 10:30
“But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.”
This verse emphasizes God’s omniscience and attentiveness to the details of each individual’s life. It highlights that God’s knowledge even extends to the number of hairs on our heads.
Through this verse, Jesus reassures His disciples of God’s intimate care and involvement in every aspect of their lives. It serves as a reminder of God’s deep love and concern for His children, down to the smallest and most mundane details.
Isaiah 50:6
“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.”
This verse is a prophetic description of the suffering and humiliation that the Messiah (Jesus Christ) would endure. It portrays the mistreatment and abuse He would willingly face for the sake of humanity’s salvation.
While this verse does not specifically reference braids, it provides a broader context of the physical and emotional pain that Jesus would experience, highlighting His sacrificial love for humanity.
Luke 12:7
“Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
In this verse, Jesus reassures His followers of their worth and value in God’s eyes. He affirms that God’s knowledge even extends to the numbering of the hairs on their heads, emphasizing the meticulous care and attention God has for His people.
This verse serves as a reminder of the immeasurable worth that each individual holds in God’s sight. It encourages believers not to fear but to find comfort and confidence in their identity as beloved children of God.
Leviticus 14:9
“And on the seventh day he shall shave off all his hair from his head, his beard, and his eyebrows. He shall shave off all his hair, and then he shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and he shall be clean.”
This verse is part of the instructions given to someone who has been cleansed from a skin disease and is now declared clean. It outlines the purification process, which involves shaving off all the hair on the head, beard, and eyebrows on the seventh day.
In this context, the shaving of the hair symbolizes a fresh start and a completion of the purification ritual. It signifies the removal of the impurity associated with the skin disease and prepares the individual to be ceremonially clean.
2 Samuel 14:26
“And when he cut the hair of his head (for at the end of every year he used to cut it; when it was heavy on him, he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head, two hundred shekels by the king’s weight.”
This verse describes the practice of Absalom, King David’s son, cutting his hair once a year because of its weight. It indicates that Absalom had long and thick hair, which when cut, would have significant volume.
This verse provides a glimpse into the physical appearance and grooming habits of Absalom. Although it does not directly relate to braids, it portrays the attention and care given to his hair, which was notable due to its weight and abundance.
Ezekiel 5:1
“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.”
In this verse, Ezekiel is commanded by God to take a sharp sword and use it as a razor to shave his head and beard. He is then instructed to weigh and divide the hair.
This symbolic act serves as a visual representation of the impending judgment and devastation that would befall Jerusalem. It signifies the destruction of the city and the scattering of its inhabitants, portrayed through the imagery of shaving and dividing the hair.
Judges 16:19
“She began to torment him and his strength left him. Then she called, ‘Samson, the Philistines are upon you!’ He awoke from his sleep and thought, ‘I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.’ But he did not know that the Lord had left him.”
This verse recounts the story of Samson and Delilah, where Delilah deceived Samson and cut off his hair, robbing him of his supernatural strength. It reveals that his strength was directly connected to the length and integrity of his hair, as per the Nazirite vow.
This verse highlights the significance of Samson’s hair and how its removal resulted in his vulnerability and downfall. It serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of compromising one’s commitment to God.
Ezekiel 44:20
“They shall not shave their heads or let their locks grow long; they shall surely trim the hair of their heads.”
In this verse, God establishes specific regulations for the Levitical priests, instructing them not to shave their heads nor allow their hair to grow long. Instead, they are directed to keep their hair well-maintained and neatly trimmed.
This command emphasizes the importance of order, dignity, and appropriate appearance for the priests, who were entrusted with serving in the tabernacle and offering sacrifices on behalf of the people.
1 Samuel 1:11
“And she vowed a vow and said, ‘O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”
This verse is part of Hannah’s heartfelt prayer to God, pleading for a child. In her desperation, she makes a vow, promising that if God grants her request, she will dedicate her son to His service as a Nazirite, signifying his consecration to God’s work.
Hence, she declares that no razor shall touch her son’s head, indicating that her child would be set apart for a special purpose and would observe the Nazirite vow, which included refraining from cutting one’s hair.
Numbers 8:7
“Thus you shall do to them to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of purification upon them, and let them go with a razor over all their body, and wash their clothes and cleanse themselves.”
This verse outlines the process of purification for the Levites before they could serve in the tabernacle. It entails sprinkling the water of purification on them and shaving their entire bodies with a razor before washing their clothes and cleansing themselves.
The shaving of the body served as a ceremonial act of purification, preparing the Levites to carry out their duties in a state of ritual cleanliness. It symbolized their dedication and separation for service in the worship of God.
Acts 18:18
“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.”
During his ministry travels, Paul arrived at Cenchreae, where he cut his hair because he was under a vow. The specific nature of this vow is not stated in the verse. However, it suggests that Paul observed a period of consecration, which involved cutting his hair as part of a religious commitment.
This verse demonstrates that in various instances, individuals in the Bible would make specific vows or commitments to God that were accompanied by physical actions such as cutting their hair.
2 Kings 2:23
“He went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, ‘Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!’
In this passage, a group of young boys insults the prophet Elisha by mocking his bald head. They taunt him with the phrase “Go up, you baldhead!” which is thought to be a reference to the ascension of Elijah, whom Elisha succeeded.
This verse depicts the disrespect and ridicule faced by Elisha because of his physical appearance, highlighting the biblical significance of hair as a symbol of prominence and dignity.
Numbers 6:5
“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 on his head grow long.”
This verse provides instructions for a Nazirite vow, which involved a temporary period of separation unto the Lord. It states that during the vow, the individual is not to cut their hair, allowing the locks of their hair to grow long.
The growing of long hair served as a physical representation of the Nazirite’s dedication and commitment to God’s service. It displayed their consecration and distinctiveness, setting them apart for a specific period of time.
Isaiah 3:24
“Instead of perfume, there will be a stench; instead of a belt, a rope; instead of well-set hair, baldness; instead of fine clothing, sackcloth; instead of beauty, branding.”
In this verse, Isaiah prophesies about the judgment that would come upon a wayward and rebellious people. He uses a series of contrasts to illustrate the loss and degradation they will experience.
The phrase “instead of well-set hair, baldness” metaphorically represents a loss of beauty and prosperity. It describes a reversal of fortune and highlights the consequences of their disobedience to God’s commands.
Ecclesiastes 12:5
“they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets”
This verse is part of a poetic description of the aging process and the approach of death. It uses symbolic language to portray the physical decline and diminishing desires associated with old age.
While this verse does not explicitly mention hair or braids, it alludes to the natural aging process where the hair may turn white or thin. It serves as a reflection on the transience of life and the inevitability of mortality.
Luke 7:38
“and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.”
This verse recounts the touching encounter between Jesus and a sinful woman who expresses her deep love and repentance by anointing Jesus’ feet with expensive ointment. She uses her hair to wipe Jesus’ feet repeatedly.
This act of humility and devotion demonstrates the woman’s extravagant love and demonstrates her willingness to lay everything at the feet of Jesus. It is a profound expression of repentance, surrender, and gratitude for God’s forgiveness and grace.
1 Corinthians 11:15
“but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.”
This verse acknowledges the honor and beauty associated with a woman’s long hair. It emphasizes that long hair is a natural covering given to women and signifies her glory.
The verse highlights the beauty and intrinsic worth of women and their unique role and purpose. It acknowledges the cultural significance of long hair as a symbol of femininity and highlights its value in personal and societal contexts.