FAQ - Leviticus 19:27 - Does This Mean No Shaving?

Once one begins teaching that the whole Bible is true (not just some of it) it is not long before someone
responds by saying “Do you shave?” which is a clear reference to Leviticus 19:27.

How are we to respond? Is that what the commandment means? Does Leviticus 19:27 teach us that His
people are not to shave our beards?

If this is true, then this would be a rather profound for many. What would be the purpose of such a
commandment? Every commandment is designed to teach us, what would not shaving teach us? We
serve a logical God who is not the author of confusion.

Is it possible that we are not considering the purpose and context of this commandment?

Lv 19:27 You should not round the corners of your heads, neither should you mar the corners of your
beard.

With any study, it is often wise to examine the root language in which it was originally written.

Round =
H5362 naqaph naw-kaf'

a primitive root;

to strike with more or less violence (beat, fell, corrode); by implication (of
attack) to knock together, i.e. surround or circulate:--compass (about, -ing),
cut down, destroy, go round (about), inclose, round.
(Strong’s)

It should be noted that the verses mention both the head and the beard and we should consider that there is
a reason. Also it should be noted that there is an element of "violence" in this particular wording.

Also, the very next verse states:

Lv 19:28 You should not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print (tattoo) any marks upon
you: I am the LORD.

These are all pagan sun god practices in mourning for the dead as noted in scripture, thus this is the context
and we should treat the commandment as such.

Another verse:
Lv 21:5 They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their
beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.

Notice how this similar commandment is associated with the cutting in their flesh just like in Leviticus 19.
This is when obvious sun god worship practices should also come to mind for those who are
knowledgeable and have studied these things.

When they (the pagans) were mourning they would pull out their hair (with violence) of their head and
beard and also cut themselves. Sometimes they would follow that up with a tattoo to remember their lost
ones. These practices are all associated with each other and we can not ignore that. We need to consider
the context in which the commandment is to be observed and practiced.

The pagans would also shave their head in ritualistic custom:

Isa 15:2 He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and
over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off.

Another example here:

Jer 47:4 Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines, and to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon
every helper that remains: for the LORD will spoil the Philistines, the remnant of the country of Caphtor.

Jer 47:5 Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ashkelon is cut off with the remnant of their valley: how long will
you cut thyself?

And here:

Jer 48:37 For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands shall be cuttings, and
upon the loins sackcloth.

Jer 48:38 There shall be lamentation generally upon all the housetops of Moab, and in the streets thereof:
for I have broken Moab like a vessel wherein is no pleasure, says the LORD.

Even Israel, in her day of judgment, will mourn in a way that YHWH forbids:

They will wear sackcloth, terror will cover them; shame will be on all their faces, and all of their heads will
be shaved bald.

The same in Tyre:

Ezk 27:30 And shall cause their voice to be heard against thee, and shall cry bitterly, and shall cast up dust
upon their heads, they shall wallow themselves in the ashes:
Ezk 27:31 And they shall make themselves utterly bald for thee, and gird them with sackcloth, and they
shall weep for thee with bitterness of heart and bitter wailing.

And finally, Amos describes a time when YHWH's judgments will bring about mourning for the nations:

Amos 8:9-10 In that day," says the Lord GOD, "I will make the sun set at noon, and make the earth dark in
the middle of the day. I will turn your festivals into funerals, and all your songs into funeral dirges. I will
make everyone wear funeral clothes and cause every head to be shaved bald. I will make you mourn as if
you had lost your only son; when it ends it will indeed have been a bitter day.

Quite clearly, the prophets confirm our findings from the Torah (Law) that mourning of the pagans is
accompanied by cutting the body, cutting the hair and cutting the beard. And YHWH has instructed his
people not to do these things in that context.

Dt 12:30 Take heed to yourself that you are not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from
before you; and that you do not enquire after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods?
We will do the same." You must not worship the LORD your God in their way!

Jer 10:2-4 Thus says the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of
heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cuts a tree out
of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold;
they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they,
And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot walk! Do not fear them, for they can do
no harm, nor can they do any good."

Dt 12:4 You must not worship the LORD your God in their way.

The bottom line is that we should not cut ourselves nor rip/ruin our hair of our beard and head with
violence as it is a practice of sun god worship (or anything else derived or associated with pagan false god
worship for that matter).

It should also be noted that there are plenty of scriptural references in which the shaving/trimming of the
head or beard is completely acceptable, as in the nazarite vow in Numbers 6 for example. Knowing this we
are forced to examine the difference of when it is acceptable and why and when and how it is not and why.
The difference of what is acceptable is the means being similar to pagan sun god worship or not.

We are to do Bible things in Bible ways not pagan (sun god) things in pagan ways.

Ask yourself the hard questions. Ask others. Ask the Word. Test your faith. Challenge yourself. Test
everything.

119 Ministries
www.TestEverything.net
8/12/10 v2