Haircuts and Beards, Tattoos and Piercings, Jewelry and Head Coverings
26 Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.
27 Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.
(Verse 28 actually starts with the word ‘and’, and is part of verse 27.)
28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Yahuwah.
(28 should be “and ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead - it's part of the last sentence - verse 27, which is referring to doing this 'for the dead'.)
How does one round the corners of their head or mar the corners of the beard? "rounding of the head" here is one way some men deal with this: "to make the hair of the temples even with the hair behind the ears on a straight line with the forehead" as in the Tonsure below. (from jewishencyclopedia.com)
And another way some men deal with that verse is by having Payots, the hanging-down side burns which are usually curly, and are worn by some men and boys in the Orthodox Jewish community and some Messianic groups. These are based on an interpretation of the Tanakh's injunction against shaving the "sides" of one's head. Literally, pe'a means "corner, side, edge". Lev 19:27
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So, concerning these hairdo ordinances, they actually aren’t about hairdos in general! Both Leviticus 19:27 and 21:5 are surrounded by restrictions having to do with pagan practices, and the hair restrictions are also related to pagan practices. They would cut their skin and deform their hair during mourning. They would also ‘spoil, ruin or destroy’ the side of their beards by ripping globs of hair out when mourning.
It is NOT forbidden to get a nice hair-cut and have a neat, trim beard - it is in mourning practices where these things are forbidden. Leviticus 25:5 forbids making the whole head bald as well, and the beard is not to be ‘galach’ (#1548) and that means ‘shaved off’.
Verse 28 is sometimes taken as a restriction of piercings, and “print any marks upon you” is one of only two verses in the Bible that mentions tattoos, and it’s not even for certain this one is really talking about tattoos, because the word translated as ‘markings’, or ‘tattoos’ in some versions, can also mean ‘imprintments’, ‘cuttings’ or ‘incisions’ (marks = q‘aqa #7085 in Strong's Concordance). It comes from the root verb qoa, #6972, which can also mean ‘to cut’. The Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains defines qa‘aqa as “a marking of skin by incision, as a non-verbal sign of mourning.” It can also be defined as tattoo or decoration. This word is only used once in the Old Testament.
Some believe it is not referring to tattoos, but to cutting oneself or placing someone’s cut-off body parts on oneself, as some pagans did when mourning. I’m thinking maybe they were making a necklace or earrings out of teeth or bones? As barbaric as cutting one’s flesh is, many teenagers of today do this to themselves! It's become a cult to them. A literal translation of the latter half of Leviticus 19:28 might be, “a writing of tattoo you shall not give yourself,” or “a writing of incision you shall not give yourself.” The word writing refers to inscribed or engraved symbols/words and is used only here. Tattoos ARE done by a cutting of the skin. Some believe that since this is in a section about pagan practices and mourning practices, then this last part is also about them, and not just general grooming practices.
On the other hand, slave owners in Mesopotamia branded their slaves using tattoos, and some pagans tattooed in the name of the pagan god they ‘belonged to’. The Egyptians, who were pagans, used tattoos as decorations on their skin (the women did this), and also branded their slaves with a pagan god’s name. So, whether or not they were done ‘for the dead’ (in mourning rituals), they still were used by pagans. Remember, the Israelites had just escaped from slavery in Egypt when this law was given to them and Yahuwah was not wanting them to bring the pagan practices with them into the Promised Land.
There is one other verse in the Bible that is believed to be referring to tattoos, and was done by the children of Jacob who were showing their submission to Yahuwah. Just because they did this does not necessarily mean it was a good thing to do though.
Isaiah 44:5 King James Version
5 One shall say, I am Yahuwah's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto Yahuwah, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
Isaiah 44:5 New International Version
5 Some will say, ‘I belong to Yahuwah’; others will call themselves by the name of Jacob;
still others will write on their hand, ‘Yahuwah’s,’ and will take the name Israel.
The Rabbis actually had debates over the prohibition of tattoos and some believe they were only prohibited if they were done for the purpose of idolatry or had a pagan god’s name in them, or if they had the name of Yahuwah in them (because they believe writing His name is ‘taking it in vain’), or the words “I am the Lord”, and they also thought they should be allowed to mark slaves.
Leviticus 19:28 New International Version
Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am Yahuwah.
Taking all of this information into consideration, since it’s a controversial subject, I personally believe people should not get them even if they want them to show off that they believe in or serve the true God Yahuwah. Some believe that not putting marks upon you is also referring to doing it for the dead, since it’s in the same sentence, and that is forbidden, and others believe it stands by itself, since it doesn’t include ‘for the dead.’ To be safe, I’d suggest not having tattoos. People who got tattoos before they saw that this may be forbidden cannot easily get rid of them. My husband is one of them. He has a small Harley tattoo on his arm from his days in the Navy and it’s there to stay, but he won’t be getting any more now that he knows this may be against Yahuwah’s will. I believe it isn’t a good thing to do. And after looking at the pictures below I am almost certain that it grieves Yahuwah when His creation disrespects Him like this:
Some practically cover their arms or bodies with permanent markings as if they don’t appreciate the beautiful skin Yahuwah gave them. Also, when one gets old, fat and wrinkled, some of these tattoos look terrible from then on!
Many of their own people are against this demonic barbaric activity!
1 Kings 18:28 King James Version
28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
They did this to mourn their dead and honor their pagan gods. I’ve seen videos where modern-day pagans still do this! (See video above showing it being done in the Middle East.) The video below shows 'Christians' doing it in the Philippines! How sad!
Deuteronomy 14:1 King James Version
1Ye are the children of Yahuwah your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.
Leviticus 21:1-5 King James Version
1And Yahuwah said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people:
2But for his kin, that is near unto him, that is, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother.
3And for his sister a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband; for her may he be defiled.
4But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
5They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.
This verse is obviously about over-doing it, the gals in the pictures above may be over-doing it for 'church' attire, but many believers think it means women should not wear braids, jewelry or nice clothing. I talked about that subject on the page about women in ministry.
The verse below shows that Yahuwah is not against beautiful jewelry, clothing or hair ornaments in general, as Yahuwah Himself talks of adorning a woman with these things and then correlates them to beauty “thou wast exceeding beautiful.” The woman represents Yahuwah’s people, and they became vain with the ‘beauty’ and committed fornication, but this does not mean that those things were wrong to wear. Many women do become vain in their beauty and act the same way as this example. It is not wrong to make oneself beautiful, it is wrong to overdo it or to start sinning because of it.
Ezekiel 16:10-13 King James Version
10 I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk.
11 I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck.
12 And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head.
13 Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom.
14 And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith Yahuwah God.
15 But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was.
Jewel on thy forehead was translated poorly in the King James Version. ‘Jewel’ is Strong’s Concordance #5141 ‘nezem’ and means ‘ring, nose ring, earring’, and ‘forehead’ is #639 ‘ap’ and means ‘nostril, nose, face’. It does not mean ‘ear’.
It is translated correctly in this version.
Ezekiel 16:12-17 English Standard Version
12 And I put a ring on your nose and earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown on your head.
15 “But you trusted in your beauty and played the whore because of your renown and lavished your whorings on any passerby; your beauty became his.
I’ve met some men who take the above Scripture and insist that it’s wrong for women to wear jewelry, especially nose rings and pierced earrings, because of how this representation of a woman (it’s really about Israel) turned wicked and whorish and unfaithful, and act like any woman who wears jewelry or even makeup is a whorish woman. This is nonsense! This is the result of some men who want to take control over women and use the Bible to batter them with instead of use it in proper context. Yahuwah obviously does not forbid jewelry and fine clothing. He even calls the jewelry itself ‘beautiful’!.... “your beautiful jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given you.”
I am not personally a fan of nose rings, but for those who are, I just want you to know that Yahuwah does not forbid them, and even considers them a thing of beauty. Here is another mention of them, in Genesis. When Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac, and he found Rebekah, he gave her these things as gifts.
Genesis 24:22 King James Version
And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold
Genesis 24:22 Complete Jewish Bible
22 When the camels were done drinking, the man took a gold nose-ring weighing one-fifth of an ounce and two gold bracelets weighing four ounces.
Genesis 24:47 Complete Jewish Bible
47 “I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ and she answered, ‘The daughter of B’tu’el son of Nachor, whom Milkah bore to him.’ Then I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists,
Genesis 24:47 King James Version
47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, the daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
King James Version seems to have an aversion to using correct terms in many of the Scriptures. He put an earring on her face? It’s a nose-ring. I wonder why it doesn’t just say that!
“That nose-rings were still worn by Jewish women in the time of the Talmudists is evidenced by the regulation forbidding women to wear them on Sabbath in public. (Shab. vi. 1).” (E. G. H. M. Sel. Copyright Statement: These files are public domain.) In some places nose rings were worn for modesty reasons.
Are women commanded to wear head coverings? Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 11:
1 Corinthians 11:1-16 King James Version
11 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Mashiach.
2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Mashiach (Yahushuwa); and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Mashiach is Yahuwah.
4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of Yahuwah: but the woman is the glory of the man.
8 For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man.
9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.
11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in Yahuwah.
12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of Yahuwah. (Men are born of women, and this only happens with the help of a man – procreation – they need each other to survive.)
13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto Yahuwah uncovered?
14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of Yahuwah.
That’s a lot of Scripture to let us know that a woman’s hair is her covering and there is no law saying that women have to cover their heads, nor that men should not have long hair. It may be a custom in some places, but it is not a law of Yahuwah. “15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of Yahuwah.“ There is nothing wrong with wearing a fabric head covering if you want to, but it’s not required of Yahuwah. Women can pray with their head covered with a cloth, or with it covered with her hair, and there is no law saying her hair has to be long either. It's just more common than short hair for women.
28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Yahuwah.
(28 should be “and ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead - it's part of the last sentence - verse 27, which is referring to doing this 'for the dead'.)
The first picture above represents St Bartholomew (by Carlo Crivelli, 1473.) This haircut is called a Tonsure. Several religions do this to their hair as a symbol of their supposed devotion to their God/god, but we are not to imitate the practices of pagans.
Photo is from a Slichot prayer service during the Days of Repentance preceding Yom Kippur at Western Wall - photo by Mark Neyman, government press office (Israel) (license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en)
Young_Hasid Author Mgarten (license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en)
There is quite a handful of Torah observant or Messianic men, and Jewish men, who wear their hair scraggly or don’t cut or trim their beards, wear sidelocks - some with a bald head and some with trimmed or short hair, and some with long scraggly hair, because even though these commandments indicate that these aren't to be done as 'mourning practices', they believe they are ALWAYS forbidden. Different groups interpret the laws in different ways. Below are some examples of these.
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The Halakhah Ceremony Attribution by Mark Neyman - Government Press Office (Israel)
(license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en)
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I'm showing you these pictures so if you find a good Messianic/Torah Observant congregation to fellowship in, and you see some of the men looking like this, you will understand why they look like this, and know ahead of time that you do not need to make yourself look like them. They are either wearing their hair these ways out of misinterpretation of the laws, or because of personal preference of the styles. We personally know men who wear their hair like some of these examples, but they've never pushed the idea on us.
Leviticus 19:27 King James Version
27 Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.
Leviticus 21:5 King James Version
5They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.
So, concerning these hairdo ordinances, they actually aren’t about hairdos in general! Both Leviticus 19:27 and 21:5 are surrounded by restrictions having to do with pagan practices, and the hair restrictions are also related to pagan practices. They would cut their skin and deform their hair during mourning. They would also ‘spoil, ruin or destroy’ the side of their beards by ripping globs of hair out when mourning.
It is NOT forbidden to get a nice hair-cut and have a neat, trim beard - it is in mourning practices where these things are forbidden. Leviticus 25:5 forbids making the whole head bald as well, and the beard is not to be ‘galach’ (#1548) and that means ‘shaved off’.
This one has his Payot curled up into buns in front of his ears, but the rest of his head has been shaven. Some put the Payot behind their ears. (1900 Public Domain)
The Israelites were in slavery in Egypt for four-hundred years and the pagan Egyptians shaved their heads bald and shaved their beards off. All of these restrictions in Leviticus 25 come after it says “There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people” – they all have to do with pagan practices of mourning for the dead, not everyday grooming.
Jeremiah 41:5 King James Version
5 That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of Yahuwah.
Deuteronomy 14:1-29 King James Version
1 Ye are the children of Yahuwah your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. 2 for thou art an holy people unto Yahuwah thy God, and Yahuwah hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.
Notice how the verse above is addressing methods of grieving for the dead. These were pagan practices, and the main topic in them is to not imitate the pagans in grieving practices. Now there are other verses that deal with not eating blood, and they do not just refer to pagan practices, as Yahuwah actually does not want His children to eat blood for any reason, because the life of the being is in the blood (Deuteronomy 12:23–24). Doing that would denigrate the sacred act of shedding of the blood of our Messiah for the atonement of our sins. But in Leviticus 19:26, at the beginning verse on this page, it is referring to pagan practices of using enchantment and fortune telling, which we are NEVER allowed to do, in the same sentence where is says not to eat blood. Some of the pagans sacrificed animals and humans, and drank the blood thinking it gave them power and strength. Pagans in today’s times still do this.
Jeremiah 41:5 King James Version
5 That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of Yahuwah.
Deuteronomy 14:1-29 King James Version
1 Ye are the children of Yahuwah your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. 2 for thou art an holy people unto Yahuwah thy God, and Yahuwah hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.
Notice how the verse above is addressing methods of grieving for the dead. These were pagan practices, and the main topic in them is to not imitate the pagans in grieving practices. Now there are other verses that deal with not eating blood, and they do not just refer to pagan practices, as Yahuwah actually does not want His children to eat blood for any reason, because the life of the being is in the blood (Deuteronomy 12:23–24). Doing that would denigrate the sacred act of shedding of the blood of our Messiah for the atonement of our sins. But in Leviticus 19:26, at the beginning verse on this page, it is referring to pagan practices of using enchantment and fortune telling, which we are NEVER allowed to do, in the same sentence where is says not to eat blood. Some of the pagans sacrificed animals and humans, and drank the blood thinking it gave them power and strength. Pagans in today’s times still do this.
Verse 28 is sometimes taken as a restriction of piercings, and “print any marks upon you” is one of only two verses in the Bible that mentions tattoos, and it’s not even for certain this one is really talking about tattoos, because the word translated as ‘markings’, or ‘tattoos’ in some versions, can also mean ‘imprintments’, ‘cuttings’ or ‘incisions’ (marks = q‘aqa #7085 in Strong's Concordance). It comes from the root verb qoa, #6972, which can also mean ‘to cut’. The Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains defines qa‘aqa as “a marking of skin by incision, as a non-verbal sign of mourning.” It can also be defined as tattoo or decoration. This word is only used once in the Old Testament.
Some believe it is not referring to tattoos, but to cutting oneself or placing someone’s cut-off body parts on oneself, as some pagans did when mourning. I’m thinking maybe they were making a necklace or earrings out of teeth or bones? As barbaric as cutting one’s flesh is, many teenagers of today do this to themselves! It's become a cult to them. A literal translation of the latter half of Leviticus 19:28 might be, “a writing of tattoo you shall not give yourself,” or “a writing of incision you shall not give yourself.” The word writing refers to inscribed or engraved symbols/words and is used only here. Tattoos ARE done by a cutting of the skin. Some believe that since this is in a section about pagan practices and mourning practices, then this last part is also about them, and not just general grooming practices.
On the other hand, slave owners in Mesopotamia branded their slaves using tattoos, and some pagans tattooed in the name of the pagan god they ‘belonged to’. The Egyptians, who were pagans, used tattoos as decorations on their skin (the women did this), and also branded their slaves with a pagan god’s name. So, whether or not they were done ‘for the dead’ (in mourning rituals), they still were used by pagans. Remember, the Israelites had just escaped from slavery in Egypt when this law was given to them and Yahuwah was not wanting them to bring the pagan practices with them into the Promised Land.
There is one other verse in the Bible that is believed to be referring to tattoos, and was done by the children of Jacob who were showing their submission to Yahuwah. Just because they did this does not necessarily mean it was a good thing to do though.
Isaiah 44:5 King James Version
5 One shall say, I am Yahuwah's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto Yahuwah, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
Isaiah 44:5 New International Version
5 Some will say, ‘I belong to Yahuwah’; others will call themselves by the name of Jacob;
still others will write on their hand, ‘Yahuwah’s,’ and will take the name Israel.
The Rabbis actually had debates over the prohibition of tattoos and some believe they were only prohibited if they were done for the purpose of idolatry or had a pagan god’s name in them, or if they had the name of Yahuwah in them (because they believe writing His name is ‘taking it in vain’), or the words “I am the Lord”, and they also thought they should be allowed to mark slaves.
Leviticus 19:28 New International Version
Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am Yahuwah.
Taking all of this information into consideration, since it’s a controversial subject, I personally believe people should not get them even if they want them to show off that they believe in or serve the true God Yahuwah. Some believe that not putting marks upon you is also referring to doing it for the dead, since it’s in the same sentence, and that is forbidden, and others believe it stands by itself, since it doesn’t include ‘for the dead.’ To be safe, I’d suggest not having tattoos. People who got tattoos before they saw that this may be forbidden cannot easily get rid of them. My husband is one of them. He has a small Harley tattoo on his arm from his days in the Navy and it’s there to stay, but he won’t be getting any more now that he knows this may be against Yahuwah’s will. I believe it isn’t a good thing to do. And after looking at the pictures below I am almost certain that it grieves Yahuwah when His creation disrespects Him like this:
Here's one more (that poor baby has to grow up with a father that looks like a monster from another world!)
And one more thing – any toxic chemicals from the ink can poison a person. Just look at some of these people who have tattoos all over their bodies. After seeing some of those I cannot believe that Yahuwah wants His children to do that, so I lean towards the ‘not marking your flesh’ verses as standing alone. not just being about mourning practices.
Think about these verses in relation to tattoos:
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 King James Version
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of Yahuwah, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify Yahuwah in your body, and in your spirit, which are Yahuwah 's.
Romans 12:1 King James Version
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of Yahuwah, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto Yahuwah, which is your reasonable service.
1 Corinthians 3:16 King James Version
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of Yahuwah, and that the Spirit of Yahuwah dwelleth in you?
Deuteronomy 12:4 New Living Translation
4 Do not worship Yahuwah your God in the way these pagan peoples worship their gods.. (the other translations say the same thing but this one words it more clearly.)
Proverbs 16:2 King James Version
2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes;
but Yahuwah weigheth the spirits.
Leviticus 20:23 King James Version
23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.
Leviticus 20:23 New International Version
23 You must not live according to the customs of the nations I am going to drive out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them.
1 Corinthians 10:21 King James Version
21 Ye cannot drink the cup of Yahuwah, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of Yahuwah's table, and of the table of devils.
Leviticus 19:28 King James Version
28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am Yahuwah.
Cuttings in the flesh is not about pierced earrings as some like to insist. The pagans had mourning practices where they slashed their bodies with knives or rocks as their way of mourning for the dead. Yahuwah forbids this. Here is a modern-day example of this practice.
Think about these verses in relation to tattoos:
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 King James Version
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of Yahuwah, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify Yahuwah in your body, and in your spirit, which are Yahuwah 's.
Romans 12:1 King James Version
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of Yahuwah, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto Yahuwah, which is your reasonable service.
1 Corinthians 3:16 King James Version
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of Yahuwah, and that the Spirit of Yahuwah dwelleth in you?
Deuteronomy 12:4 New Living Translation
4 Do not worship Yahuwah your God in the way these pagan peoples worship their gods.. (the other translations say the same thing but this one words it more clearly.)
Proverbs 16:2 King James Version
2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes;
but Yahuwah weigheth the spirits.
Leviticus 20:23 King James Version
23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.
Leviticus 20:23 New International Version
23 You must not live according to the customs of the nations I am going to drive out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them.
1 Corinthians 10:21 King James Version
21 Ye cannot drink the cup of Yahuwah, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of Yahuwah's table, and of the table of devils.
Leviticus 19:28 King James Version
28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am Yahuwah.
Cuttings in the flesh is not about pierced earrings as some like to insist. The pagans had mourning practices where they slashed their bodies with knives or rocks as their way of mourning for the dead. Yahuwah forbids this. Here is a modern-day example of this practice.
"During an annual Shiite celebration known as Ashoura, worshipers inflicted themselves with wounds on Monday to commemorate the death of a historic holy figure."
"Devout Muslims in cities across the Middle East carried out a ritual of self-flagellation to mark the death of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson"
1 Kings 18:28 King James Version
28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
They did this to mourn their dead and honor their pagan gods. I’ve seen videos where modern-day pagans still do this! (See video above showing it being done in the Middle East.) The video below shows 'Christians' doing it in the Philippines! How sad!
Deuteronomy 14:1 King James Version
1Ye are the children of Yahuwah your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.
Leviticus 21:1-5 King James Version
1And Yahuwah said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people:
2But for his kin, that is near unto him, that is, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother.
3And for his sister a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband; for her may he be defiled.
4But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
5They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.
Where it talks about cuttings in the flesh FOR THE DEAD – this does NOT mean that one cannot have pierced earrings or even pierced nose rings. The pagans were actually CUTTING themselves, mutilating themselves, as a mourning practice.
1 Timothy 2:9 King James Version
9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array...
1 Timothy 2:9 King James Version
9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array...
The verse below shows that Yahuwah is not against beautiful jewelry, clothing or hair ornaments in general, as Yahuwah Himself talks of adorning a woman with these things and then correlates them to beauty “thou wast exceeding beautiful.” The woman represents Yahuwah’s people, and they became vain with the ‘beauty’ and committed fornication, but this does not mean that those things were wrong to wear. Many women do become vain in their beauty and act the same way as this example. It is not wrong to make oneself beautiful, it is wrong to overdo it or to start sinning because of it.
Ezekiel 16:10-13 King James Version
10 I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk.
11 I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck.
12 And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head.
13 Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom.
14 And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith Yahuwah God.
15 But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was.
Jewel on thy forehead was translated poorly in the King James Version. ‘Jewel’ is Strong’s Concordance #5141 ‘nezem’ and means ‘ring, nose ring, earring’, and ‘forehead’ is #639 ‘ap’ and means ‘nostril, nose, face’. It does not mean ‘ear’.
It is translated correctly in this version.
Ezekiel 16:12-17 English Standard Version
12 And I put a ring on your nose and earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown on your head.
13 Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen and silk and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour and honey and oil. You grew exceedingly beautiful and advanced to royalty.
14 And your renown went forth among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through the splendor that I had bestowed on you, declares Yahuwah God.
15 “But you trusted in your beauty and played the whore because of your renown and lavished your whorings on any passerby; your beauty became his.
16 You took some of your garments and made for yourself colorful shrines, and on them played the whore. The like has never been, nor ever shall be.
17 You also took your beautiful jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself images of men, and with them played the whore.
I’ve met some men who take the above Scripture and insist that it’s wrong for women to wear jewelry, especially nose rings and pierced earrings, because of how this representation of a woman (it’s really about Israel) turned wicked and whorish and unfaithful, and act like any woman who wears jewelry or even makeup is a whorish woman. This is nonsense! This is the result of some men who want to take control over women and use the Bible to batter them with instead of use it in proper context. Yahuwah obviously does not forbid jewelry and fine clothing. He even calls the jewelry itself ‘beautiful’!.... “your beautiful jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given you.”
I am not personally a fan of nose rings, but for those who are, I just want you to know that Yahuwah does not forbid them, and even considers them a thing of beauty. Here is another mention of them, in Genesis. When Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac, and he found Rebekah, he gave her these things as gifts.
And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold
Genesis 24:22 Complete Jewish Bible
22 When the camels were done drinking, the man took a gold nose-ring weighing one-fifth of an ounce and two gold bracelets weighing four ounces.
Genesis 24:47 Complete Jewish Bible
47 “I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ and she answered, ‘The daughter of B’tu’el son of Nachor, whom Milkah bore to him.’ Then I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists,
Genesis 24:47 King James Version
47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, the daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
King James Version seems to have an aversion to using correct terms in many of the Scriptures. He put an earring on her face? It’s a nose-ring. I wonder why it doesn’t just say that!
“That nose-rings were still worn by Jewish women in the time of the Talmudists is evidenced by the regulation forbidding women to wear them on Sabbath in public. (Shab. vi. 1).” (E. G. H. M. Sel. Copyright Statement: These files are public domain.) In some places nose rings were worn for modesty reasons.
HEAD COVERINGS for women
1 Corinthians 11:1-16 King James Version
11 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Mashiach.
2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Mashiach (Yahushuwa); and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Mashiach is Yahuwah.
4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of Yahuwah: but the woman is the glory of the man.
8 For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man.
9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.
11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in Yahuwah.
12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of Yahuwah. (Men are born of women, and this only happens with the help of a man – procreation – they need each other to survive.)
13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto Yahuwah uncovered?
14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of Yahuwah.
I’m going to quote one more section, written by author Sandra Clements: “Verse 8 reaffirms that woman was created for man because we know from Genesis 2: God had judged that man needed help to carry out God's commands to tend the garden and to keep or protect it. Woman was made for man as an equal partner to accomplish the purpose of God. Man alone (in his separation) could not comply with God's command. Verse 10 finishes by saying woman "should have a symbol of authority on "her head" because of the angels. The Greek New Testament reads, "A woman should have power over here head (physical head) because of the angels." The word "power" is exousia, which means a freedom of choice. Therefore, the verse says that a woman should have the freedom of choice to cover or uncover her head, and she should not be judged or categorized because of her choice. Additional scriptures using the same language, "power over," include: Luke 9:1 "Power and authority over demons"; Luke 10: 19 "Authority over all the power of the enemy"; Revelation 2:26 "Power over the nations"; Revelation 6:8 "Power over the fourth part of the earth?"; Revelation 14:18 "Power over fire"; and Revelation 16:9 "Power over these plagues."
Some writers have inferred that to the Greeks, the uncovered head of the woman made her a seduction to evil spirits. They were a very superstitious people. However, the word "angel" also means "messenger." Possibly, one observing a woman with an uncovered head would judge her not to be virtuous, suitable for marriage. Such a judgment could discredit the woman.”
Some writers have inferred that to the Greeks, the uncovered head of the woman made her a seduction to evil spirits. They were a very superstitious people. However, the word "angel" also means "messenger." Possibly, one observing a woman with an uncovered head would judge her not to be virtuous, suitable for marriage. Such a judgment could discredit the woman.”
That’s a lot of Scripture to let us know that a woman’s hair is her covering and there is no law saying that women have to cover their heads, nor that men should not have long hair. It may be a custom in some places, but it is not a law of Yahuwah. “15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of Yahuwah.“ There is nothing wrong with wearing a fabric head covering if you want to, but it’s not required of Yahuwah. Women can pray with their head covered with a cloth, or with it covered with her hair, and there is no law saying her hair has to be long either. It's just more common than short hair for women.
HEAD COVERINGS for men
Many Jewish men and some Messianics wear Kippahs, also called Yarmulkes or skullcaps. A man will do this to remind himself that Yahuwah is above him in heaven. There is no commandment for a man to do this, it's purely traditional and personal choice.
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