Ezekiel 44:20

Ezekiel 44:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; they shall only poll their heads.
• New International Version (NIV)“ ‘They must not shave their heads or let their hair grow long, but they are to keep the hair of their heads trimmed.
• English Standard Version (ESV)They shall not shave their heads or let their locks grow long; they shall surely trim the hair of their heads.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“They shall neither shave their heads nor let their hair grow long, but they shall keep their hair well trimmed.

Context of Ezekiel 44:20

18They shall have linen tires upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird on anything that causeth sweat. 19And when they go forth into the outer court, into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered, and lay them in the holy cells; and they shall put on other garments, that they may not hallow the people with their garments. Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long: they shall duly poll their heads. 21Neither shall any priest drink wine when they enter into the inner court. 22And they shall not take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away; but they shall take maidens of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that is the widow of a priest.

Ezekiel 44:20 word by word

וְרֹאשָׁם֙ לֹ֣א יְגַלֵּ֔חוּ וּפֶ֖רַע לֹ֣א יְשַׁלֵּ֑חוּ כָּס֥וֹם יִכְסְמ֖וּ אֶת־רָאשֵׁיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

• shaveגָּלַחgâlach · to shaveH1548
• headsרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218

Cross-references for Ezekiel 44:20

• Leviticus 21:5They shall not make any baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corners of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.
• Deuteronomy 14:1Ye are sons of Jehovah your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for a dead person.
• Numbers 6:5All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head; until the days be fulfilled, that he hath consecrated himself to Jehovah, he shall be holy; he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.
• 1 Corinthians 11:14Does not even nature itself teach you, that man, if he have long hair, it is a dishonour to him?

Commentaries on Ezekiel 44:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Neither shall they shave their heads - The priests of Isis shaved their heads close to the skin; the priests of Budhoo do so still, their ordinances oblige them to shave their heads every tenth day. To let the hair grow long would have been improper; therefore the Lord commands them to poll - cut the hair short, but not to shave.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17-31Verses 17-31 Regulations as to the priests‘ services. The garments of the priests are defined and various rules prescribed in the Law are repeated with some additions in order to denote additional care to avoid uncleanness. Ezekiel 44:18 The material of which the four vestments of the ordinary priest were made was “linen,” or, more accurately, “byssus,” the cotton stuff of Egypt. The two special qualities of the byssus - white and shining - are…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-27The priests had to avoid contact with death. They could not enter a place where a dead body was present. They also could not follow certain mourning customs, such as shaving their heads or letting their hair grow wild. They were not allowed to drink wine before entering the inner courtyard. This rule helped prevent serious mistakes that could lead to death (see Leviticus 10:9). The priests also had rules about marriage. They could marry only a virgin from…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Neither ... shave ... heads--as mourners do (Le 21:1-5). The worshippers of the Egyptian idols Serapis and Isis shaved their heads; another reason why Jehovah's priests are not to do so. nor suffer ... locks to grow long--as the luxurious, barbarians, and soldiers in warfare did [Jerome].Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 44:20

• Priest
• Shaving

In the dictionaries

• Atonement, Day of
• Barber
• Beard
• Criticism
• Desire of All Nations
• Ezekiel
• Leviticus
• Locks
• Nazirite
• Poll

Commentaries on Ezekiel 44

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings