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

18Linen turbans shall be on their heads and linen undergarments shall be around their waists; they shall not put on anything that makes them sweat. 19And when they go out into the outer courtyard, into the outer courtyard to the people, they shall take off their garments in which they have been ministering and lay them in the holy chambers; then they shall put on other garments, so that they will not transfer holiness to the people with their garments. Also they shall not shave their heads, yet they shall not let their locks grow long; they shall only trim the hair of their heads. 21Nor shall any of the priests drink wine when they enter the inner courtyard. 22And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman, but shall take virgins from the descendants of the house of Israel, or a widow who 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

• not shaveגָּלַחgâlach · to shaveH1548
• their headsרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
• letשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• their locksפֶּ֫רַעpera‛ · lockH6545
• they shall onlyכָּסַםkâsam · to shearH3697

Cross-references for Ezekiel 44:20

• Leviticus 21:5They shall not shave any area on their heads bald, nor shave off the edges of their beards, nor make any cuts in their flesh.
• Deuteronomy 14:1“You are sons of the Lord your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave a bald spot above your forehead for the dead.
• Numbers 6:5‘All the days of his vow of consecration no razor shall pass over his head. He shall be holy until the days are fulfilled which he lives as a Nazirite for the Lord; he shall let the locks of hair on his head grow long.
• 1 Corinthians 11:14Does even nature itself not teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor 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