What does שֵׂעָר mean in the Bible?
Hair is an ordinary feature of the body whose significance changes with the passage. Numbers describes uncut hair during a Nazirite's stated period of separation and shaving at the completion of that period.
Hebrew · H8181
שֵׂעָר
Hair is an ordinary feature of the body whose significance changes with the passage. Numbers describes uncut hair during a Nazirite's stated period of separation and shaving at the completion of that period.
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שֵׂעָרH8181
What does שֵׂעָר mean in the Bible?
Reader summary
Full entry for שֵׂעָר (H8181) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H8181?
The BSB source-word alignment has 28 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include hair (6), the hair (3), and the hair in it (2), his hair (2), Your hair (2).
Where does שֵׂעָר appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 25:25. Its strongest book concentrations include Leviticus (15), Numbers (2), Song Of Solomon (2), 2 Kings (1).
What This Word Actually Means
Hair is an ordinary feature of the body whose significance changes with the passage. Numbers describes uncut hair during a Nazirite's stated period of separation and shaving at the completion of that period. Judges notes Samson's hair beginning to grow again after it was shaved, within a larger account that also names the Lord's departure and Samson's later prayer.
Song of Songs uses hair in a poetic description of the beloved. Other passages mention hair in priestly inspection or an expression of grief. These uses are not one universal rule for judging a person's spirituality or appearance. Read the vow, narrative, poem or inspection setting before assigning significance, and do not treat hair itself as an independent source of divine strength.
How the Bible Uses It
Nazirite separation, Samson's regrowth and a poetic description distinguish hair's contextual roles without making hairstyle a universal measure of faith or power.
- Num.6.5
For the entire period of his vow of separation, no razor shall touch his head. He must be holy until the time of his separation to the Lord is complete; he must let the hair of his head grow long.
The uncut hair belongs to the stated days of the Nazirite vow and separation, rather than a universal instruction for every person's hairstyle.
- Judg.16.22
However, the hair of his head began to grow back after it had been shaved.
Samson's hair begins to grow after shaving, but the wider scene also states the Lord's departure and later records Samson asking God for strength.
- Song.4.1
How beautiful you are, my darling—how very beautiful! Your eyes are like doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down Mount Gilead.
The beloved's hair is described through a flock image within love poetry; the image should be read as poetic praise rather than a vow or inspection rule.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Ithair6×Leviticus 13:21, Leviticus 13:26, Leviticus 13:31, Leviticus 13:32
the hair3×Leviticus 13:10, Leviticus 13:25, Numbers 6:18
and the hair in it2×Leviticus 13:4, Leviticus 13:20
his hair2×Leviticus 14:8, Leviticus 14:9
Your hair2×Song Of Solomon 4:1, Song Of Solomon 6:5
[He was] a hairy1×2 Kings 1:8
[it out]1×2 Samuel 14:26
a hairy1×Zechariah 13:4
and if the hair1×Leviticus 13:3
and the hair1×Isaiah 7:20
and your hair1×Ezekiel 16:7
covered with hair1×Genesis 25:25
he must let the hair1×Numbers 6:5
However, the hair1×Judges 16:22
of his hair1×Leviticus 14:9
some hair1×Ezra 9:3
the hair in it1×Leviticus 13:30
the hairy1×Psalms 68:21
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 25:25שֵׂעָ֑רtocovered with hairNoun - masculine singularLeviticus 13:3וְשֵׂעָ֨רtoand if the hairConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularLeviticus 13:4וּשְׂעָרָ֖הtoand the hair in itConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularLeviticus 13:10שֵׂעָ֣רtothe hairNoun - masculine singularLeviticus 13:20וּשְׂעָרָ֖הּtoand the hair in itConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularLeviticus 13:21שֵׂעָ֣רtohairNoun - masculine singularLeviticus 13:25שֵׂעָ֨רtothe hairNoun - masculine singularLeviticus 13:26שֵׂעָ֣רtohairNoun - masculine singularLeviticus 13:30שֵׂעָ֥רtothe hair in itNoun - masculine singularLeviticus 13:31וְשֵׂעָ֥רtohairConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 25:25
Aligned rows28
Books represented12
Genesis1Leviticus15Numbers2Judges12 Samuel12 Kings1Ezra1Psalms1Song Of Solomon2Isaiah1Ezekiel1Zechariah1
Source forms
שֵׂעָ֣ר4xśê·‘ārLeviticus 13:10, Leviticus 13:21, Leviticus 13:26, Leviticus 13:32
וְשֵׂעָ֨ר2xwə·śê·‘ārLeviticus 13:3, Leviticus 13:37
שֵׂעָ֑ר2xśê·‘ārGenesis 25:25, Psalms 68:21
שְׂעָר֗וֹ2xśə·‘ā·rōwLeviticus 14:8, Leviticus 14:9
שַׂעְרֵךְ֙2xśa‘·rêḵSong Of Solomon 4:1, Song Of Solomon 6:5
וְשֵׂעָ֥ר1xwə·śê·‘ārLeviticus 13:31
וְשַׂ֣עַר1xwə·śa·‘arIsaiah 7:20
וּשְׂעָרָ֖ה1xū·śə·‘ā·rāhLeviticus 13:4
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular10xGenesis 25:25, Leviticus 13:10, Leviticus 13:21, Leviticus 13:25
Noun - masculine singular construct4xNumbers 6:5, Numbers 6:18, Judges 16:22, 2 Samuel 14:26
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular3xLeviticus 13:3, Leviticus 13:31, Leviticus 13:37
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular3xLeviticus 14:8, Leviticus 14:9
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular2xLeviticus 13:4, Leviticus 13:20
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular2xSong Of Solomon 4:1, Song Of Solomon 6:5
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct1xIsaiah 7:20
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular1xEzekiel 16:7
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not judge a person's spiritual dignity from hair length or appearance.
- Avoid using ancient inspection details for a present medical diagnosis or requiring harmful grief gestures.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim hair itself grants divine strength; Samson's account also names the Lord's departure and his appeal to God.
- Do not claim uncut hair always proves holiness; Numbers relates it to a defined vow that also has completion instructions.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. hair (as if tossed or bristling)
Source Gloss
hair (as if tossed or bristling)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
hair (as if tossed or bristling) BDB: hair Usage: hair(-y), × rough.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
שֵׂעָר is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Samson's regrowing hair is a narrative detail that deserves attention, but it should not be isolated from the Lord's departure and Samson's later appeal to God. The account does not turn hair into an autonomous power supply. Numbers gives another context: uncut hair belongs to a defined period of Nazirite separation, and the chapter also specifies shaving when that period is fulfilled.
That beginning-and-ending structure prevents a universal rule that longer hair always means greater holiness. Song of Songs offers a different use in poetic praise. Priest inspections and Ezra's grief belong to still other scenes. Interpret each role before applying it, so that a bodily feature is not used to rank dignity, diagnose present illness or impose another person's vow.
Anchor passage
Num.6.5
Doctrinal connections
- Numbers 6:5 relates uncut hair to the stated days of Nazirite separation.
- Numbers 6:18 places shaving within the completion of the separation period and its offerings.
- Judges 16:20-22 pairs Samson's hair regrowth with the preceding statement about the Lord's departure.
- Song of Songs 4:1 describes the beloved's hair through a poetic flock image.
- Leviticus 13:3 includes hair observations within the priest's particular inspection and classification.
- Ezra 9:3 records hair-pulling as his narrated response to reported unfaithfulness.
The attributed Hebrew comparison names hair. The selected passages assign different roles through vow instructions, narrative, poetry and priestly inspection; the noun does not carry one intrinsic spiritual significance across them.
From Old to New Testament
Other biblical discussions of appearance require their own wording and setting; a Hebrew hair noun does not settle a New Testament clothing or worship dispute. Samson's account also cannot supply a Christian method for obtaining divine strength through hair length, because its own narrative directs attention to the Lord and prayer.