Baldness

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Rare among Israelites; so an object of derision, as Elisha's was. to the children:  2 Kings 2:23, "Go up thou baldhead," i.e., thou art old enough to leave this world and "go up" to heaven after thy master. A humiliation to captives ( Deuteronomy 21:12;  Isaiah 3:24). A mark of mourning ( Jeremiah 16:6;  Jeremiah 47:5;  Ezekiel 7:18;  Isaiah 15:2). It was sometimes a mark of leprosy:  Leviticus 13:40-42. Priests were forbidden to make baldness on their heads, or to shave off the grainers of their beards ( Leviticus 21:5;  Ezekiel 44:20); as mourners and idol priests did. ( Jeremiah 9:26 margin;  Leviticus 19:27).

The reason Israel was forbidden to do so was, "for thou art an holy people unto the Lord" ( Deuteronomy 14:1-2). Nebuchadnezzar's army grew bald in besieging Tyre with the hardships of their work ( Ezekiel 29:18). The Egyptians, contrary to oriental custom, shaved on joyous occasions and only let the hair grow in mourning; the mention of Joseph's "shaving" when summoned before Pharaoh is therefore an undesigned coincidence in  Genesis 41:14, and mark of the truth of the Scripture record. Artificial baldness marked the ending of a Nazarite's vow ( Numbers 6:9;  Acts 18:18;  Acts 21:24).

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

is a natural effect of old age, in which period of life the hair of the head, wanting nourishment, falls off, and leaves the head naked. Artificial baldness was used as a token of mourning; it is threatened to the voluptuous daughters of Israel, instead of well set hair,  Isaiah 3:24 . See  Micah 1:16; and instances of it occur,  Isaiah 15:2;  Jeremiah 47:5 . See  Ezekiel 7:18;  Amos 8:10 .

The insult offered to Elisha by the young people of Bethel, improperly rendered "little children," who cried out after him, "Go up thou bald head," may here be noticed. The town of Bethel was one of the principal nurseries of Ahab's idolatry, and the contempt was offered to Elisha in his public character as a prophet of the Lord. If in the expression, "Go up," there was also a reference to the translation of Elijah, as turning it into jest, this was another aggravation of the sin, to which these young people were probably instigated by their parents. The malediction laid upon them by the prophet was not an act of private resentment, but evidently proceeded from prophetic impulse.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Leviticus 13:40-43 2 Kings 2:23 Leviticus 21:5 Deuteronomy 14:1 Ezekiel 44:20 Isaiah 22:12 Isaiah 3:24 Isaiah 15:2-3 Jeremiah 48:37 Deuteronomy 21:11  Ezekiel 29:18LeprosyHair

Tim Turnham

Morrish Bible Dictionary

The Israelites were forbidden to cut themselves or to make themselves bald for the dead, as the heathen did; for they were a holy people unto the Lord.  Leviticus 21:5;  Deuteronomy 14:1;  Jeremiah 16:6 . Baldness is one of the judgements of the Lord: perhaps they would make themselves bald in their distress.  Isaiah 3:24;  Isaiah 15:2;  Isaiah 22:12;  Ezekiel 7:18;  Amos 8:10;  Micah 1:16 . See Nazarite

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 2 Kings 2:23 Isaiah 3:24 Leviticus 21:20 Isaiah 22:12 Jeremiah 7:29 16:6 Acts 18:18 21:24 Numbers 6:9 Micah 1:16 Amos 8:10 Jeremiah 47:5 Deuteronomy 14:1

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Baldness. Natural baldness seems to have been uncommon, since it exposed people to public derision.  Leviticus 13:29;  2 Kings 2:23;  Isaiah 3:24;  Isaiah 15:2;  Jeremiah 47:5;  Ezekiel 7:18. Artificial baldness marked the conclusion of a Nazarite's vow,  Numbers 6:9;  Acts 18:18, and was a sign of mourning.

King James Dictionary

BALD'NESS, n. Want of hair on the top and back of the head loss of hair meanness or inelegance of writing want of ornament.

Webster's Dictionary

(n.) The state or condition of being bald; as, baldness of the head; baldness of style.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

BALDNESS . See Cuttings in the Flesh, Hair.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

bôld´ness קרחה , ḳorḥāh ̌ : The reference in the Bible to baldness is not to the natural loss of hair, but to baldness produced by shaving the head. This was practiced as a mark of mourning for the dead ( Leviticus 21:5;  Isaiah 15:2;  Isaiah 22:12 ); as the result of any disaster ( Amos 8:10;  Micah 1:16 ). The custom arose from the fact that the hair was regarded as a special ornament. It was the custom of the people of the land, and the Israelites were strictly forbidden to practice it ( Leviticus 21:5;  Deuteronomy 14:1 ). These are striking passages with reference to the knowledge the Israelites had concerning the future life. This is saying to them what Paul said to the Thessalonians ( 1 Thessalonians 4:13 ). To call one a "bald head" was an epithet of contempt, and was sometimes applied to persons who were not naturally bald. It was the epithet applied by certain infidel young men to Elisha ( 2 Kings 2:23 ,  2 Kings 2:24 ). In a figurative sense it is used to express the barrenness of the country ( Jeremiah 47:5 ). See Hair; Shaving .

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Baldness may be artificial or natural. Artificial baldness, caused by cutting or shaving off the hair of the head, a custom among all the ancient and Eastern nations, in token of mourning for the death of a near relative ( Jeremiah 16:6;  Amos 8:10;  Micah 1:16), Moses forbade to the Israelites ( Deuteronomy 14:1), probably for the very reason of its being a heathen custom; for a leading object of his policy was to remove the Jews as far as possible from the ways and customs of the surrounding nations. Natural baldness was always treated among the Israelites with contempt ( Leviticus 13:40, etc.), and a bald man was not infrequently exposed to the ridicule of the mob ( 2 Kings 2:23;  Isaiah 3:17) perhaps from the suspicion of being under some leprous taint. The public prejudice thus entertained against a bald-headed man was perhaps the main reason why he was declared unfit for the priestly office ( Leviticus 21:20).