TONSURE, Shearing, or Shaving. This is used both for the Shearing of Sheep, and for shaving the Hair or Beard of a Man. The shearing of Sheep was performed with great Joy and Mirth, and was a Festival to which they invited their Friends. When Nabal, the Husband of Abigail, kept his Sheep-shearing, he prepared a Feast like a Royal Banquet. 2 Sam. xxxv. 2, &c.David thought that on this Occasion he could not scruple to give him and his Company some Refreshment. Absalom invited the whole Royal Family to his Sheep-shearing.
2 Sam. xiii. 13, &c. Job i. 20.In the time of Mourning, the Hebrews cut their Hair, and let their Beards grow. When Job was informed of the Death of his Sons and Daughters, and of the loss of his Substance, he rent his Cloaths, he cut off his Hair, and prostrated himself to worship God. Jeremiah received a Command from the Lord, to cut off his Hair, to cast it away, and to put on Jerem. vii. 29.Mourning. Micah bids the Daughter of Sion to cut off her Hair, and to mourn for her Children: Mic. i. 16.Decalvare & tondere super filio deliciarum tuarum; dilata calvitium tuum.
God forbad the Israelites to cut their Hair after the manner of the Arabians, Levit. xix. 27.who cut in a circular Form: Neque in rotundum attondebitis comam. Jeremiah, in several Places, describes this People by the manner of their Tonsure:1 Qui attonsi sunt in comam.
The Priests in the Temple wore their Hair short; but they did not shave it with a Razor.2 They cut it from time to time with Scissars, but did not cut it close to the Skin, according to the Septuagint.c But several understand the Hebrew, which says literally, they shall not send their Hair, as if it were, they shall not let it grow.3 In LeviticusLevit. x. 6. God forbids Aaron to uncover his Head, after the Misfortune that happened to his Sons Nadab and Abihu; that is to say, he was not to shave his Hair, as the other Israelites used to do in Mourning. The Talmudists observe, that the Priests who were actually employed in the Service of the Temple, cut their Hair with Scissars every thirty Days, and that the High-Priest was obliged to have his cut also every Friday Evening, so that the Skin of his Head might not be entirely uncovered. St. Jerome upon Ezekiel observes, that in this Passage God prohibits two things to his Priests; one was in regard to Superstition, that they should not shave their Heads with a Razor, after the manner of the Priests of Isis;4 the other was, not to wear them too long, as effeminate Men, who curl their Hair, and strive to have them as long as they can.
When Joseph was fetched out of Prison Genesis xli. 14.by the King’s Order, they shaved him, and made him change his Cloaths, and then presented him before Pharoah. In his Prison he had let his Hair grow, but it was cut when he was to appear at Court: For the Egyptians shave or cut their Hair from their very Herodot. l. 3. c. 12. Idem l. 2. c. 36.Childhood, as Herodotus tells us; they only let it grow at their times of Mourning. It was not paying that Respect which was due to the King, to appear in his Presence in a negligent and mournful Garb. The same Joseph, when he was in the greatest favour, did not go himself to ask leave of Pharaoh to go to bury his Father in the Land of Canaan; he spoke to him by another Person, Gen. l. 4.because he was then in Mourning.
1 Sam. xiv. 24, 26.We read in the Books of Samuel, that Absalom, who had the finest Head of Hair in all Israel, had his Hair cut off once a Year, because its Weight and Quantity were troublesome to him. It weighed two hundred Shekels by the King’s Weight. Without doubt this Prince did not cut off all his Hair, for that would have been a Deformity. The Hebrews cut it off only in the time of Mourning, as we have seen before. He only cut so much of it off as might free him from the Trouble and Perplexity of the Heat, which so much Hair must needs create to him. And yet notwithstanding it weighed two hundred Shekels; and this evidently must be understood, as well of that part of it that was left on, as of that which was cut off, one making amends for the other. For this the Article ABSALOM may be consulted.
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