Razor
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Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical times, the razor was a tool primarily used for shaving hair, and it held significant cultural and religious implications. The Hebrew word for razor is "ta'ar," and it appears in various contexts throughout the Scriptures, often symbolizing purification, consecration, or judgment.

Nazirite Vow:
One of the most notable references to a razor in the Bible is in connection with the Nazirite vow. According to Numbers 6:5, those who took the Nazirite vow were to abstain from cutting their hair for the duration of their vow: "For the entire period of his vow of separation, no razor shall pass over his head. He must be holy until the time of his consecration to the LORD is complete; he must let the hair of his head grow long." This abstention from shaving was a sign of dedication and separation unto God. The most famous Nazirite, Samson, was bound by this vow, and his uncut hair was the source of his strength (Judges 16:17).

Symbol of Judgment:
The razor is also used metaphorically in the Bible to symbolize judgment and humiliation. In Isaiah 7:20, the prophet speaks of God using the king of Assyria as a razor to bring judgment upon Israel: "On that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates—the king of Assyria—to shave your head and the hair of your legs, and to remove your beard as well." This imagery conveys the idea of complete devastation and disgrace.

Purification and Cleansing:
In the context of purification, the razor was used in certain cleansing rituals. For instance, in Leviticus 14:8-9, a person healed of a skin disease was required to shave off all their hair as part of the purification process: "The one being cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe with water; then he will be clean. Afterward, he may enter the camp, but he must remain outside his tent for seven days. On the seventh day he must shave off all his hair—his head, his beard, his eyebrows, and the rest of his hair. He must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and he will be clean."

Cultural Practices:
In ancient Near Eastern culture, shaving was often associated with mourning or shame. For example, in 2 Samuel 10:4, Hanun, the king of the Ammonites, humiliated David's servants by shaving off half of their beards: "So Hanun seized David’s servants, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away." This act was intended to disgrace the men, as a full beard was a sign of dignity and honor.

Priestly Regulations:
The priests of Israel were given specific instructions regarding their grooming, which included the use of a razor. In Ezekiel 44:20, it is stated: "They must not shave their heads or let their hair grow long, but must carefully trim the hair of their heads." This regulation ensured that the priests maintained a neat and presentable appearance while serving in the temple.

In summary, the razor in biblical times was more than a mere grooming tool; it was imbued with religious, cultural, and symbolic significance. Whether representing consecration, judgment, or purification, the razor played a role in the spiritual and communal life of the Israelites.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Razor

Besides other usages, the practice of shaving the head after the completion of a vow must have created among the Jews a necessity for the special trade of a barber. (Leviticus 14:8; Numbers 6:9,18; 8:7; Judges 13:5; Isaiah 7:20; Ezekiel 5:1; Acts 18:18) The instruments of his work were probably, as in modern times, the razor, the basin, the mirror, and perhaps also the scissors. See (2 Samuel 14:26) Like the Levites, the Egyptian priests were accustomed to shave their whole bodies.

Easton's Bible Dictionary
The Nazarites were forbidden to make use of the razor (Numbers 6:5; Judges 13:5). At their consecration the Levites were shaved all over with a razor (Numbers 8:7; Comp. Psalm 52:2; Ezek. 5:1).
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (n.) A keen-edged knife of peculiar shape, used in shaving the hair from the face or the head.

2. (n.) A tusk of a wild boar.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
RAZOR

ra'-zer (ta`ar, "knife" (Numbers 6:5 Psalm 52:2 Isaiah 7:20 Ezekiel 5:1), morah, "razor" (Judges 13:5; Judges 16:17 1 Samuel 1:11)).

See BARBER; HAIR.

Greek
3587. xurao -- to shave
... shave. From a derivative of the same as xulon (meaning a razor); to shave or "shear"
the hair -- shave. see GREEK xulon. (exuremene) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3587.htm - 6k

3587b. xureo -- to shave
... to shave. Transliteration: xureo Short Definition: shave. Word Origin from xuron
(a razor) Definition to shave NASB Word Usage shave (1), shaved (1). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3587b.htm - 5k

Strong's Hebrew
8593. taar -- a razor, sheath
... 8592, 8593. taar. 8594 . a razor, sheath. Transliteration: taar Phonetic Spelling:
(tah'-ar) Short Definition: sheath. ... penknife, razor, scabbard, shave, sheath ...
/hebrew/8593.htm - 6k

4177. mowrah -- a razor
... a razor. Transliteration: mowrah Phonetic Spelling: (mo-raw') Short Definition:
razor. razor From muwr in the sense of shearing; a razor -- razor. ...
/hebrew/4177.htm - 5k

4177a. morah -- a razor
... morah. 4177b . a razor. Transliteration: morah Short Definition: razor. Word Origin
of uncertain derivation Definition a razor NASB Word Usage razor (3). ...
/hebrew/4177a.htm - 5k

Library

Words with a Freshly Honed Razor-Edge.
... The "How" of Relationship Words With a Freshly Honed Razor-Edge. ... They are meant only
for those who will square their lives by these razor-edged words. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks on prayer/words with a freshly honed.htm

Psalm LII.
... "As with a sharp razor thou hast done deceit" (ver.3). See what do evil men
to Saints, they scrape their hair. ... What is that razor to do? ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lii.htm

The Mercy of God
... Isaiah 28: He is not used to it. When the Lord would shave off the pride of a nation,
he is said to hire a razor, as if he had none of his own. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/9 the mercy of god.htm

The Controlling Purpose.
... That sentence may sound simple enough. But, do you know, there is no sentence I
might utter that has a keener, a more freshly honed razor-edge to it than that. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on prayer/the controlling purpose.htm

Samson Conquered
... was a person who was entirely consecrated to God, and in token of his consecration
he drank no wine; and allowed his hair to grow, untouched by the razor. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/samson conquered.htm

Scriptural Uses of the General Words for Prayer
... forget not your bondwoman and will give to your bondwoman male seed, then will I
give him in gift to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come ...
/.../origen/origen on prayer/chapter ii scriptural uses of.htm

On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. viii. 8, "I am not Worthy that ...
... Well: he is but sharpening the razor wherewith to shave the hair, but
not to cut the head. Ye have but just now heard this that ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/sermon xii on the words.htm

Sleep Not
... There are the Philistines looking on, while you see the razor softly stealing
over the champion's head. Those locks, bushy end black ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/sleep not.htm

Quiet Talks on Prayer
... God's Ambassadors. Six Sweeping Statements. Words With a Freshly Honed Razor-Edge.
The Controlling Purpose. The Threefold Cord of Jesus' Life. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on prayer/

Kept from Iniquity
... it little matters what they say; yet, to a sensitive spirit, like that of David,
the tongue is a very sharp instrument, it cutteth like a razor, and pierceth ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 41 1895/kept from iniquity.htm

Thesaurus
Razor (8 Occurrences)
... The Nazarites were forbidden to make use of the razor (Numbers 6:5; Judges 13:5).
At their consecration the Levites were shaved all over with a razor (Numbers 8 ...
/r/razor.htm - 10k

Shave (19 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) to cut off closely, as with a razor; as,
to shave the beard. 2. (vt) To cut or pare off from the ...
/s/shave.htm - 14k

Barber
... mourning. The Nazarites were untouched by the razor from their birth (Numbers
6:5). Comp. Judges 16:19. Noah Webster's Dictionary. ...
/b/barber.htm - 11k

Shaving (2 Occurrences)
... 1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Shave. 2. (n.) The act of one who, or that which, shaves;
specifically, the act of cutting off the beard with a razor. ...
/s/shaving.htm - 9k

Knife (10 Occurrences)
... 3, lit. "knives of flint;" Comp. Exodus 4:25); a razor (Ezek. 5:1); a graving
tool (Exodus 20:25); an axe (Ezek. 26:9). (2.) Hebrews ...
/k/knife.htm - 13k

Keen (3 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (superl.) Sharp; having a fine edge or point;
as, a keen razor, or a razor with a keen edge. 2. (superl ...
/k/keen.htm - 8k

Strap (4 Occurrences)
... stirrup strap. 3. (n.) A piece of leather, or strip of wood covered with
a suitable material, for sharpening a razor; a strop. 4. (n ...
/s/strap.htm - 8k

Beard (23 Occurrences)
... The mode of wearing it was definitely prescribed to the Jews (Leviticus 19:27;
21:5). Hence the import of Ezekiel's (5:1-4) description of the "razor" ie, the ...
/b/beard.htm - 21k

Nazarite (8 Occurrences)
... Judges 13:5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come
on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he ...
/n/nazarite.htm - 13k

Nazirite (10 Occurrences)
... 1) the strictest abstinence from wine and from every product of the vine; (2) the
keeping of the hair uncut and the beard untouched by a razor; (3) the ...
/n/nazirite.htm - 21k

Resources
What is Occam's Razor? Does Occam's Razor disprove the existence of God? | GotQuestions.org

Who was William of Ockham? | GotQuestions.org

What was the source of Samson's strength? | GotQuestions.org

Razor: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Razor (8 Occurrences)

Numbers 6:5
"'All the days of his vow of separation there shall no razor come on his head, until the days are fulfilled, in which he separates himself to Yahweh. He shall be holy. He shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 8:7
You shall do this to them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of cleansing on them, let them shave their whole bodies with a razor, and let them wash their clothes, and cleanse themselves.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY YLT NAS RSV)

Judges 13:5
for, behold, you shall conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head; for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb: and he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Judges 16:17
He told her all his heart, and said to her, "No razor has ever come on my head; for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother's womb. If I am shaved, then my strength will go from me, and I will become weak, and be like any other man."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Samuel 1:11
She vowed a vow, and said, "Yahweh of Armies, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your handmaid, and remember me, and not forget your handmaid, but will give to your handmaid a boy, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come on his head."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Psalms 52:2
Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Isaiah 7:20
In that day the Lord will shave with a razor that is hired in the parts beyond the River, even with the king of Assyria, the head and the hair of the feet; and it shall also consume the beard.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 5:1
You, son of man, take a sharp sword; You shall take it as a barber's razor to you, and shall cause it to pass on your head and on your beard: then take balances to weigh, and divide the hair.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Razor

Razor: Figurative

Razor: Nazarite Forbidden to Use

Related Terms

Shave (19 Occurrences)

Barber

Shaving (2 Occurrences)

Knife (10 Occurrences)

Keen (3 Occurrences)

Strap (4 Occurrences)

Beard (23 Occurrences)

Nazarite (8 Occurrences)

Nazirite (10 Occurrences)

Womb (84 Occurrences)

Boy (94 Occurrences)

Vow (49 Occurrences)

Voweth (8 Occurrences)

Naziriteship (5 Occurrences)

Locks (29 Occurrences)

Treachery (18 Occurrences)

Reign (468 Occurrences)

Razis

Excommunication

Expiation (9 Occurrences)

Deliverance (86 Occurrences)

Deceitfully (22 Occurrences)

Devises (11 Occurrences)

Deviseth (12 Occurrences)

Declareth (71 Occurrences)

Mischiefs (6 Occurrences)

Mischievous (13 Occurrences)

Misery (38 Occurrences)

Man-child (11 Occurrences)

Plotting (13 Occurrences)

Plots (20 Occurrences)

Practising (7 Occurrences)

Barber's (1 Occurrence)

Beards (6 Occurrences)

Balances (15 Occurrences)

Conceiving (8 Occurrences)

Conceive (23 Occurrences)

Consecrateth (5 Occurrences)

Apportioned (24 Occurrences)

Set (6715 Occurrences)

Separates (8 Occurrences)

Separateth (15 Occurrences)

Shaven (7 Occurrences)

Shaved (23 Occurrences)

Steel (7 Occurrences)

Sharpened (13 Occurrences)

Devise (41 Occurrences)

Cleansing (37 Occurrences)

Weapon (21 Occurrences)

Vowed (34 Occurrences)

Purification (25 Occurrences)

Consumeth (37 Occurrences)

Weigh (24 Occurrences)

Sweep (34 Occurrences)

Upper (99 Occurrences)

Separation (50 Occurrences)

Almighty (242 Occurrences)

Grown (77 Occurrences)

Fulness (76 Occurrences)

Worker (36 Occurrences)

Reach (63 Occurrences)

Weighing (39 Occurrences)

Consecrated (101 Occurrences)

Forget (77 Occurrences)

Race (36 Occurrences)

Grow (139 Occurrences)

Separated (97 Occurrences)

Maidservant (73 Occurrences)

Completed (109 Occurrences)

Mother's (102 Occurrences)

Entire (119 Occurrences)

Youth (169 Occurrences)

Armies (361 Occurrences)

Cleansed (76 Occurrences)

Hired (49 Occurrences)

Remembered (120 Occurrences)

Begin (56 Occurrences)

Practice (71 Occurrences)

Razis
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