In the Old Testament, certain laws and prophecies address the practice of shaving as a ritual or cultural expression. Leviticus 21:5 and Leviticus 19:27 prohibit priests and the general population, respectively, from shaving the sides of their heads or clipping the edges of their beards, likely to distinguish themselves from pagan practices. The prophets also use shaving as a symbol, as in Isaiah 7:20, where it represents humiliation and defeat. Additionally, Ezekiel 44:20 and Deuteronomy 14:1 provide further guidance on the treatment of hair in relation to spiritual identity and mourning.
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Priests must not make bald spots on their heads, shave off the edges of their beards, or make cuts in their bodies.
You must not cut off the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.
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.
They must not shave their heads or let their hair grow long, but must carefully trim their hair.
You are sons of the LORD your God; do not cut yourselves or shave your foreheads on behalf of the dead,
So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, who was quickly brought out of the dungeon. After he had shaved and changed his clothes, he went in before Pharaoh.
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 separation to the LORD is complete; he must let the hair of his head grow long.
This is what you must do to cleanse them: Sprinkle them with the water of purification. Have them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes, and so purify themselves.
Then at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the Nazirite is to shave his consecrated head, take the hair, and put it on the fire under the peace offering.
eighty men who had shaved off their beards, torn their garments, and cut themselves came from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria, carrying grain offerings and frankincense for the house of the LORD.
For every head is shaved and every beard is clipped; on every hand is a gash, and around every waist is sackcloth.