We are in Numbers chapter six with our word for today. שֵׂעָר hairiness, body hair, hairy covering. It is used 28 times in the Old Testament. Our word is used in the context of the covering of one’s body. This is seen as one’s own body hair. Genesis 25:25 The first came out red, all his body like a שֵׂעָ֑ר hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. Leviticus 13:3-4, 9-11 the priest shall examine the diseased area on the skin of his body. וְשֵׂעָ֨רAnd if the hair in the diseased area has turned white and the disease appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a case of leprous disease. When the priest has examined him, he shall pronounce him unclean. But if the spot is white in the skin of his body and appears no deeper than the skin, וּשְׂעָרָ֖ה and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest shall shut up the diseased person for seven days … When a man is afflicted with a leprous disease, he shall be brought to the priest, and the priest shall look. And if there is a white swelling in the skin that has turned שֵׂעָ֣ר the hair white, and there is raw flesh in the swelling, it is a chronic leprous disease in the skin of his body. It is also seen as a garment made out of hair. 2 Kings1:8 They answered him, “He wore a garment of שֵׂעָ֔ר hair, with a belt of leather about his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.” Zechariah 13:4 On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies. He will not put on a שֵׂעָ֖ר hairy cloak in order to deceive. Our word is used in the context of the covering of one’s head. Leviticus 14:9 And on the seventh day he shall shave off all שְׂעָר֗וֹ his hair from his head, his beard, and his eyebrows. He shall shave off all שְׂעָר֖וֹ his hair, and then he shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and he shall be clean. Judges 16:22 But the שְׂעַר hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved. 2 Samuel 14:26 And when he cut the hair of his head (for at the end of every year he used to cut it; when it was heavy on him, he cut it), he weighed the שְׂעַ֣ר hair of his head, two hundred shekels by the king's weight. This is how our word is used twice in our chapter today. Numbers 6:5, 18 All the days of his vow of separation, no razor shall touch his head. Until the time is completed for which he separates himself to the LORD, he shall be holy. He shall let the locks שְׂעַ֥ר of hair of his head grow long … And the Nazirite shall shave his consecrated head at the entrance of the tent of meeting and shall take the שְׂעַר֙ hair from his consecrated head and put it on the fire that is under the sacrifice of the peace offering. It was a special offering to the Lord because the long hair symbolized the vow the Nazirite had made to the Lord and had successfully fulfilled. Contrast this devotion to God with our last use of Ezra hurt by the sin of the people. We find the pulling out of one’s hair as an expression of extreme grief over sin. Ezra 9:3-5 As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled מִשְּׂעַ֤ר hair from my head and beard and sat appalled. Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the faithlessness of the returned exiles, gathered around me while I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice. And at the evening sacrifice I rose from my fasting, with my garment and my cloak torn, and fell upon my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God. This reminds us of Jesus who was grieved over the people’s sin when he wept over Jerusalem. I’ll close with Jesus’ words. Luke 19:41-42 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
