Answer # 80

Notice a modern rendering of these verses in an American translation by Goodspeed.

Leviticus 19:27, in the Goodspeed version says: "You must not shave around your temples, nor do away with the corners of your beard."

And this is how the Goodspeed translates Leviticus 21:5: "They must not shave part of their heads bald, nor shave off the corners of their beards, nor make incisions in their bodies."

It was the ceremonial custom of the heathen peoples to shape and trim their beards and hair in special shapes to honor a particular pagan deity - the sun god.

For example, the ancient Egyptians cropped their dark locks short or shaved with great care, so that what remained on the crown of the head appeared in the form of a circle surrounding the head (the "halo" symbol was derived from this), while the beard was dressed in a square form. Or a round bald spot might be shaved on the head.

Shaving your head and cutting your hair for normal good grooming are something entirely different from these pagan ceremonial customs and not at all condemned in the Scriptures.