Ezekiel 44:20

“Neither shall they shave their heads, &c.] As the priests and worshippers of Isis and Serapis did, as Jerom on the text observes; and as the Romish priests now do, from whom the Lord’s faithful ministers must be distinguished: nor suffer their locks to grow long; as the Nazarites, that a distinction might be preserved between those who were and were not such; or rather, after the manner of women, their locks hanging down, and flowing about their shoulders, as a token of levity, wantonness, effeminacy, pride, and vanity; (see <461114>1 Corinthians 11:14,15): they shall only poll their heads; observe a medium between both; neither shave their heads close, nor let their hair grow long, but keep…”

“Neither . . . shave . . . heads--as mourners do (Lev 21:1-5). The worshippers of the Egyptian idols Serapis and Isis shaved their heads; another reason why Jehovah's priests are not to do so. nor suffer . . . locks to grow long--as the luxurious, barbarians, and soldiers in warfare did [JEROME].”

“Regulations as to the priests’ services. The garments of the priests are defined and various rules prescribed in the Law are repeated with some additions in order to denote additional care to avoid uncleanness. Ezekiel 44:18 The material of which the four vestments of the ordinary priest were made was “linen,” or, more accurately, “byssus,” the cotton stuff of Egypt. The two special qualities of the byssus - white and shining - are characteristic, and on them part of the symbolic meaning depended. Compare Revelation 19:8. Ezekiel 44:19 They shall not sanctify the people - They shall not touch the people with their holy garments. The word “sanctify” is used because the effect of touching was…”

“To grow long - Priding themselves in it, as Absalom. Shall only poll - When the hair is grown, they shall cut the ends of their hair, and keep it in moderate size. Ezekiel 44:21”

“44:20-27 The priests were to avoid contact with death, either by being in the presence of a dead person or through the ritual mourning practices in which they would shave their heads or let their hair grow completely free. They must not drink wine before entering the inner courtyard to avoid the risk of potentially fatal alcohol-induced errors (see Lev 10:9). The priests were restricted in marriage to virgins of Israel or to widows of the priests to ensure the continuing purity of the priestly line. In all of these ways, the priests were to model the radical distinction between holy and common and between the ceremonially clean and unclean for the people.”

“shave: Lev. 21:5-24; Deu 14:1 nor suffer: Num 6:5; Co1 11:14 Ezekiel 44:21”