What Does the Bible Say About Beards?

Walk into any modern church today, and you'll find a mixed bag: clean-shaven worship leaders, tattooed pastors with scruff, and the occasional full-bearded elder who looks like he just stepped off Mount Sinai. Even God is depicted with a long, free-flowing beard in Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel.

But what does the Bible actually say about beards? Is there a biblical commandment to grow one? Or is it just another cultural relic from ancient Israel?

Let’s be honest: in modern society, the beard has become a symbol of masculinity, rebellion, and maturity. But in biblical times, it wasn’t a trend. It was part of being a man.

Beards in the Old Testament

In the Old Testament, a beard wasn’t just a lifestyle choice. It was bound up with identity, honour, and religious practice. In fact, one of the clearest Bible verses about men’s beards comes from Leviticus:

“You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard.”— Leviticus 19:27

Sounds like an odd grooming rule at first. But it was actually a boundary marker — a way of separating the Israelites from neighbouring pagan cultures that shaved or cut their hair as part of idol worship. Your beard set you apart. It meant you belonged to a different kind of people.

And it wasn’t just symbolic. In 2 Samuel 10, King David’s ambassadors are humiliated when the Ammonites forcibly shave off half their beards. David is so furious that he tells them to wait in Jericho until their beards grow back before returning. Why? Because to lose your beard was to lose your honour. It wasn’t just a cosmetic issue — it was a disgrace.

Beard = Dignity, Wisdom, and Manhood

Throughout the Old Testament, the beard is basically shorthand for manhood. Prophets had beards. Priests had beards. Patriarchs? Beards. It was the expected mark of a grown man.

Even outside of ancient Israel, cultures throughout the Bible treated the beard with reverence. Egyptians often shaved, but Israelites didn’t. In fact, forced shaving often symbolised humiliation, slavery, or mourning (see Isaiah 7:20 or Ezekiel 5:1).

Bottom line: in biblical times, if you were a man, you had a beard — unless you were mourning or being punished.

It wasn’t vanity. It was identity.

What About the New Testament?

By the time we get to the New Testament, there’s less direct talk about beards. Just the same as we don’t really talk about women having longer hair than men. It’s a baked-in norm.

First-century Jewish men, including Jesus and the apostles, would have worn beards as standard. It would’ve been strange if they didn’t.

Indeed, look at Orthodox iconography, which closely follows the historical Jesus, and you’ll always find a beard. In the earliest depictions, Jesus almost universally has a beard. And then there’s the controversial Shroud of Turin, which depicts a bearded man’s impression.

That said, the focus of the New Testament shifts from external appearance to inner character. You don’t find Paul writing beard-care tips in his letters. But you do find him talking about honouring the body, avoiding vanity, and carrying yourself with dignity. If you connect the dots, a well-kept beard still fits the picture.

So… Should Christian Men Grow Beards Today?

Short answer: no, you’re not sinning by shaving. The ceremonial laws in Leviticus aren’t binding on Christians today. That was fulfilled in Christ.

For most men – Christian or not – the beard still has that OT symbolism. In a culture set on blurring the line between masculine and feminine, growing a beard is a subtle way of saying: I know who I am. It remains a symbol of honour, masculinity, maturity, and discipline

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