THEOSISJerome of Stridon
Beginning in verse 17: Every face bears the mark of shame, and every head is devoid of hair. The reddening of one's countenance indicates a sense of disgrace, with the awareness of wrongdoing being displayed openly, yet there remains a glimmer of hope for redemption, should such transgressions be accompanied by remorse. Thus, it was remarked to one who, due to her hardened heart, boasted of her iniquities: ‘You had the face of a harlot's wife; you cannot paint it’ (Jer. 8). Furthermore, baldness signifies mourning when one’s hair, a source of beauty, is lost, stripping away that which is ornamental. Hence, to Jerusalem it is proclaimed, ‘Instead of a jewel for your head, you shall have a baldness for your deeds’ (Is. 3:23).
Read more (243 words)
Another prophet declares, ‘Every head shall be shaved, and every brow shall be unadorned’ (Jer. 48:37). Micah also addresses this Jerusalem, stating, ‘You shall be shorn and bald, like the young children; you shall spread your hair like an eagle’ (Micah 1:16). Mourning for the deceased requires the wearing of a badge of grief. Yet, only the holy ones, namely the Nazoreans and those honored to serve in the Lord's priesthood, refrain from shaving their heads (Num. 6). For they bear no deeds deserving of death, nor are they unclean, as they are Nazoreans, the saints of God. However, if there is a deceased person in their midst, all the days previously sanctified shall be disregarded. Samuel, as a holy man of God, bore a constant adornment of hair, adhering to the sentiment expressed in the Song of Songs: ‘His hair is curly, black as a thief’ (Song of Songs 5:11). Moreover, Samson, having lost his hair, also lost his strength (Judg. 16), but as his hair grew back, so too did his former might, allowing him to slay more in his death than he had in life. Elisha, despite having a plaque of mourning, retained his curly hair as a Nazorean of the Lord. Thus, the children, who still remained innocent and yet to reach maturity, mocked his baldness, saying, ‘Come, bald man, come, bald man’ (2 Kings 2:23), and were subsequently attacked by wild beasts from the forest and the trees.