Ava Monroe
The expression 'pare her nails' occurs in Deuteronomy 21:12, in reference to female captives taken in war. The captive woman is to 'shave her head and pare her nails', which was a sign of purification and separation from former heathenism. However, some interpret the expression to mean the opposite, suggesting that the woman was to 'suffer her nails to grow' as an emblem of her distress.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for paring nails | To prevent self-mutilation |
| To prepare the woman to be received by the covenant people of Jehovah | |
| To make the woman unattractive to her captor | |
| To allow the woman to express her grief |
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What You'll Learn
Purification and separation from heathenism
The act of paring her nails, as described in Deuteronomy 21:12, is a sign of purification and separation from former heathenism. The verse refers to a female captive taken in war, who is brought to the house of the man who has taken her captive. The shaving of the head and the paring of the nails are signs of her misery and sorrow, and a token of her submission.
The woman, having been taken from her native land and separated from her loved ones, is now to become the wife of a foreigner and an enemy. This would naturally be a cause of great distress. The act of paring her nails is also believed to be a way to prevent her from marring her beauty by scratching her face, an act of self-mutilation that oriental women are reported to have committed in their grief.
The custom of the East is to allow nails to grow when in sorrow, which further supports the idea that the woman was to suffer her nails to grow as an emblem of her distress. This interpretation is also backed by the marginal reading of the verse, which suggests that the true meaning is to "suffer to grow".
Overall, the act of paring her nails, in this context, is a symbolic gesture that signifies the woman's separation from her former life and her transition into a new one, marked by grief and submission.
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Cutting nails to a proper size and form
The word "pare" in this context means to make or prepare the nails by cutting them down to a proper size and form. This is similar to the usage of the word in 2 Samuel 19:25, where it refers to dressing the feet and trimming the beard.
However, some interpretations disagree with this translation. The Targum of Onkelos, for example, renders the phrase as "suffer to grow". This interpretation is supported by the custom of the East, where people in sorrow are known to allow their nails to grow. In this context, the woman's unkempt nails would be an additional emblem of her distress, as she had been taken from her native land and was about to become the wife of the man who had taken her captive.
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Captive women as signs of misery
Captive women were made to shave their heads and pare their nails as signs of misery. This was a token of their submission and a way to show their sorrow. The shaving of the head and the paring of the nails were also signs of purification and separation from former heathenism.
The captive woman was to be taken as a wife by the man who had taken her captive. She was to be taken from her native land and leave her family behind, becoming the wife of a foreigner and an enemy. This would naturally be a cause of great grief.
The act of paring her nails may also have been intended to prevent her from marring her beauty by scratching her face, an act of self-mutilation that oriental women are reported to have committed in the depths of their grief.
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Submission and distress
The expression 'pare her nails' occurs in Deuteronomy 21:12, in reference to female captives taken in war. The shaving of the head and the paring of the nails were signs of purification, of separation from former heathenism, preparatory to reception among the covenant people of Jehovah.
The captive woman was to shave her head and pare her nails as a sign of her misery and submission. This was because her father or brother was among the slain, or in consequence of having become a prisoner of war. It showed her sorrow, and was a token of her submission.
However, some sources suggest that the woman was to suffer her nails to grow as an additional emblem of her distress. This interpretation is supported by the custom of the East, of allowing nails to grow when in sorrow.
The woman was a prisoner of war, and was about to become the wife of the man who had taken her captive. Having thus been taken from her native land, having had to leave her earliest and dearest connections, and now to become the wife of a foreigner and an enemy, she would naturally be overwhelmed with grief.
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Self-mutilation
The Bible verse can be interpreted in two ways. One interpretation is that the woman was to pare her nails, cutting them down to a proper size and form. This was a sign of purification and separation from former heathenism, preparatory to reception among the covenant people of Jehovah. The other interpretation is that the woman was to suffer her nails to grow, as an additional emblem of her distress. This interpretation is supported by the custom of the East, of allowing nails to grow when in sorrow.
The act of self-mutilation is a complex and distressing issue. While it may be seen as a way to cope with overwhelming emotions, it is important to recognize that it is a harmful behaviour that can have negative consequences. If you or someone you know is struggling with self-mutilation, it is important to seek professional help and support. There are many resources available to help individuals cope with their emotions in healthy ways and develop alternative coping strategies.
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Frequently asked questions
In Deuteronomy 21:12, a captive woman "shall shave her head, and pare her nails". This was a sign of purification and separation from heathenism.
'Pare' means to cut something down to a proper size and form.
It was probably intended to prevent her from scratching her face, an act of self-mutilation oriental women are reported to have committed in grief.
The captive woman was to suffer her nails to grow as an additional emblem of her distress.
