κείρω G2751
To shear or cut hair; used of shearing sheep and cutting human hair, especially in connection with vows.
An ancient verb for cutting hair or wool, carrying both agricultural and ritual significance in the New Testament. In Acts 8:32, Philip reads from Isaiah 53 where the Suffering Servant is compared to a sheep silent before its shearer -- a powerful image of submissive innocence. In Acts 18:18, Paul shears his head at Cenchreae because of a vow, likely a Nazirite-style dedication. Paul then uses the word in 1 Corinthians 11:6 in his discussion of head coverings, arguing that if a woman refuses to cover her head, she might as well be shorn -- implying that being shorn carried social shame.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To shear wool from sheep, or to cut human hair, often in connection with religious vows or as a culturally significant act. The verb spans from the agricultural image of sheep-shearing in Acts 8:32 (quoting Isa 53:7, the Servant silent before his shearer) to the ritual act of Paul shaving his head at Cenchreae in fulfillment of a vow (Acts 18:18). In 1 Corinthians 11:6, Paul uses the word twice to argue that being shorn is shameful for a woman, equating it with being shaved. Spanish 'cortarse/rapado' and French 'tondre' both capture the close-cutting action, while the range of contexts -- prophetic typology, personal devotion, gender propriety -- shows the word's versatility. 4×
AR["تُقَصَّ", "جَازِّ", "حَالِقًا", "لتُقَصَّ"]·ben["কাটা", "কাটাউক।", "মাথা-কামিয়ে", "লোম-কাটার"]·DE["sich-scheren", "κείραντος", "κειράμενος"]·EN["having-shorn", "let-her-be-shorn", "shearing", "to-be-shorn"]·FR["tondre"]·heb["גּוֹזְזוֹ", "גּוֹלֵחַ", "לְ-הִתְגַּלֵּחַ", "תִּגָּלַח"]·HI["कटवाए", "कटवाना", "काटने-वाले", "मुंड़वाकर"]·ID["biarlah-dipotong", "dipotong", "mencukur", "yang-menggunting"]·IT["tosare"]·jav["cukur", "kagunting", "kaguntinga.", "ngethoki"]·KO["깎은-후에", "깎이거나", "깎일지어다", "털-깎는-자-의"]·PT["que-o-tosquia", "tosquiar-se", "tosquie-se."]·RU["остригши", "пусть-обстрижётся.", "стригущим", "стричься"]·ES["cortarse", "córtese", "habiéndose-rapado", "que-esquila"]·SW["akinyoa", "amkataye-manyoya", "anyolewe.", "kunyolewa"]·TR["kesilsin", "kırktırarak", "kırkıcısının", "o-"]·urd["اون-کاٹنے-والے", "مُنڈوا-کر", "کٹوائے", "کٹوانا"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3772 1. cut a covenant / make a pact (97×)H5060 1. touch physically (Qal) (96×)H3615 1. complete a task (Piel) (85×)H3772 2. cut off / destroy (Hifil causative) (81×)H3920 1. capture, seize (Qal) (76×)H???? 12. (76×)H3772 3. be cut off / be eliminated (Niphal) (74×)H6213a 3. be done, be made (Niphal) (73×)G4160 2. make, construct, create (62×)H3847 1. Qal: put on, wear (60×)H8210 1. pour out (liquid/libation) (59×)G2440 1. garment or clothing (general) (54×)H4191 4. kill / put to death (Hifil causative) (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
κείρω, future κερῶ Refs 5th c.BC+, Ionic dialect κερέω Refs 8th c.BC+: aorist ἔκειρα Refs 5th c.BC+, Epic dialect ἔκερσα Refs 8th c.BC+: perfect κέκαρκα Refs 2nd c.BC+:—middle, future κεροῦμαι Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist ἐκειράμἡν Refs 5th c.BC+, Epic dialect ἐκερσάμην Refs 4th c.BC+ —passive, aorist 1 participle κερθείςRefs 5th c.BC+aorist 2 ἐκάρην [ᾰ] Refs 3rd c.BC+, subjunctive κᾰρῇ Refs 5th…