שֵׂעָר27 H8181
hair — body or head hair, prominent in purity diagnosis, Nazirite vows, and physical descriptions
Se'ar is the standard Hebrew noun for hair, whether on the human body or head, appearing 28 times across legal, narrative, and poetic texts. Its heaviest concentration is in Leviticus 13-14, where the color, depth, and behavior of hair in affected skin patches form the priest's primary diagnostic criteria for declaring a person clean or unclean — white hair turned in a sore spells impurity (Lev 13:3, 10, 20-21, 25-26, 30-32). The Nazirite vow centers on the hair of one's head: it must grow uncut during the vow period and is shaved and offered at its conclusion (Num 6:5, 18). Narratively, Esau is born 'like a garment of hair' (Gen 25:25), and Elijah is identified as 'a hairy man' (2 Kgs 1:8) — both defining characterizations. Judges records Samson's hair regrowing after Delilah's betrayal (Judg 16:22). In Isaiah's barber metaphor, YHWH will shave 'the hair of the head, the hair of the feet, and the beard' (Isa 7:20). Ezra tears hair from his head and beard in grief over intermarriage (Ezra 9:3). Song of Songs uses it poetically: 'your hair is like a flock of goats' (Song 4:1; 6:5).
Senses
1. hair (body or head) — Human or animal hair as a physical substance, examined in purity law, consecrated in Nazirite ritual, and invoked in physical description and poetry. The Levitical priest inspects hair color and condition to diagnose skin impurity (Lev 13:3-4, 10, 20-26, 30-32; 14:8-9). The Nazirite's uncut hair embodies consecration to God (Num 6:5, 18). Defining personal traits are cast in terms of hair: Esau's hairy body (Gen 25:25), Elijah's hairy mantle (2 Kgs 1:8), Samson's regrown locks (Judg 16:22). Song of Songs transforms it into erotic imagery (Song 4:1; 6:5), while Ezra's tearing of hair dramatizes communal grief (Ezra 9:3). 28×
AR["سَعْرِيكْ","شَعرَ-","شَعْرًا","شَعْرٌ","شَعْرٍ","شَعْرَ","شَعْرُ-","شَعْرِهِ","وَ-شَعْرٌ","وَ-شَعْرُهَا"]·ben["এবং-তার-লোম","এবং-লোম","কেশ","চুল","চুলের","তার-লোম","তোমার-চুল","লোম"]·DE["Haar","Haar-von","dein-Haar","hair","hair-von","sein-Haar","und-Haar","und-sein-Haar"]·EN["and-hair","and-its-hair","hair","hair-of","his-hair","your-hair"]·FR["Tes-cheveux","cheveu","cheveu-de","et-cheveu","et-son-cheveu","hair","hair-de","son-cheveu"]·heb["ו-שער","ו-שערה","שער","שערו","שערך"]·HI["अपने बाल","उसका","उसकी दिखावट में","और-अलग करेगा","और-बाल","और-शुद्ध होगा","काला","केश","तेरे-बाल","पीला","बाल","बाल-का","में-चमकीले दाग","में-वह"]·ID["Rambutmu","dan-rambut","dan-rambutnya","rambut","rambut-","rambutnya"]·IT["capelli","capelli-di","capello","capello-di","e-capello","e-suo-capello","suo-capello","tuo-capello-tua"]·jav["lan-rambut","lan-rambut-panjenenganipun","rambut","rambut-","rambut-panjenengan","rambut-panjenenganipun","rikma"]·KO["그리고-그것-의-털-이","그리고-털","그리고-털-이","네-머리카락-이","머리카락-의","머리카락을-","머리카락이","털","털-을","털-이","털을-그의"]·PT["cabelo-de","cabelo-de-","e-pelo","e-pelo-seu","pelo","pelo-seu","teu-cabelo"]·RU["-волосы","волос","волоса","волосы","волосы-","волосы-его","волосы-твои","и-волос","и-волос-его","и-волоса"]·ES["cabello-de","el-cabello-de","pelo","su-pelo","tu-cabello","y-pelo","y-su-pelo"]·SW["Shar","na-nywele","na-nywele-yake","nywele","nywele-za","nywele-zake","nywele-zako"]·TR["kil","kıl","kıllarını","kılı","sacin","saçı-","saçını","saçının","ve-kılı"]·urd["اور-بال","اور-بال-اُس-کے","بال","بالوں-اپنے","بالوں-کا","تیرے-بال"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
שֵׂעָר27 n.m.Lv 13:3 hair;—abs. שׂ׳ Gn 25:25 +, cstr. שְׂעַר Ju 16:22 +, שַׂ֫עַר Is 7:20 (Ges§ 93 hh Köii. 1. 78); sf. שְׂעָרֵךְ Ez 16:7, שַׂעֲרֵךְ Ct 4:1, 6:5 (Köl.c.); שְׂעָרוֹ Lv 14:8 +, שְׂעָרָהּ v 20, שְׂעָרָהֿ v 4 (Ges§ 91 e);—hair: 1. of animals, as material, אַדֶּרֶת שׂ׳ Gn 25:25 (J), Zc 13:4; prob. also אִישׁ בַּעַל שׂ׳ 2 K 1:8 i.e. a man with a garment of skin. 2. human: שׂ׳ רֹאשׁוֹ Ju…