2nd Samuel 15:30-32: How does the Bible define the symbols of a covered head and bare feet?

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Daniel addresses a question raised during the last study of 2nd Samuel 15 about David’s going the Mount of Olives to pray with a covered head and bare feet in this excursus. In many places in the Bible, covering a man’s head is an act of shame or mourning. Why does God command His priests to wear head coverings? Why did Paul write in 1st Corinthians 11 that a man should pray or prophesy with his head “uncovered”?

Texts: Jer. 14:1-4; Isa. 20:1-20; Ex. 3:1-5; Gen. 3:14-20; Ex. 39:28; Lev. 10:6; 1Kings 19:9-14; John 20:19-26; 1Cor. 11:1-10.

When David and his servants fled Absolom, they covered their heads with ashes. There are also examples of women covering their heads in shame or mourning such as Tamar covering her head with dirt and her hands after Amnon had raped her. Eve was cursed symbolically when she was covered with dirt when God told her that her husband would rule over her. Covering one’s head with dirt expresses a sense of worthlessness.

There are also texts which seem to teach that a woman covering her head is a symbol of her honor.

Walking with bare feet is also a symbol of humiliation, shame, fear and mourning. Yet God command Moses to take his sandals off when he approached the burning bush and Moses covered his face.

If covering one’s head is a symbol mourning and shame, why did God command the High Priest and the priests to cover their heads? God also prohibits the High Priests and other priests from uncovering their heads when they are in mourning.

The Apostle Paul elaborates on this point in 1st Corinthians 11. He says that a man who prays with “his head covered dishonors his head” (1Cor. 11:4). Is that a bad thing? The Greek for “head covered” is κατα κεφαλης kata kephales, literally “against his head.” The head of the husband is mentioned in the previous verse: the Messiah (1Cor. 11:3). Paul also goes on to say that its an honor for a woman to cover her head. Paul also uses examples from nature to elaborate his point that the symbolism of literally covering one’s head makes a different spiritual lesson based on whether one is male or female.

In conclusion, is God your Husband or your Groom? Rebekah traveled from Aram to Abraham’s home uncovered but when she saw Isaac for the first time, she covered her face. Once her groom accepted her and took her as his wife, she no longer covered her face.

In this current age, we are still awaiting our Groom, and we have work to do for His kingdom. As long as we are waiting for the Groom, we are the bride of Christ, not His wife. When we cover our heads physically, we acknowledge that Messiah is our “head” and that He covers over multitude of sins.

Speaker: Daniel Agee.