Doctrine of Holy Scripture - Swedenborg Foundation

DOCTRINE OF HOLY SCRIPTURE 190womb, and that his power lay in his hair. Nazirite and Naziriteshipalso mean the hair.[3] That Samson’s power lay in his hair, he himself made plain,saying,There hath not come a razor upon my head, because I have been a Naziritefrom my mother’s womb; if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me,and I shall become weak, and be like any other man (Judges 16:17).No one can know why the Naziriteship (by which is meant thehair) was instituted, or whence it came that Samson’s strength wasfrom the hair, unless he knows what is signified in the Word by the“head.” The “head” signifies the heavenly wisdom which angels andmen have from the Lord by means of Divine truth; consequentlythe “hair of the head” signifies heavenly wisdom in ultimate things,and also Divine truth in ultimate things.[4] As, from correspondence with the heavens, this is thesignification of the “hair,” it was a statute for the Nazirites that:They should not shave the hair of their heads, because this is theNaziriteship of God upon their heads (Num. 6:1–21).And for the same reason it was ordained that:The high priest and his sons should not shave their heads, lest they shoulddie, and wrath should come upon the whole house of Israel (Lev. 10:6).[5] As, on account of this signification, which is fromcorrespondence, the hair was so holy, the son of man, who is theLord as to the Word, is described even as to his hairs:That they were white like wool, as white as snow (Rev. 1:14).In like manner the Ancient of days (Dan. 7:9).