Your hair tells something about you. My hairstyle might tell you, I have other things to do than worry about my hair. My dad did not like wearing hats because he hated “hat hair.” I also rarely wear hats to this day as well. When you wake up in the morning, your hair says something about the quality of sleep you enjoyed.

While preparing for our next study series, Hannah’s prayer became more interesting to me. Remember, Hannah was unable to have children. Her adversary, the other woman, antagonized her mercilessly. After the feast was over, Hannah ran to the tabernacle and poured out her heart to the Lord. This is what she prayed.

1 Samuel 1:11
And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no rasor come upon his head.

Most commentators jump to the assumption that this means Samuel, like Samson, was a Nazarite. This point has been debated, but it may be worthwhile to appreciate what the text does say. Hannah specifies that “no rasor come upon his head.” This is only one part of the Nazarite vow, but why is this singled out in Hannah’s prayer?

Numbers 6 provides the detail about the Nazarite vow and while avoiding the dead and fruit of the vine are important components, it appears the hair is the most important detail. It says, “the consecration of his God is upon his head” (Numbers 6:7). So, what’s with the hair?

It has been considered a shame for a man to have long hair. Scripture explains that long hair is the glory of women. Also, allowing one’s hair to grow without restriction presents a powerful illustration of the life completely consecrated to the Lord. Finally, “when the days of his separation are fulfilled:”

Numbers 6:18
And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings.

When the predetermined timeframe for this vow was completed, the hair was shaven and cast into the fire representing a part of the person which was always the Lord’s and could never be reclaimed for themselves.

What’s with the hair? By never allowing a razor to come to Samuel’s head, Hannah was prescribing a three-fold level of sacrifice to the Lord. Samuel was to be devoutly consecrated, divinely controlled, and definitively committed.

While our hairstyle probably does not have much to do with this today, the principle still applies to our lives. Instead of never cutting your hair or throwing your last haircut on the fire, this is what Paul says we should do.

Romans 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.