1. 1 Samuel 1:11 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What does it mean that "no razor shall touch his head"?

1 Samuel 1:11 (ESV)

11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”

The reference to no razor draws attention to the Nazirite vow (Numbers 6:2–7).1 The Nazirite vow was about forsaking pleasure in pursuit of a deeper relationship with the Lord. The fact that Hannah draws attention to this vow suggests that she is offering her son as a replacement for Samson or in the hope that her son will continue the work that Samson began (Judges 13:1–7).