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Tattoos have been around for millennia. People got them at least five thousand years ago. Today they’re common everywhere from Maori communities in New Zealand to office parks in Ohio. But in the ancient Middle East, the writers of the Hebrew Bible forbade tattooing. Per Leviticus 19:28, “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves.”
Historically, scholars have often understood this as a warning against pagan practices of mourning. But language scholar John Huehnergard and ancient-Israel expert Harold Liebowitzargue that tattooing was understood differently in ancient times.
Huehnergard and Liebowitz note that the appearance of the ban on incisions—or tattoos—comes right after words clearly related to mourning, perhaps confirming the original theory. And yet, looking at what’s known about death rituals in ancient Mesopotamia, Syria, Israel, and Egypt, they find no references to marking the skin as a sign of mourning. They also note that there are other examples in Leviticus and Exodus where two halves of a verse address different issues. So that could be the case here, too.
What tattoos were apparently often used for in ancient Mesopotamia was marking enslaved people (and, in Egypt, as decorations for women of all social classes). Egyptian captives were branded with the name of a god, marking them as belongings of the priests or pharaoh. But devotees might also be branded with the name of the god they worshiped.
Huehnergard and Liebowitz suggest that, given the key role of the escape from Egyptian bondage in ancient Jewish law, the Torah originally banned tattooing because it was “the symbol of servitude.” Interestingly, though, they write that there’s one other apparent reference to tattooing in the Hebrew Bible. Isaiah 44:5 describes the children of Jacob committing themselves to God: “One shall say, ‘I am the LORD’s’… Another shall mark his arm ‘of the LORD.’” Here a tattoo appears to be allowable as a sign of submission, not to a human master but to God.
Ancient rabbinic debates produced a variety of different theories about the meaning of the prohibition on tattooing. Some authorities believed that tattoos were only disallowed if they had certain messages, such as the name of God, the phrase “I am the Lord,” or the name of a pagan deity. Talmudic law developed around 200 CE says that a tattoo is only disallowed if it is done “for the purpose of idolatry”—but not if it’s intended to mark a person’s enslaved status.
The meaning of the prohibition on tattooing may have shifted over time, of course. But in ancient times, it might never have been about mourning practices at all.
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Resources
JSTOR is a digital library for scholars, researchers, and students. JSTOR Daily readers can access the original research behind our articles for free on JSTOR.
By: John Huehnergard and Harold Liebowitz
Vetus Testamentum, Vol. 63, Fasc. 1 (2013), pp. 59-77
Brill
FAQs
But in the ancient Middle East, the writers of the Hebrew Bible forbade tattooing. Per Leviticus 19:28, “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves.” Historically, scholars have often understood this as a warning against pagan practices of mourning.
What does Jesus say about tattoos? ›
There are some Christians who believe it is a sin. The verse in the Bible that most Christians make reference to is Leviticus 19:28, which says,"You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord." So, why is this verse in the Bible?
Why do Christians not allow tattoos? ›
Christianity. Some Christians take issue with tattooing, upholding the Hebrew prohibition. The Hebrew prohibition is based on interpreting Leviticus 19:28—"Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you"—so as to prohibit tattoos. Interpretations of the passage vary, however.
What church says about tattoos? ›
Sometimes people point to the passage in Leviticus that says, ”Do not . . . put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord” (19:28). But this verse is not binding upon Christians for the same reason that the verse “nor shall there come upon you a garment of cloth made of two kinds of stuff” (Lev.
What is the best Bible verse for tattoos? ›
The most popular verses used in tattoo designs include John 3:16 ("For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son"), Philippians 4:13 ("I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"), Proverbs 3:5-6 ("Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding"), and Isaiah 41:10 ("Fear ...
What does the Bible say about wearing makeup? ›
As daughters of God, we are free to wear makeup so long as we do so with pure motives. Always remember God cares so much about the beauty of your soul. He wants us to dress ourselves in His love and character so that we reflect Him.
Is it a sin to have piercings? ›
The Bible does not explicitly forbid body piercing, but it does caution against excessive adornment and emphasizes inner beauty over outward appearance. 1 Peter 3:3-4 encourages women to focus on inner beauty rather than outward adornment.
How long does tattoo ink stay in the lymph nodes? ›
Once tattoo ink appears in your lymph nodes it can be there indefinitely – even if you've had the tattoo removed.
Is it a sin to cuss? ›
Christians often consider the use of profanity or vulgar language to be incompatible with their beliefs for several reasons: Respect for Others: Christians believe in treating others with love, dignity, and respect.
Is getting a tattoo a sin in Catholicism? ›
Paul makes it perfectly clear that the ceremonial law is no longer binding. I'll cut to the chase: There is nothing immoral about tattoos. Mother Church has never condemned them, and neither can I. It is one of those areas where a Catholic must follow his or her conscience.
In the American Episcopal Church, cremation has become accepted so much so that many parishes have built columbaria into their churches, chapels and gardens. While Pentecostal Christians do not forbid cremation, traditional burial is preferred since cremation is perceived as a pagan practice.
What does Isaiah 44:5 say? ›
5 Some will say, 'I belong to the LORD'; others will call themselves by the name of Jacob; still others will write on their hand, 'The LORD's,' and will take the name Israel. 6 “This is what the LORD says— Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.
Can we go to heaven with tattoos as Catholics? ›
Within the Catholic Church, there is no clear consensus on tattoos. Some priests and theologians consider it a fashionable element that is not a sin at all, others think it is correct if it does not represent figures related to the devil and others are opposed to tattoos.
Is a tattoo a graven image? ›
When a person puts a tattoo on his skin, he is in effect making a graven image, a symbol representing either self-obsession or the confirmation of some other idol in one's life.
Is smoking a sin? ›
The Roman Catholic Church does not condemn smoking per se, but considers excessive smoking to be sinful, as described in the Catechism (CCC 2290): The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine.
In what religion are tattoos forbidden? ›
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have been hostile to the use of tattoos, but many religions, in particular Buddhism and Hinduism, make extensive use of them. This article examines their use as tools for protection and devotion.
What does the Bible say about touching yourself? ›
Like we mentioned above, the Bible never specifically mentions pleasuring yourself. It does, however, contain plenty of counsel and advice about how believers are meant to live a chaste and virtuous life, to strive to be like the Savior, Jesus Christ, and do what He would do.
Can Catholics get tattoos? ›
As St. Irenæus says, the law of bondage is cancelled by the new covenant of liberty. ³ We would be bound to follow it if it overlapped with a moral law, but it doesn't. So Catholics are not forbidden from getting a tattoo.
Is cremation against the Bible? ›
“The Church raises no doctrinal objections to this practice, since cremation of the deceased's body does not affect his or her soul, nor does it prevent God, in his omnipotence, from raising up the deceased body to new life.” Even bodies buried traditionally eventually decompose.
