African Women Have Naturally Short Coiled and Kinky Hair. If They Do Not Cut it, are They Covered?
Yes. If a woman does not cut her hair and lets it grow as God gave it, she is covered—no matter the texture or how long it appears.
The Bible says, “If a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering” (1 Corinthians 11:15). And again, it warns that if she is “shorn or shaven” she dishonors her head (1 Corinthians 11:5–6). The issue in Scripture is not inches or a certain look—it’s whether the hair is cut off or allowed to grow. “Doth not even nature itself teach you…?” (1 Corinthians 11:14–15). God made different hair types among women, and He Himself gave woman her hair for a covering.
Now notice, the Word makes the contrast between shorn/shaven and long. Long means let it grow; shorn/shaven means cut off. So if a sister’s hair is naturally tight, coiled, or appears short, but she keeps it uncut, she is covered before God. He doesn’t judge by outward length measurements but by obedience to His order. If it’s uncut, it’s long to God. If it’s cut, it’s uncovered—no matter the texture.
So, keep the hair uncut as a sign of honor and submission to God’s Word. God looks at the obedience, not the inches.
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Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Questions and Answers on Genesis
53-0729 §32
I had a hot one on that, down the other day at Shreveport. They was talking about the women, and should women wear long hair. And I said, "A woman that bobbed her hair, her husband had a right---and a Bible right---to divorce her." That's right. That's what the Bible says. That's exactly right. Oh, my! Holy Ghost women sitting there. Just the way they been taught, that's all, see. Yes, that's slipped loosely. He said, "Now, if they would cut it, if there's something wrong they have to cut their hair," said, "let th...
Questions and Answers on Hebrews, part 3
57-1006 §76
Now we're getting right down to the question you're asking, see. All right, now it is wrong for a lady to cut her hair, according to the Bible. Now you listen right here and see if the Bible don't give a man a legal right to put away his wife if she cuts her hair; see if this is right or not. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head [that's, have long hair], forsomuch as he is in the image and the glory of God: but the woman is in the glory of the man. [Did you ever think of that?] Now I want to stop here, beca...
Questions and Answers, Part 3
64-0830M §117
...vered, dishonors his head. (That is, if he's got long hair. All right.) But every woman that prayeth or prophesy with her head uncovered dishonors her head: (That's her husband.) for that is even all as one if she were shaven. For if a woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: (If she wants to bob her hair, make her shave it all off slick. See? If she can't have...) but if it be not a shame for a woman to be---be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. I don't see nothing on taking on or t...
Questions and Answers on Hebrews, part 3
57-1006 §89
Now watch: Does not even nature [That's that 14th verse.] ... teach you, that, it's a shame for a man to have long hair? [That belongs to a woman.] But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her:... Now what's he talking about? A hat that you Catholic people wear in church? No indeedy! A little covering over top of your head, with a handkerchief? He's talking about your hair. Now! And if a woman cuts off her hair, she cuts off her glory, and is not permitted to the altar to pray. Just what it said here, "Is it...
Questions and Answers, Part 3
64-0830M §102
And of course, I know women wants to look pretty; that's nature, and that's what they should be, see. They should be that way. And so, that's fine, but just don't---don't, otherwise like this, don't look like the world (see?); don't pattern after the world. Things wrong... You want it cut off, like that, but don't cut your hair now. If you got the braids hanging down, or whatever it is in your hair, you leave it long. Don't cut it like it's going to look like the world. If you're just them little girls ...