So What If a Woman by Accident, Age or Health Condition Has Short or No Hair, How Should She Be Covered If Hats and Scarfs Are Not a Covering?
1) Direct answer
If a woman loses hair by accident, age, or sickness, she is not made “uncovered” in guilt before God. The Bible’s covering is her hair as God gives it; the command is that she must not cut it. So she should simply let it grow as she is able and keep from cutting. In the meantime, she may use a simple scarf or a plain wig for modesty—not as the Scriptural covering of 1 Corinthians 11, but as modest apparel. When her hair can grow, let it grow; if it cannot, she remains blameless before God.
2) Scriptural explanation
- “Her hair is given her for a covering” (1 Corinthians 11:15). The covering God speaks of is hair, not a hat.
- “If the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn” (1 Corinthians 11:6). Paul links uncoveredness with being shorn/shaven—an act of cutting. The shame is tied to willful shearing.
- God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). He numbers our hairs (Luke 12:7). He knows when loss comes through infirmity, not rebellion.
- Modesty in apparel is commanded (1 Timothy 2:9; 1 Peter 3:3–4). A simple scarf or plain wig can serve modesty without pretending to be the 1 Corinthians 11 covering.
3) Simple clarifying logic
- Covered = obedience to keep the hair uncut and let it grow as God allows.
- Uncovered = shorn/shaven by choice, even if a hat hides the scalp.
- Involuntary loss (illness, age, accident) does not equal rebellion; therefore it does not bring the guilt of uncoveredness.
- A scarf or wig can help modesty, but it is not the Scriptural covering. The moment hair can grow, do not cut it.
4) Reinforcing statement
God is not measuring hats; He is honoring a woman’s obedient heart to keep what He gives and to walk in modesty.
Final biblical conclusion: A woman who has short or no hair through accident, age, or sickness remains scripturally covered when she refuses to cut and lets it grow as able (1 Corinthians 11:15–16). She may use modest apparel (a simple scarf or plain wig) for decency, but these do not replace the God-given covering. If her hair can grow again, let it grow and do not cut it.
Existing Follow-Up Answers
- If a Woman Willfully Cuts or Shaves Off Her Hair but Wears a Scarf or Hat to Pray, Is She Covered?
1) Direct answer No. If a woman willfully cuts or shaves her hair and then puts on a scarf or hat to pray, she is still uncovered before God. The
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What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
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, Part 3
64-0830M §100
...it long hair any longer when they cut it in front?" Not any longer, they've cut it off, see. But like the man that had the trousers cut them off three times and still to short. What say? What say? Oh, that's what they're talking about. As I tease my little girl, she said... The "booms" I call them, you know, bangs, or whatever it is, you know, across the front here. Well, I imagine those kids that's cutting their hair in front... You---maybe your mother could tell you about that, if she wants you to do that way. I...
The presence of God unrecognized
64-0618 §39
What is the woman's beauty and honor? Is her hair. That's the reason many of you woman today cut it all off. That's wrong. She took her hair, and began to wash his feet and wipe them, her pretty hair taking the stink off of Him upon herself, bearing his reproach. Oh, my! That's when you recognize who's in your presence. Our sisters would have to almost stand on their head to get enough hair to do that. So there, she washed his feet and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and she kissed his feet.
Questions and Answers, Part 4
64-0830E §73
And now, men... This person said this morning taking off their hair, putting it back on. Now, this kind of got here too, about a haircut, see. Now, if a man doesn't have hair, and his wife ... I've heard women say, "Well, if I could just get John ... I think he'd look better if he wore a hair piece. What do you think about it, Brother Branham? Is it wrong for him to do it?" No, sir! No, indeedy, it is not wrong, not at all. If he wants to wear it, that's fine, no more than wearing false teeth or whatever that come...
Lamb and Dove
60-0805 §31
...in denominations, now we're going to come home to Pentecost just a little bit. We're going to wonder what's happening to our Pentecostal people. You know, it used to be a horrible thing for our women to cut their hair. It used to be awful. I can remember that, and I've only been with them just a few years. But now it's all right, they cut their hair. And the Bible said that the hair on a woman was for her glory. And the Bible said that if a woman cuts her hair, she dishonors her head, which is her husband. And if...
Questions and Answers, part 2
54-0103E §62
...ront of the house one day. The Holy Spirit moved down, and spoke to her, and told her she was going to get well, and "Thus saith the Spirit." And she stayed like that then for a few days, and then she... I went yesterday, was going to see the woman with Brother Junior and Brother Funk. And I was within a half a mile. She was standing, combing her hair which she's going to let grow out now, said, "Let the neighbors laugh and do whatever they want to." And then, the Holy Spirit wouldn't let me go over there. And it s...