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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.
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.
Where in the Bible does it say you should not have a tattoo? ›
The Bible warns against tattoos in Leviticus 19:28 (Amplified) which says, “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print or tattoo any marks upon you: I am the Lord.”
Does the Bible forgive tattoos? ›
Christians should always repent to God and ask His forgiveness for getting these types of images. Remember that He tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). And yes, His forgiveness even extends to ungodly tattoos.
What does Jesus say about tattoos? ›
It depends on who you ask. 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?
Are tattoos blasphemy? ›
Although these expressions of appreciation may be done with good intentions, for most religions, tattoos are considered forms of blasphemy rather than respect. The Christian Bible reads in Leviticus 19:28: “Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos.
Is it against God to get a tattoo? ›
Well, the straightforward answer is no — the Bible does NOT forbid Christian believers from getting inked.
What tattoo represents Christianity? ›
Christian Tattoos
One of the common symbols that are recognized worldwide today is the Jesus fish. This symbol is shaped like a fish, and the official name for it is ichthys or ichthus and these are Greek words. ... A Jesus fish tattoo is symbolic of your Christianity and your strong faith in God.
Are piercings a sin in Christianity? ›
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.
Is it bad to tattoo yourself in the Bible? ›
It was simply obvious that Christians shouldn't get tattoos because it directly contradicted Scripture. The Old Testament book of Leviticus clearly says, "Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD." (Lev. 19:28 NIV) For many Christians, that ends the discussion.
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 church say about tattoos? ›
Answer: First of all, the Church has not made any kind of formal decision on the matter of tattoos. There is some Biblical evidence on this, for example, a passage in Leviticus that says: “You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh on account of the dead or tattoo any marks upon you: I am the Lord” (Lev.
Are tattoos a sin Old Testament? ›
The Bible makes no specific references to tattoos as we understand them in modern times, but some Christians believe tattoos to be immoral because of a particular verse. Leviticus 19:28 Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves.
Do tattoos keep you out of heaven? ›
According to John 3:16, believing in and following Jesus is the only way to get to heaven—having tattoos is completely irrelevant. The Bible only condemns tattoos in Leviticus (an Old Testament book of the Bible) due to its historical connection to pagan practices and false idols.
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.
Are piercings a sin? ›
The Bible does not explicitly address body piercings. Some Christian interpretations suggest that body piercings may be seen as sinful based on Leviticus 19:28. Others argue that body piercings are a form of personal expression and not inherently sinful.
Are tattoos a sin Catholic? ›
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.
What does the Bible say about makeup? ›
You adorn yourself in vain. Your lovers despise you; they want to kill you” (Jeremiah 4:30). Similarly, in Ezekiel 23, Jerusalem is compared to a prostitute who courted her men by bathing, putting on eye makeup and jewelry, and then sitting on a couch before them (Ezekiel 23:40-42).
