5:1 razor. God had prohibited Israelite men from shaving or cutting parts of their beard (Lev. 19:27). This law was reiterated for priests (Lev. 21:5), and Ezekiel was a priest (1:1). Cutting facial hair could be a matter of great personal shame (2 Sam. 10:4–5; Is. 7:20; 50:6) or a sign of mourning (Ezra 9:3; Is. 15:2; Jer. 7:29; 41:5; 48:37).