Matthew Poole and continuators on 1 Corinthians 11:5

5 But every woman that prayeth, or prophesieth with her head uncovered , dishonoureth her head ; for that is even all one as if she were shaven .

Though the woman, 1 Tim. 2.12. be forbidden to teach, and commanded to be in silence; yet that Text must be understood of ordinary women, and in ordinary cases, not concerning such as prophesied from an extraordinary impulse or motion of the Spirit. We read of Women Prophetesses both in the Old and New Testament, such was Huldah in Iosiah's time, and Anna, of whom we read Luke 2.36. and we read that Philip had four daughters that did prophesie, Acts 21.9.

The uncovered head here (as before) must signifie not covered with some artificial covering, such as our Quoifs, Hats, Hoods or Veils, &c. or with her own hair, not hanging loose, but artificially used so, as to be a covering.

Dishonoureth either her husband, who is her Political or Oeconomical head, for by that habit she behaveth her self as if she were not one in subjection, and seemeth to usurp an undue authority over the man, or her natural head, it being in those places accounted an immodest thing for a woman to appear in publick uncovered. It is observed of Rebeccah, when she met Isaac, Gen. 24.65. She took a veil, and covered her self.

For, saith the Apostle, your selves would judge it an uncomely thing for a woman to be shaven; now to pray or prophesie with the head uncovered, is all one. This last clause will incline us to think, that by the uncovered head in this verse, is not only to be understood uncovered with some other covering besides her hair, but with her hair dishevelled, hanging loose at its length, for else it is not all one to have the head uncovered with an hat, or hood, or qu[illegible: 1 letter]if, and to be shaven; for the Apostle afterward, v. 15. saith, her hair is given to her for a covering or a veil: So that possibly that which the Apostle here reflecteth upon, is womens coming into the publick Assemblies with their hair hanging loosly down, and not decently wound up so, as to make a covering for her head; which, we are told, was the practice of those beastly she-Priests of Bacchus, who, like frantick persons, performed those pretendedly religious Rites with their hair so hanging loose, and were called Manades, because they behaved themselves more like mad persons, than such as were in the actual use of their reason: something like which, it is most probable, some women in the Christian Church at Corinth affected, against which the Apostle here argueth.