Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 5. But every woman that prayeth, &c.] Whatever may be the meaning of praying and prophesying, in respect to the man, they have precisely the same meaning in respect to the woman. So that some women at least, as well as some men, might speak to others to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. And this kind of prophesying or teaching was predicted by Joel, Joel ii. 28, and referred to by Peter, Acts ii. 17. And had there not been such gifts bestowed on women, the prophecy could not have had its fulfillment. The only difference marked by the apostle was, the man had his head uncovered, because he was the representative of Christ; the woman had hers covered, because she was placed by the order of God in a state of subjection to the man, and because it was a custom, both among the Greeks and Romans, and among the Jews an express law, that no woman should be seen abroad without a veil. This was, and is, a common custom through all the east, and none but public prostitutes go without veils. And if a woman should appear in public without a veil, she would dishonour her head-her husband. And she must appear like to those women who had their hair shorn off as the punishment of whoredom, or adultery.
Tacitus informs us, Germ. 19, that, considering the greatness of the population, adulteries were very rare among the Germans; and when any woman was found guilty she was punished in the following way: accisis crinibus, nudatam coram propinquis expellit domo maritus; "having cut off her hair, and stripped her before her relatives, her husband turned her out of doors." And we know that the woman suspected of adultery was ordered by the law of Moses to be stripped of her veil, Num. v. 18.
Women reduced to a state of servitude, or slavery, had their hair cut off: so we learn from Achilles Tatius. Clitophon says, concerning Leucippe, who was reduced to a state of slavery: pepratai, dedouleuken, ghn eskayen, sesulhtai thv kefalhv to kallov, thn kouran orav? lib. viii. cap. 6, "she was sold for a slave
, she dug in the ground, and her
John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 5. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth , etc.] Not that a woman was allowed to pray publicly in the congregation, and much less to preach or explain the word, for these things were not permitted them: (see 1 Corinthians 14:34,35 1 Timothy 2:12) but it designs any woman that joins in public worship with the minister in prayer, and attends on the hearing of the word preached, or sings the praises of God with the congregation, as we have seen, the word prophesying signifies, with her head uncovered . It may seem strange from whom the Corinthian women should take up this custom, since the Jewish women were not allowed to go into the streets, or into any open and public place, unveiled f211 . It was a Jewish law, that they should go out no where bare headed f212 : yea, it was reckoned scandalous and ignominious to do so. Hence it is said, hl yang arh ywlg , that uncovering of the head is a reproach to the daughters of Israel: and concerning the adulterous woman, it is represented as said by the priest f214 , thou hast separated from the way of the daughters of Israel; for the way or custom of the daughters of Israel is hyar twswkm twyhl , to have their heads covered; but thou hast gone in the ways of the Gentiles, who walk with head bare.
So that their it should seem that these Corinthians followed the examples of the Heathens: but then, though it might be the custom of some nations for women to go abroad bare headed; yet at their solemnities, where and when they were admitted, for they were not everywhere and always, they used to attend with their heads veiled and covered f215 . Mr. Mede takes notice indeed of some Heathen priestesses, who used to perform their religious rites and sacrifices with open face, and their hair hanging down, and locks spreading, in imitation of whom these women at Corinth are thought to act. However, whoever behaved in this uncomely manner, whose example soever she followed, the apostle says, dishonoureth her head ; not her husband, who is her head in a figurative sense, and is dishonoured by her not being covered; as if she was not subject to him, or because more beautiful than he, and therefore shows herself; but her natural head, as appears from the reason given: for that is even all one as if she were shaven ; to be without a veil, or some sort of covering on her head, according to the custom of the country, is the same thing as if her head was shaved; and everyone knows how dishonourable and scandalous it is for a woman to have her head shaved; and if this is the same, then it is dishonourable and scandalous to her to be without covering in public worship. And this shows, that the natural head of the man is meant in the preceding verse, since the natural head of the woman is meant in this.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 2-16 - Here begin particulars respecting the public assemblies, ch. 1Co 14. I the abundance of spiritual gifts bestowed on the Corinthians, some abuses had crept in; but as Christ did the will, and sought the honou of God, so the Christian should avow his subjection to Christ, doin his will and seeking his glory. We should, even in our dress and habit avoid every thing that may dishonour Christ. The woman was made subjec to man, because made for his help and comfort. And she should d nothing, in Christian assemblies, which looked like a claim of being equal. She ought to have "power," that is, a veil, on her head, becaus of the angels. Their presence should keep Christians from all that is wrong while in the worship of God. Nevertheless, the man and the woma were made for one another. They were to be mutual comforts an blessings, not one a slave
, and the other a tyrant. 
