I’ve always been curious about the biblical meaning of things, being a Catholic and all. I am especially curious about the symbolism of birthmarks, for I have one on my forearm, my torso, and my left thigh.
If you’re wondering just like me, you need not look any further. Let me share what I’ve learned below:
Why do we have birthmarks?
Before we delve into the biblical meanings of birthmarks, let’s first explore why we have them first. (I’m sorry, I can’t help it. I’m a medical professional, after all.)
As the name suggests, birthmarks are ‘marks’ that appear on the skin at birth or a few ways after. They vary in appearance, as they can be:
- Flat or raised
- Regularly or irregularly bordered
- Colored tan, brown, black, red, purple, pale blue, or pink
As with most medical occurrences, researchers are not quite sure why they develop. They often tend to run in families, though my parents and brother don’t have these marks.
They come in two major forms, namely:
- Pigmented, where excess cells create ‘color’ on the skin.
- Vascular, where blood vessels are wider than usual, so they appear through the skin.
What do birthmarks mean in the bible?
Now that I’m done with my mini biology lecture, let’s proceed to the core of this article: the biblical meanings of birthmarks.
As you see, there are no literal mentions of ‘birthmarks’ in the Holy Scripture. The closest term one could come across is ‘blemish.’
And, according to academic experts, here’s what they mean:
1) Flaws and impurities
Although science says that there’s nothing wrong with having a birthmark, the biblical interpretation in the early days says otherwise.
Blemishes were then viewed as flaws or impurities.
According to 2 Samuel:14 –
“But in all Israel, there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.”
Also, Daniel 1:4 shows that “Children in whom was no blemish, but well favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.”
That being said, blemishes are also viewed as figurative representations of imperfection, rather than plain physical defects.
As per Peter 2:14 – “And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it a pleasure to riot in the daytime. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you.”
Echoing this is the passage from Sirach 31:8 – “Blessed is the rich that is found without blemish, and hath not gone after gold.”
In other words, as long as your heart is ‘pure,’ blemishes (such as birthmarks) have no bearing.
Emphasizes Colossians 1:22 –
“But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.”
2) A no-no for priests and sacrificial animals
Since blemishes represent flaws and impurities, men or animals marked with these are essentially prohibited from entering the altar.
Quoting the passage Leviticus 21:16-21:
The Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron: ‘For the generations to come none of your descendants who have a defect may come near to offer the food of his God.
No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed; no man with a crippled foot or hand, or who is a hunchback or a dwarf, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles.
No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect is to come near to present the food offerings to the Lord. He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God.”
That being said, men with blemishes (or other defects) can still perform priestly duties and partake in sacrifice. They could not, however, ENTER the altar in which these activities are often made.
However, I’m pretty sure that priests nowadays may enter the altar despite having blemishes or birthmarks.
3) A reminder of the golden rule
There’s a famous saying that goes “Don’t do unto others what you don’t want others to do unto you.”
In a way, the mention of blemishes in the bible could be taken as a reminder of this one. According to Leviticus 24: 19-20:
“And if a man causes a blemish in his neighbor; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him; Breach for breach, eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.”
Other significant meanings of birthmarks
Now that I’ve gone through the biblical meanings of birthmarks, let’s explore the other symbolisms that have been associated with them.
1) Location
Birthmarks can be found in all areas of the body. And, depending on where they are located, your mark can symbolize any of the following:
- Right forehead – intelligence and success, education and career-wise
- Left forehead – irresponsibility and extravagance
- Center forehead – a vast amount of relationships
- Eye – bullet/stab wound
- Mouth – immense wealth
- Face – success and fame
- Neck – success and responsibility
- Back – openness to new ideas and innovative thoughts
- Stomach – appetite for material things
- Right arm – patience
- Wrist – hardships in life OR artistry and creativity
- Hand – independence and talent
- Hip – a connection to the animal kingdom
- Private part – honesty and generosity, though some believe that a birthmark on the vagina is a bad omen (involvement in numerous affairs)
- Buttocks – ‘information’ about your love life
- Inner thigh – predisposed to wealth (I’ve yet to see this wealth in my life…)
- Leg – lack of independence
- Ankle – a deep love for life; happiness and wealth
- Bottom of the foot – a tendency to ‘fight’
2) Color
As I’ve mentioned above, birthmarks come in various colors. And, according to symbolic interpretation, these hues can mean the following things:
- Brown – success and bounty (Yay! All my birthmarks are colored brown.)
- Red – opinionated and stubborn nature
- Port wine (pink, red, or purple) – previous life’s death caused by fire
- White – burn or wounds; dedication, luck, and prosperity
3) Injury incurred in one’s previous life
Similar to the interpretations of the last two colors above, many believe that birthmarks represent the injuries one has received in their past life.
And it’s something that has been proven by science.
According to researcher Dr. Ian Stevenson, most of the children who remembered their past lives have “markings or birthmarks that corresponded to their cause of death in a previous life.”
The research goes on to say that “About 35% of children who claim to remember previous lives have birthmarks and/or birth defects that they (or adult informants) attribute to wounds on a person whose life the child remembers… And in 43 of 49 cases in which a medical document (usually a postmortem report) was obtained, it confirmed the correspondence between wounds and birthmarks (or birth defects).”
The shape of the mark is also believed to allude to the type of injury, such as:
- Circular – bullet hole
- Sword/dagger shape – stabbing
- Torch/flame shape – burns
- Rope-like shape – hanging
- Scattered appearance – shrapnel
Let me share another report penned by Dr. Stevenson, this time concerning his subject’s rope-like birthmark:
“The case of a child with birthmarks said to correspond to marks made by parachute ropes on the first husband of the child’s mother. The child, when he could speak, made a few statements that Keil and Tucker interpreted as fragmentary memories of the life of this man. He had been an air force trainee in Burma (now Myanmar) who had died when practicing a landing with a parachute.”
Taking these interpretations into account, since I have 3 right now, I may have received 3 wounds in my previous life.
The one on my torso is quite circular – and that of my thigh has scattered marks. So based on this type of interpretation, I’ve been shot in my past life and have shrapnel marks to show for it.
In case you don’t have a birthmark like me, it is believed that you died of natural causes in your previous life. Or, though it seems impossible, this must be your first incarnation.
Finally, the lack of a birthmark could mean that you have ‘spiritually evolved’ so you no longer carry the burden of your past life.
4) Twin flame/soulmate reunion
If you have a birthmark shaped like a heart, then it could prove beneficial for your love life. After all, it’s the symbol of universal love.
In a way, it could help you ‘identify’ your twin flame or soulmate, which can be unbelievably tough!
Based on my experience, the journey to finding my soulmate was filled with obstacles. Fortunately, my friend told me that I could ‘ease’ the process by getting my soulmate sketched.
Now I know it sounds too good to be true. But it is!
It saved me the heartache of pursuing another relationship – only to have it crash and burn to the ground.
When I recognized my soulmate, everything fell right into place. And yes, we’re married now!
If you want to meet your soulmate right away – just like me – then get your soulmate’s sketch drawn today. Trust me, it works!
5) Cultural interpretations
Culture plays a major role in birthmark symbolism. In fact, during the Salem witch trials, they were considered a foolproof sign that the bearer was a witch.
Boy, am I glad I wasn’t alive during those times. I would’ve been burned at the stake.
Fear aside, here are some other cultural interpretations of birthmarks:
- Chinese – the person’s future depends on the birthmark’s size, shape, and location.
- Japan – women who stare at a fire will give birth to a child with a birthmark.
- India – seen as a sign of stigma/possession by some.
- Europeans – touching a birthmark can bring luck.
6) Animal spirits
If your birthmark is shaped like an animal, it is said that it is your ‘spirit animal.’
Just look at your blemish – does it appear like any of the animals below? If it is, you can try to look at them for guidance. After all, they could mean the following:
- Fish – intelligence, higher self, deeper awareness, motives, and feelings
- Snake – stealth, wisdom, rebirth, protection, and spiritual guidance
- Bird – wisdom, hope, enlightenment, and elevation
- Rabbit – balance, well-being, and fortune
- Cat – independence and cautiousness
- Dog – loyalty and drive
7) Astrological connection
You should check your birthmark if you’re a zodiac sign stan. It may be aligned to your astrological sign, such as:
- Scales for Libras
- Archer or arrows for Sagittarians
- Fishes for Pisceans (also an animal spirit birthmark, as I’ve mentioned)
8) Presence in ‘unique’ children
Birthmarks seem to appear in a special population of children, such as:
- Indigo children, who possess supernatural talents and abilities
- Crystal children, whose autistic symptoms may be signs of their telepathic powers
- Rainbow children, who are born after pregnancy loss
- Star children, who are said to come from other dimensions, stars, or constellations
These special children often have prominent birthmarks on their foreheads and other parts of the body. Many believe these represent their healing and/or psychic powers.
9) Sacred geometry
Sacred geometry represents the fact that everything is connected. As such, having a birthmark shaped like any of the ones below often comes with profound meanings, such as:
- Triangle pointed upward – raised consciousness
- Triangle pointed downward (symbolic of the womb) – feminine energy and reproduction
- Circle – oneness, never repeating
- Square – groundedness, stability, and safety
- Spiral – energy flowing through the chakras
Final thoughts
As you see, birthmarks or blemishes – according to the bible – point to flaws and impurities. That’s why priests or animals who have blemishes aren’t allowed in the altar area.
That said, the mention of blemishes in the bible also points to one’s figurative flaws – like a desire for material things, as mentioned in Sirach 31:8.
This shows the importance of having a pure, unblemished heart and soul.
Outside these biblical interpretations, I’ve also discussed the various symbolisms of the birthmark. What struck me the most is how they tell of the injuries you have received in your past life, for my marks show that I’ve been shot.
Interpretations aside, I believe you shouldn’t be wary of having birthmarks – no matter where they are located or how they look. I think of them as a sign of good luck, for my life’s been good so far!
