Word

טָהֵר

ṭâhêr · H2891 · Hebrew · 94 occurrences

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Meanings

to become clean

Process by which an area or object becomes free from dirt, contamination and everything else that is not supposed to be present

Examples
Ezekiel 24:13 “In your filthiness is outrageous sin. Because I would have cleansed you, Yet you are not clean, You will not be cleansed from your filthiness again Until I have expended My wrath on you.
to purify, to cleanse, to clear, to purge

Causative process by which people cause an area or object to be free from dirt, contamination and everything else that is not supposed to be present

Examples
2 Chronicles 34:3 For in the eighth year of his reign while he was still a youth, he began to seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, the carved images, and the cast metal images.
2 Chronicles 34:5 Then he burned the bones of the priests on their altars and purged Judah and Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 34:8 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, Maaseiah an official of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the secretary, to repair the house of the LORD his God.
to be clean, ceremonially or ritually

A state in which people or objects are considered free from contamination, so that people can interact socially with others and objects can be put to normal use

Examples
Leviticus 11:32 ‘Also anything on which one of them may fall when they are dead becomes unclean, including any wooden article, or clothing, or a hide, or a sack—any article of which use is made—it shall be put in the water and be unclean until evening, then it becomes clean.
Leviticus 12:7 ‘Then he shall offer it before the LORD and make atonement for her, and she shall be cleansed from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who gives birth to a child, whether a male or a female.
Leviticus 12:8 ‘But if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young doves, the one as a burnt offering and the other as a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”
to purify or cleanse

An action by which a priest performs the rituals necessary to render people and places free from contamination, so that people can interact socially and places can be put to normal use

Examples
Leviticus 16:19 “With his finger he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it seven times and cleanse it, and consecrate it from the impurities of the sons of Israel.
Leviticus 16:30 for it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before the LORD.
Numbers 8:6 “Take the Levites from among the sons of Israel and cleanse them.
to pronounce or declare ceremonially clean

An action by which a priest declares a person or object ceremonially clean, so that people can interact socially and objects can be put to normal use

Examples
Leviticus 13:6 “The priest shall then look at him again on the seventh day, and if the infected area has faded and the infection has not spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is only a rash. And he shall wash his clothes and be clean.
Leviticus 13:13 then the priest shall look, and behold, if the leprosy has covered his entire body, he shall pronounce the one who has the infection clean; it has all turned white and he is clean.
Leviticus 13:17 and the priest shall look at him, and behold, if the infected area has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce the one who has the infection clean; he is clean.
to cleanse oneself, to purify oneself

Process by which humans take the necessary steps to render themselves ceremonially pure

Examples
Genesis 35:2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Remove the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves and change your garments;
Leviticus 14:4 then the priest shall give orders to take two live clean birds, cedar wood, a scarlet string, and hyssop for the one who is to be cleansed.
Leviticus 14:7 “He shall then sprinkle seven times the one who is to be cleansed from the leprosy and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the live bird go free over the open field.
to be pure, to be clean

Literally: to be clean; hence: state in which humans are free of moral contamination and acceptable to God

Examples
Job 4:17 ‘Can mankind be righteous before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker?
Psalm 51:7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; Cleanse me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Proverbs 20:9 Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin”?
to cleanse oneself, to purify oneself

Literally: to clean oneself; hence: action by which humans take the necessary steps to be free of moral contamination

Examples
Joshua 22:17 ‘Is the wrongdoing of Peor not enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, although a plague came on the congregation of the LORD,
to cleanse

Literally: to cleanse; hence: causative action by which deities cause humans to be free of moral contamination

Examples
Psalm 51:2 Wash me thoroughly from my guilt And cleanse me from my sin.
Jeremiah 33:8 ‘And I will cleanse them from all their wrongdoing by which they have sinned against Me, and I will forgive all their wrongdoings by which they have sinned against Me and revolted against Me.
Ezekiel 36:25 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.

How it’s used In 10 roles

Every occurrence, grouped by the words it is grammatically related to.

the word studied the word it goes with

Who or what does itSubject

82 occurrences in 15 groups

Not stated: he, she or it 27
Not stated (infinitive) 10
כֹּהֵןpriest 9
Not stated: I 8
Not stated: you (one person) 8
Not stated: they 5
Other words · 7 groups that occur once or twice (9) 9

What it acts on, or what is saidObject

37 occurrences in 17 groups

וֹhim 9
הֶםthem 8
בַּיִתhouse, household 4
אֶרֶץland, earth, ground 3
כֶםyou 3
Other words · 12 groups that occur once or twice (15) 15

With prepositionsPrepositional phrases

19 occurrences in 21 groups

מִןfrom+ חַטָּאָהsin, sin offering 3
Other words · 20 groups that occur once or twice (22) 22

With adverbsAdverbs

8 occurrences in 3 groups

לֹאnot 7
עוֹדstill, again, yet 2
אַחַרafter, behind 1

Named alongside itApposition

1 occurrences in 1 groups

אָכַלto eat, to devour 1

What it doesIt is the subject

2 occurrences in 2 groups

כָּבַסto wash 1
סוּףto come to an end, to be destroyed 1

What is done to itIt is the object

3 occurrences in 2 groups

אָמַרto say 2
הָיָהto be, to become 1

What is said to be itIt is the predicate

1 occurrences in 1 groups

אַתָּהyou 1

After prepositionsPrepositional phrases

12 occurrences in 2 groups

לto/for 10
עַלon, upon, over, against 6

In phrases “… of it”It is the genitive

6 occurrences in 2 groups

אֹזֶןear 4
רֹאשׁhead, top, chief 2

When two words share a role, as in “Paul and Barnabas said”, the verse appears under each, so a section’s counts can add up to more than the number of occurrences.

MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.

Near synonyms 6 words

זָכַךְ zâkak · H2141 · to be clean, to be pure, pure: Both words denote being or making clean or pure, and could substitute for each other in describing states or acts of purification.
זָכָה zâkâh · H2135 · to be just, to make clean: Both lexemes mean to be or make clean, to cleanse, with overlap in ritual and moral purity contexts — distinct Hebrew roots expressing closely related senses of purification and cleansing.
דּוּחַ dûwach · H1740 · to wash, to cleanse: Both words overlap in the sense of cleansing and purging, and describe similar actions of purification; דּוּחַ (dûwach, H1740) is rare.
בָּרַר bârar · H1305 · to test, to select, to purge: Both words denote cleansing and purifying actions, and both can mean "cleanse," "purify" and "purge."
זָקַק zâqaq · H2212 · to refine, to distil, refined: זָקַק (zâqaq, H2212) emphasizes refining/purging processes (metallurgical and ritual), while טָהֵר (ṭâhêr, H2891) is broader (ritual, moral, physical cleansing). The semantic overlap in purification/cleansing is real and substitutable in context.
צָרַף tsâraph · H6884 · to test, to purge away: טָהֵר (ṭâhêr, H2891) emphasizes ritual or moral cleansing; צָרַף (tsâraph, H6884) emphasizes refining/testing that purges impurities (often metallurgical metaphor).

Contrasting words 1 word

טֻמְאָה ṭumʼâh · H2932 · uncleanness: The direct lexical opposite of טֻמְאָה, denoting ritual cleanness or purity as opposed to defilement.

In the other Testament 2 words

καθαρίζω katharízō · G2511 · to make clean, to cleanse, to clean: Greek καθαρίζω directly translates Hebrew טָהֵר across both literal (ritual/physical cleansing) and figurative (moral/spiritual purification) senses, representing the standard Septuagint rendering of the Hebrew root throughout its semantic range.
καθαρός katharós · G2513 · clean, clear, pure: καθαρός (katharós, G2513) is the standard Greek lexical equivalent for the Hebrew concept of ritual and moral cleanness expressed by טָהֵר (ṭâhêr, H2891), rendering both the stative sense ('be clean') and causative sense ('make clean, cleanse, purify') across Levitical purity laws and metaphorical purification contexts.

Semantic domains 3 entries

Pure002003001014: טָהֵר is the verb 'to be clean' or 'to cleanse,' describing the process of becoming or being made ritually pure.
Clean002001001011: The verb describes the physical or ceremonial act of cleansing, removing defilement from a person or object.
Innocent002003003015: The verb can also describe a person being pronounced or declared innocent, a cleansing of guilt or blame.

Word family 5 words

Words formed from the same root. They share a form, not always a meaning.

טָהֵרṭâhêr · H2891טָהוֹר ṭâhôwr · H2889 · clean · 95×טׇהֳרָה ṭohŏrâh · H2893 · cleansing, purification · 13×טֹהַר ṭôhar · H2892 · clear, purification · 4×טְהוֹר ṭᵉhôwr · H2890 · clean · 0×

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon H2891. taher טָהֵר verb be clean, pure (Arabic , id.; Late Hebrew id., Pi`el make or…

H2891. taher
טָהֵר verb be clean, pure (Arabic , id.; Late Hebrew id., Pi`el make or declare ceremonially clean; Aramaic טְהַר emptiness, טִיהֲרָא brightness; Sabean טהר Hal682; Ethiopic purify, wash oneself with water) —
Qal Perfect ׳ט Lev 11:32 Lev 11:12t.; 3 feminine singular טָֽהֲרָה Lev 12:7; Lev 15:28; טָהֵ֑רָה Lev 12:8 etc., + 5 t. Perfect; Imperfect יִטְהַר Lev 15:13; Job 4:17 etc., + 9 t. Imperfect; Imperative טְהָ֑ר 2Ki 5:10, 2Ki 5:13; —
1 be clean, i.e. (miraculously) freed from leprosy by washing in the Jordan 2Ki 5:10, 2Ki 5:12, 2Ki 5:13, 2Ki 5:14.
2 be clean ceremonially (only H P), Lev 15:13, Lev 15:28 (twice in verse) (P), Lev 22:4 (H); by washing with water, the flesh Lev 22:7 (H); garments Lev 13:6, Lev 13:34, Lev 13:58; Num 31:24 (all P); both flesh and garments Lev 17:5 (H), Lev 14:8-9, Lev 15:13; Num 19:19 (all P); other articles Lev 11:32 (P); passing things through the fire Num 31:23 (P); offering sin-offerings Lev 12:7-8, Lev 14:20 (P); by the ceremony of the two birds Lev 14:53 (P); by ashes of red heifer Num 19:12 (twice in verse) (P).
3 be clean morally, of people, made clean by ׳יs scattering clean water upon them Eze 36:25; of Jerusalem, specifically made clean from idolatry, under figure of adultery Jer 13:27; also followed by מִן Eze 24:13 (twice in verse) (purification by ׳י); made clean מִכָּלחַֿטּאֹתֵיכֶם Lev 16:30 (P; by the sin-offering of the atonement day); also of the individual, be clean מֵחַטָּאוֺת Pro 20:9 (|| זכה); become clean by use of hyssop Psa 51:9 (|| אַלְבִּין); more Generally יִטְהַרגָּֿ֑בֶר אִםמֵֿעשֵֹׁהוּ Job 4:17 shall a man be more pure than his maker? (|| יִצְדָּ֑ק).
Pi`el Perfect טִהַר Lev 13:3-4t.; suffix טִהֲרוֺ Lev 13:6 Lev 13:5t.; 2 masculine singular טִהַרְתָּ Num 8:6, Num 8:15 etc. + 7 t. Perfect; Imperfect; יְטַהֵר2Ch 34:5 etc. + 4 t. Imperfect; Imperative suffix טַהֲרֵנִי Psa 51:4; Infinitive construct טַהֵר Eze 39:12 Eze 39:5t.; suffix טַהֲרִי Eze 36:33 etc. + 4 t. Infinitive; Participle מְטַחֵר Lev 14:11; Mal 3:3; — chiefly P;
1 cleanse, purify:
a. physically, metals from dross Mal 3:3; land from corpses Eze 39:12, Eze 39:14, Eze 39:16; heavens from clouds Job 37:21; temple from unclean things 2Ch 29:15-16, 2Ch 29:18; land and city from Asherim and images 2Ch 34:3, 2Ch 34:5, 2Ch 34:8; store-chambers of temple from household stuff Neh 13:9; priesthood by exclusion of alien blood Neh 13:30.
b. ceremonially, the altar of incense by the blood of the annual sin-offering Lev 16:19 (P); the people, gates, and wall (by some undefined ceremony) Neh 12:30; the altar of the court by the blood of sin-offerings Eze 43:26; of consecration of Levites by חטאת מֵי Num 8:6-7, (P), and חטאת Num 8:15, Num 8:21 (P).
c. morally Lev 16:30 (P), Eze 37:23; Mal 3:3; מֵחַטָּאֹת Psa 51:4; מֵעונ(ותׅ Jer 33:8; Eze 36:33; מִטּמא(ו)ת Eze 24:13; Eze 36:25.
2 pronounce clean, ceremonially Lev 13:6; Lev 13:13; Lev 13:17; Lev 13:23; Leviticus 12:28; Lev 13:34, Lev 13:37, Lev 13:59; Lev 14:7, Lev 14:48 (all P).
3 perform the ceremony of cleansing Lev 14:11 (P).
Pu`al Perfect3masculine singular טֹהַר 1Sa 20:26 (so. read for ᵐ5 טהור ᵑ0 We Dr, he is not clean, because he hath not been cleansed); Participle מְטֹהָרָה לֹא אֶרֶץ a land not cleansed Eze 22:24 (but ᵐ5 Hi Ew Co SS read a land not rained upon, see מטר).
Hithpa`el Perfect3plural הִטָּֽהֲרוּ Ezr 6:20; הִטֶּהָ֑רוּ (Köi. 271) 2Ch 30:18; Num 8:7; Num 8:1plural הִטַּהַרְנוּ Jos 22:17; Imperfect יִטָּֽהֲרוּ Neh 12:30; Imperative הִטָּֽהֲרוּ Gen 35:2; Participle מִטַּהֵר Lev 14:7 Lev 14:11t.; plural מִטַּהֲרִים Neh 13:22; Isa 66:17; — reflexive:
1 purify oneself:
a. ceremonially, especially in preparation for sacred duties Gen 35:2 (R), Num 8:7; 2Ch 30:18; Ezr 6:20; Neh 13:22; also for heathen mysteries Isa 66:17; of purifying priests, people, and wall Neh 12:30 (compare Pi`el 1 b).
b. morally Jos 22:17 (P).
2 present oneself for purification, only participle הַמִּטַּהֵר the candidate for purification Lev 14:4, Lev 14:7, Lev 14:8, Lev 14:11, Lev 14:14, Lev 14:17, Lev 14:18, Lev 14:19, Lev 14:25, Lev 14:28, 29, 31 (P).

Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), public domain

Topical studies with this word 3 entries

Clean70 occurrences Pure14 occurrences Innocent10 occurrences

Meanings adapted from the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament, © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0 and the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew (from the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew), © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0; MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.

Sources

eRhema lexical overview, based on the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew and the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament (© United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Macula Hebrew and Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0); released under CC BY-SA 4.0