Washing

Washing [EBD]

(Mark 7:1-9). The Jews, like other Orientals, used their fingers when taking food, and therefore washed their hands before doing so, for the sake of cleanliness. Here the reference is to the ablutions prescribed by tradition, according to which "the disciples ought to have gone down to the side of the lake, washed their hands thoroughly, 'rubbing the fist of one hand in the hollow of the other, then placed the ten finger-tips together, holding the hands up, so that any surplus water might flow down to the elbow, and thence to the ground.'" To neglect to do this had come to be regarded as a great sin, a sin equal to the breach of any of the ten commandments. Moses had commanded washings oft, but always for some definite cause; but the Jews multiplied the legal observance till they formed a large body of precepts. To such precepts about ceremonial washing Mark here refers. (See ABLUTION.)

Washing [NAVE]

WASHING,
Ex. 19:10, 14; Matt. 15:2; Mark 7:2-5, 8, 9; Luke 11:38; Heb. 9:10.
Of priests, Ex. 29:4; 30:18-21; 40:12, 31, 32; Lev. 8:6; 16:4, 24, 26, 28; Num. 19:7-10, 19; 2 Chr. 4:6.
Of burnt offerings, Lev. 1:9, 13; 9:14; 2 Chr. 4:6.
Of the dead, Acts 9:37.
Of infants, Ezek. 16:4.
Of the face, Matt. 6:17; feet, Gen. 18:4; 19:2; 24:32; 43:24; Ex. 30:19, 21; 40:31; Judg. 19:21; 2 Sam. 11:8; Song 5:3; Luke 7:38, 44; John 13:5; 1 Tim. 5:10; hands, Ex. 30:18-21; 40:30-32.
Of the hands, as a token of iocence, Deut. 21:6; Psa. 26:6; Matt. 27:24.
For defilement: Of lepers, Lev. 14:8, 9; those having bloody issue, Lev. 15:5-13; those having eaten that which died, Lev. 17:15, 16.
Traditional forms of, not observed by Jesus, Luke 11:38, 39.
See: Purification; Defilement.
Figurative
Psa. 51:2, 7; Psa. 65:3; Psa. 73:13; Psa. 79:9; Prov. 16:6; Prov. 20:9; Isa. 1:16 v. 18.Isa. 4:3, 4; Dan. 12:10 Zech. 13:1; John 13:8. Acts 22:16; 1 Cor. 5:7; 1 Cor. 6:11 2 Cor. 7:1; Eph. 5:26. Tit. 3:5, 6; Heb. 1:3; Heb. 9:14 chap. 10:22.Jas. 4:8; 2 Pet. 1:9; 1 John 1:7, 9; Rev. 1:5; Rev. 7:14 See: Regeneration.
See: Purification.
Figurative
Of regeneration, Psa. 51:7; Prov. 30:12; Isa. 1:16; 4:4; Zech. 13:1; 1 Cor. 6:11; Eph. 5:26; Tit. 3:5.

WASH; WASHING [ISBE]

WASH; WASHING - wosh, wosh'-ing: The two usual Hebrew words for "wash" are rachats, and kabhac, the former being normally used of persons or of sacrificial animals (Gen 18:4, etc., often translated "bathe"; Lev 15:5, etc.), and the latter of things (Gen 49:11, etc.), the exceptions to this distinction being few (for rachats, 1 Ki 22:38 margin; for kabhac, Ps 51:2,7; Jer 2:22; 4:14). Much less common are duach (2 Ch 4:6; Isa 4:4; Ezek 40:38) and shataph (1 Ki 22:38; Job 14:19; Ezek 16:9), translated "rinse" in Lev 6:28; 15:11,12. In Neh 4:23 the King James Version has "washing" and the Revised Version (British and American) "water" for mayim, but the text is hopelessly obscure (compare the Revised Version margin). In the Apocrypha and New Testament the range of terms is wider. Most common is nipto (Mt 6:17, etc.), with aponipto in Mt 27:24. Of the other terms, louo (Susanna verses 15,17; Jn 13:10, etc.), with apolouo (Acts 22:16; 1 Cor 6:11) and the noun loutron (Sirach 34:25b; Eph 5:26; Tit 3:5), usually has a sacral significance. On baptizo (Sirach 34:25a; Mk 7:4; Lk 11:38), with the noun baptismos (Mk 7:4 (text?); Heb 9:10), see BAPTISM. In Lk 5:2; Rev 7:14; 22:14 the Revised Version (British and American) occurs pluno, while Judith 10:3 has perikluzo. Virtually, as far as meaning is concerned, all these words are interchangeable. Of the figurative uses of washing, the most common and obvious is that of cleansing from sin (Ps 51:2; Isa 1:16, etc.), but, with an entirely different figure, "to wash in" may signify "to enjoy in plenty" (Gen 49:11; Job 29:6; the meaning in Song 5:12 is uncertain). Washing of the hands, in token of innocence, is found in Dt 21:6; Mt 27:24.

The "washing balls" of Susanna verse 17 (smegma, a very rare word) were of soap.

See SOAP.

Burton Scott Easton