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Psalms 51:7 — Word Study

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WLCתְּחַטְּאֵ֣נִי בְאֵז֣וֹב וְאֶטְהָ֑ר תְּ֝כַבְּסֵ֗נִי וּמִשֶּׁ֥לֶג אַלְבִּֽין׃

BSAlook!hên iniquityʻâvôn to twistchûwl sinchêṭᵉʼ to conceiveyâcham motherʼêm

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 51
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 7 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration ('al.Bin) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 51:7quick helps
In a sentenceDavid asks God for purification and cleansing from sin using hyssop.
Who is speakingDavid, expressing his need for spiritual renewal.
Where we areIn a penitential psalm, David seeks forgiveness and restoration.
The hard wordחָטָא
Take awayThe request for cleansing is both physical and spiritual.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbH3835 The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Psalms 51:7

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — A Plea for Purificationgenerated

6Surely You desire truth in the inmost being; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
7Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.
9Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.

Psalms 51:7 is part of a larger expression of contrition where David acknowledges his sins and seeks God's mercy. He uses the imagery of hyssop, a plant associated with ritual cleansing, to symbolize his desire for spiritual purification. This psalm reflects deep remorse and the hope for restoration, echoing themes found throughout the Hebrew Scriptures regarding sin and redemption.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Leviticus 14:4–7the priest shall order that two live clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop be brought for the one to be cleansed.
2Numbers 19:18–20Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle the tent, all the furnishings, and the people who were there. He is also to sprinkle the one who touched a bone, a grave, or a person who has died or been slain.
3Hebrews 9:19For when Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people,
4Hebrews 9:13–14For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean,
51 John 1:7But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word חָטָא, chata'generated

The verb חָטָא (chata') means to miss the mark or to sin, indicating a failure to meet a standard. It encompasses not only wrongdoing but also the concept of making amends or repenting. In this context, David is asking for cleansing from sin, emphasizing his need for divine intervention to restore his purity.

The Piel stem indicates an intensive action, suggesting a thorough cleansing. David's plea is for a complete purification, highlighting the seriousness of his sin and the depth of his desire for renewal.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse contains a series of requests centered around the finite verbs תְּחַטְּאֵ֣נִי (you will cleanse me) and אֶטְהָ֑ר (so I may be pure), with additional clauses elaborating on the means of purification and the desired outcome.

The structure emphasizes the urgency of David's plea for cleansing, with the verbs indicating actions David desires God to perform, while the phrases that follow elaborate on the method and the result of this divine intervention.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew חָטָא is rendered as ἐν, which conveys the idea of being in a state of sin. This choice emphasizes the ongoing nature of David's condition and his need for cleansing.

The translation of אֵזוֹב as a specific plant in the Septuagint reflects the cultural understanding of purification rituals, aligning with the Hebrew context.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 51:7 shows David asking God to purify him using hyssop, a plant linked to cleansing rituals. He desires to be made clean and whiter than snow, expressing his deep need for forgiveness and renewal.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does David mean by asking to be purified with hyssop?

Hyssop is a plant used in purification rituals, symbolizing David's request for spiritual cleansing and renewal from sin.

Why does David emphasize being whiter than snow?

David uses the imagery of snow to illustrate the purity and brightness he seeks after being cleansed from his sins.

What is the significance of the verbs in this verse?

The verbs express David's urgent requests for cleansing and purity, highlighting his deep remorse and desire for restoration.

How does this verse relate to the themes of sin and forgiveness?

This verse encapsulates the core themes of sin, repentance, and the hope for divine forgiveness found throughout the Psalms.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I need to seek God's cleansing and renewal?
  2. How can I better understand the significance of purification in my spiritual journey?
  3. What does it mean to me to be made 'whiter than snow' in my relationship with God?
  4. How can I apply the themes of repentance and forgiveness from this psalm in my daily life?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

The early Church Fathers often referenced this psalm in discussions about sin and repentance. Here is a quotation from Augustine of Hippo, who reflects on the significance of hyssop in the context of cleansing.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 51 354–430
"You shall sprinkle me," he says, "with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed" [Psalms 51:7]. Hyssop we know to be a herb humble but healing: to the rock it is said to adhere with roots.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 51 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 51:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Purge me with hyssop,.... Or "thou shalt purge me with hyssop" (f); or "expiate me"; which was used in sprinkling the blood of the paschal lamb on the door posts of the Israelites in Egypt, that the

Read John Gill on Psalms 51 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Prayer for forgiveness and for the Spirit. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 51 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

With hyssop; or, as with hyssop; the note of similitude being frequently understood. As lepers and other unclean persons are by thy appointment purified by the use of hyssop and other things, ; so do thou cleanse me, a most leprous and polluted creature, by thy grace, and by the virtue of that blood of Christ, which is signified by those ceremonial usages.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 51 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.Ver. 7. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean] Sprinkle me with the blood of Christ by the hyssop bunch of faith, not only taking away thereby the sting and stink of sin, but conferring upon me the sweet savour of Christ’ s righteousness imputed unto me. See Hebrews 9:13-14; Hebrews 9:19, where he calleth it hyssop; of which see Dioscorides, lib. 3, chap. xxvi., xxviii. David multiplieth his suit for pardon, not only in plain terms, but by many metaphors. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow] So we cannot be by any washings of our own, though with snow water, Isaiah 1:16. The bride’ s…

Read John Trapp on Psalms 51 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(7) Hyssop.—The mention of this connects this verse with the priestly ordinances concerning leprosy and contact with a dead body (Leviticus 14; Numbers 19); but generally it is a repetition of the former prayer to have the breach made in the covenant - relationship healed. (Comp. Isaiah 1:18.)

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 51 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 7. Purge me with hyssop] תחטאני techatteeni, "thou shalt make a sin-offering for me;" probably alluding to the cleansing of the leper: Leviticus 14:1, c. The priest took two clean birds, cedar-wood, scarlet, and hyssop one of the birds was killed; and the living bird, with the scarlet, cedar, and hyssop, dipped in the blood of the bird that had been killed, and then sprinkled over the person who had been infected. But it is worthy of remark that this ceremony was not performed till the plague of the leprosy had been healed in the leper; (Leviticus 14:3;) and the ceremony above mentioned was for the purpose of declaring to the people that the man was healed, that he might be restored…

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 51 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5–8. He has inherited a sinful nature; and yet, so he is confident, God can and will make it conform to His desire. The emphatic ‘Behold!’ marks the beginning of a new stanza.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 51 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean - On the word hyssop, see the notes at John 19:29; notes at Hebrews 9:19.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 51 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Sprinkle me with water and I will be pure; wash me and I will be whiter than snow.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Purge me with hyssope, and I shalbe cleane: wash me, and I shalbe whiter then snowe.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Thou cleansest me with hyssop and I am clean, Washest me, and than snow I am whiter.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

You cleanse me with hyssop and I am clean, || Wash me, and I am whiter than snow.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(51:9) Cleanse me from sin with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Therefore will God destroy thee for ever: he will pluck thee out, and remove thee from thy dwelling place: and thy root out of the land of the living.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Purify me with hyssop so I can be clean; wash me so I can be whiter than snow.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Make me free from sin with hyssop: let me be washed whiter than snow.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clauseverbתְּחַטְּאֵ֣youobjectנִיwill.cleanse.me.from.sinprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְwithאֵז֣וֹבhyssopוְsoclauseverbאֶטְהָ֑רthat.I.may.be.pureclauseverbתְּ֝כַבְּסֵ֗youobjectנִיwill.wash.meוּandclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִmoreשֶּׁ֥לֶגthan.snowverbאַלְבִּֽיןI.will.become.white

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording for Psalms 51:7, with five of the six words matched. The Septuagint captures the essence of the original Hebrew, though its word order and articles differ.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

תְּחַטְּאֵ֣נִי בְאֵז֣וֹב וְאֶטְהָ֑ר תְּ֝כַבְּסֵ֗נִי וּמִשֶּׁ֥לֶג אַלְבִּֽין׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
תְּחַטְּאֵ֣נִיἐνבְאֵז֣וֹבσυνελήμφθηνוְאֶטְהָ֑רἐνתְּ֝כַבְּסֵ֗נִיἐκίσσησένוּמִשֶּׁ֥לֶגμου

5 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Psalms 51:7חָטָאyou will clyou will cleansחָטָאאֵזוֹבwith hyssopwith hyssopאֵזוֹבטָהֵרso I may beso I may be purטָהֵרכָּבַסyou will wayou will wash mכָּבַסשֶׁ֫לֶגand more thand more than sשֶׁ֫לֶגלָבֵןI will becoI will become wלָבֵןלְבֵנָהbrickbrickלְבֵנָהשָׁלַגto snowto snowשָׁלַגנְבָטNebatNebatנְבָטסָלַחto forgiveto forgiveסָלַחטָבַלto dipto dipטָבַלשָׁנִיscarletscarletשָׁנִיטֻמְאָהuncleannesuncleannessטֻמְאָהכָּבַסto washto washכָּבַסרָחַץto wash: wto wash: washרָחַץבֶּ֫גֶדtreacherytreacheryבֶּ֫גֶדזָכַךְbe cleanbe cleanזָכַךְלָבֵןto whitento whitenלָבֵןחָשַׂףto stripto stripחָשַׂף
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Psalms 51:7

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

you will cleanse from sin me with hyssop so I may be pure you will wash me and more than snow I will become white
תְּחַטְּאֵ֣נִיte.cha.te.'E.ni you will cleanse from sin me H2398 Verb piel imperfect second person masculine singular · suffix
238× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To sin means to miss the mark or go wrong, incurring guilt or penalty, and can also mean to repent or make amends. It is used in the Bible to describe wrongdoing and its consequences.
Tyndale gloss
to sin
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָטָא (chata') means to miss a goal or way, and is commonly translated as 'to sin.' It encompasses a range of meanings including incurring guilt, making a sin offering, and purifying from uncleanness. The word can also imply leading others to sin or causing oneself to lose one's way. It appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, Hiphil, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances of the concept of sin.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָטָא 238 vb. miss (a goal or way), go wrong, sin

Qal

miss

sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty

incur guilt, penalty by sin, forfeit

Pi.

bear loss

make a sin offering

purify from sin

purify from uncleanness

Hiph.

miss the mark

induce or cause to sin

bring into guilt, condemnation, punishment

Hithp.

miss oneself, lose oneself, fig. for be bewildered, beside oneself

purify oneself from uncleanness

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2398 חָטָא miss (a goal or way), go wrong, sin .. miss

. sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty

. incur guilt, penalty by sin, forfeit

. . bear loss

. make a sin offering

. purify from sin

. purify from uncleanness

. . miss the mark

. induce or cause to sin

. bring into guilt, condemnation, punishment

. . miss oneself, lose oneself, fig. for be bewildered, beside oneself

. purify oneself from uncleanness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2398 chata' khaw-taw'

a primitive root; properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and

generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate,

repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemn:--bear the blame,

cleanse, commit (sin), by fault, harm he hath done, loss,

miss, (make) offend(-er), offer for sin, purge, purify (self),

make reconciliation, (cause, make) sin(-ful, -ness), trespass.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָטָא (cha.ta) — to sin.

1) to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to miss

1a2) to sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty

1a3) to incur guilt, incur penalty by sin, forfeit

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to bear loss

1b2) to make a sin-offering

1b3) to purify from sin

1b4) to purify from uncleanness

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to miss the mark

1c2) to induce to sin, cause to sin

1c3) to bring into guilt or condemnation or punishment

1d) (Hithpael)

1d1) to miss oneself, lose oneself, wander from the way

1d2) to purify oneself from uncleanness

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVpi2ms/Sp1bs — Verb piel imperfect second person masculine singular · suffix
HVpi2ms/Sp1bs
you will cleanse from sin me with hyssop so I may be pure you will wash me and more than snow I will become white
בְאֵז֣וֹבve.'e.Zov with hyssop H231 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
10× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, hyssop is a plant used for medicine and rituals, mentioned in the book of Exodus. It symbolizes purification and cleansing. The Israelites used it to apply blood to doorposts.
Tyndale gloss
hyssop
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵזוֹב (ezowb) refers to hyssop, a plant likely of foreign origin. It is noted for its use in both medicinal and religious contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵזוֹב n.m. hyssop

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H231 אֵזוֹב hyssop

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

231 'ezowb ay-zobe'

probably of foreign derivation; hyssop:--hyssop.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵזוֹב (e.zov) — hyssop.

hyssop, a plant used for medicinal and religious purposes

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Ncmsa — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

his'-up ('ezobh; hussspos, Ex 12:22; Le 14:4,6,4:9 ff; Nu 19:6,18; 1Ki 4:33; Ps 51:7; Joh 19:29; Heb 9:19): A plant used for ritual cleansing purposes; a humble plant springing out of the wall (1Ki 4:33), the extreme contrast to the cedar.

The common hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) of the Natural Order Labiatae, an aromatic plant with stomatic properties, cannot be the hyssop of the Bible as it is unknown in Palestine, but allied aromatic plants of the same…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Hyssop

(Heb. ‘ezob; LXX. hyssopos), first mentioned in Ex. 12:22 in connection with the institution of the Passover. We find it afterwards mentioned in Lev. 14:4, 6, 52; Num. 19:6, 18; Heb. 9:19. It is spoken of as a plant “springing out of the wall” (1 Kings 4:33). Many conjectures have been formed as to what this plant really was. Some contend that it was a species of marjoram (origanum), six species of which are found in Palestine. Others with more probability think that it was the caper plant, the Capparis spinosa of Linnaeus. This plant grew in Egypt, in the desert of Sinai, and in Palestine. It was capable of…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(Heb. ezob.) The ezob was used for sprinkling in some of the sacrifices and purifications of the Jews. In consequence of its detergent qualities, or from its being associated with the purificatory Services, the psalmist makes use of the expression, "Purge me with ezob ." (Psalms 51:7) It is described in (1 Kings 4:33) as growing on or near walls. (Besides being thus fit for sprinkling, having cleansing properties and growing on walls, the true hyssop should be a plant common to Egypt, Sinai and Palestine, and capable of producing a stick three or four feet long since on a stalk of hyssop the sponge of vinegar was held up to Christ on the cross. (John 19:29) it is impossible to precisely identify the plant because the name was…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Is often mentioned in Scripture, and is directed to be used in the sprinklings which made part of the Jewish ceremonial law, Ex 12:22 Le 14:4-6 Ps 51:9 Heb 9:19. It is some low shrub, which is contrasted with the lofty cedar, 1Ki 4:33. In Joh 19:29, the soldiers are said to have "filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop," that is, upon a rod of hyssop, two feet or more in length, which was long enough to enable one to reach the mouth of a person on the cross. Many different plants have been taken for the hyssop of Scripture, and among others, the…

you will cleanse from sin me with hyssop so I may be pure you will wash me and more than snow I will become white
וְאֶטְהָ֑רve.'et.Har so I may be pure H2891 Conjunction · verb qal first person common singular
94× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to be pure, either physically, morally, or ceremonially. It appears in Leviticus for purification rituals and in Psalm 51 where David asks God to purify his heart. This concept is central to Jewish and Christian ideas of cleanliness and holiness.
Tyndale gloss
be pure
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

טָהֵר (taher) means to be clean or pure, covering physical, ceremonial, and moral aspects of purity. It can refer to being free from disease, ceremonially clean, or morally innocent. The verb has various forms, including Qal (to be clean), Piel (to cleanse), and Hithpael (to purify oneself). Brown-Driver-Briggs notes a specific instance of miraculous cleansing related to leprosy.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

טָהֵר vb. be clean, pure

Qal

be clean, i.e. (miraculously) freed from leprosy by washing in the Jordan

be clean ceremonially

be clean morally

Pi.

cleanse, purify

pronounce clean, ceremonially

perform the ceremony of cleansing

Pu. a land not cleansed

Hithp.

purify oneself

present oneself for purification

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2891 טָהֵר be clean, pure

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2891 taher taw-hare'

a primitive root; properly, to be bright; i.e. (by

implication) to be pure (physical sound, clear, unadulterated;

Levitically, uncontaminated; morally, innocent or holy):--be

(make, make self, pronounce) clean, cleanse (self), purge,

purify(-ier, self).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

טָהֵר (ta.her) — be pure.

1) to be clean, be pure

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be clean (physically-of disease)

1a2) to be clean ceremonially

1a3) to purify, be clean morally, made clean

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to cleanse, purify

1b1a) physically

1b1b) ceremonially

1b1c) morally

1b2) to pronounce clean

1b3) to perform the ceremony of cleansing

1c) (Pual) to be cleansed, be pronounced clean

1d) (Hithpael)

1d1) to purify oneself

1d1a) ceremonially

1d1b) morally

1d2) to present oneself for purification

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Vqu1cs — Conjunction · verb qal first person common singular
HC/Vqu1cs
you will cleanse from sin me with hyssop so I may be pure you will wash me and more than snow I will become white
תְּ֝כַבְּסֵ֗נִיte.kha.be.Se.ni you will wash me H3526 Verb piel imperfect second person masculine singular · suffix
51× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To wash means to clean something, often by trampling or stamping on it with the feet, as seen in the process of washing clothes.
Tyndale gloss
to wash
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כָּבַס (kabac) means to wash, specifically by treading, and is associated with the work of a fuller. It can refer to both literal washing of garments or people and figurative uses. The entries note various forms, including participles and different verb stems, indicating actions like washing and being washed.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[כָּבַס] 51 vb. (tread), wash

Qal highway of fuller’s (= treader’s, washer’s) field

Pi.

wash garments (i.e. by treading)

wash person

Pu. be washed, of garment

Hothp. after the plague is washed out

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3526 כָּבַס (tread), wash

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3526 kabac kaw-bas'

a primitive root; to trample; hence, to wash (properly, by

stamping with the feet), whether literal (including the

fulling process) or figurative:--fuller, wash(-ing).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כָּבַס (ka.vas) — Washer's.

This name means to wash (by treading)

כָּבַס (ka.vas) — to wash.

1) to wash (by treading), be washed, perform the work of a fuller

1a) (Qal) washer, fuller, treader (participle)

1b) (Piel) to wash (garments, person)

1c) (Pual) to be washed

1d) (Hothpael) to be washed out

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVpi2ms/Sp1bs — Verb piel imperfect second person masculine singular · suffix
HVpi2ms/Sp1bs
you will cleanse from sin me with hyssop so I may be pure you will wash me and more than snow I will become white
וּמִשֶּׁ֥לֶגu.mi.She.leg and more than snow H7950 Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
20× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Sheleg means snow in Hebrew, likely due to its white color. It is also used in Aramaic as te.lag.
Tyndale gloss
snow
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֶׁ֫לֶג (sheleg) means 'snow' and is derived from the root word for whiteness. It is consistently defined across entries as snow, with a reference to its Aramaic equivalent, תְּלַג (te.lag). The term appears in contexts related to snow in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֶׁ֫לֶג n.m. snow

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7950 שֶׁ֫לֶג snow

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7950 sheleg sheh'-leg

from 7949; snow (probably from its whiteness):--snow(-y).

see HEBREW for 07949

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֶׁ֫לֶג (she.leg) — snow.

snow

Aramaic equivalent: te.lag (תְּלַג "snow" H8517)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/R/Ncmsa — Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HC/R/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sno (shelegh, telagh (Da 7:9); chion):

(1) Snow is not uncommon in the winter in Jerusalem, but it never reaches any depth and in many winters it is not seen at all. It usually disappears, for the most part, as soon as the sun appears, though it may "hide itself" for a time in the gorge cut by a stream (Job 6:16). On lower levels than Jerusalem there is never sufficient to cover the ground, though often there are some flakes seen in the air. Even at sea-level there is occasionally a sufficient fall of hail to cover the ground. A very exceptional snowfall is related in 1 Macc 13:22 at Adora (near Hebron). It was heavy enough to prevent the movement of troops.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Snow

Common in Palestine in winter (Ps. 147:16). The snow on the tops of the Lebanon range is almost always within view throughout the whole year. The word is frequently used figuratively by the sacred writers (Job 24:19; Ps. 51:7; 68:14; Isa. 1:18). It is mentioned only once in the historical books (2 Sam. 23:20). It was “carried to Tyre, Sidon, and Damascus as a luxury, and labourers sweltering in the hot harvest-fields used it for the purpose of cooling the water which they drank (Prov. 25:13; Jer. 18:14).…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

This historical books of the Bible contain only two notices of snow actually falling -- (2 Samuel 23:20) 1Macc 13:22; but the allusions in the poetical books are so numerous that there can be no doubt as to its being an ordinary occurrence in the winter months. (Psalms 147:16; 148:8) The snow lies deep in the ravines of the highest ridge of Lebanon until the summer is far advanced and indeed never wholly disappears; the summit of Hermon also perpetually glistens with frozen snow. From these sources probably the Jews obtained their supplies of ice for the purpose of cooling their beverages in summer. (Proverbs 25:13) The liability to snow must of course vary considerably in a country of such varying altitude as Palestine. At…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Is often alluded to in Scripture, for its whiteness, Ex 4:6; Nu 12:10; 2Ki 5:27; Ps 51:7; Isa 1:18, and for its cleansing qualities, Job 9:30. The expression in Pr 25:13, "as the cold of snow in the time of harvest," alludes to its use in preparing cool drinks for the reapers; while on the other hand, in Pr 26:1, "snow in summer," that is, a fall of snow, being unseasonable and unnatural, is compared to honors inappropriately lavished on a fool. Snow from…

you will cleanse from sin me with hyssop so I may be pure you will wash me and more than snow I will become white
אַלְבִּֽין׃'al.Bin I will become white H3835 Verb · Hiphil · imperfect first person common singular
8× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to make bricks, often from clay or mud. It's used to describe the process of building and construction, like the tower of Babel. The word is about creating something new.
Tyndale gloss
to whiten
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word לָבֵן (*laben*) has two primary meanings: to be white and to make bricks. It can refer to the process of becoming white or purifying in an ethical sense, as well as the act of making bricks. The entries indicate that it is derived from a primitive root and is used in various forms, including Hiphil and Hithpael.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[לָבֵן] vb. be white

Hiph.

make white = purify (ethical)

shew whiteness, grow white, of fig tree, stripped by locusts

Hithp. be purified

base

[לָבַן] vb. denom. make brick

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3835a לָבֵן be white H3835b לָבַן vb. denom. make brick

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3835 laban law-ban'

a primitive root; to be (or become) white; also (as

denominative from 3843) to make bricks:--make brick, be (made,

make) white(-r).

see HEBREW for 03843

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לָבֵן (la.ven) — to whiten.

1) to be white

1a) (Hiphil)

1a1) to make white, become white, purify

1a2) to show whiteness, grow white

1b) (Hithpael) to become white, be purified (ethical)

לָבַן (la.van) — to make bricks.

(Qal) to make bricks

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVhi1cs — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect first person common singular
HVhi1cs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hwit.

See COLORS.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

White

A symbol of purity (2 Chr. 5:12; Ps. 51:7; Isa. 1:18; Rev. 3:18; 7:14). Our Lord, at his transfiguration, appeared in raiment “white as the light” (Matt. 17:2, etc.).

Nave's Topical Bible

→ See COLOR

Thompson Chain Reference topics

a colour symbolical of purity

Da 12:10; Mt 28:3; Re 2:17; 3:4; 4:4; 6:2; 7:9; 19:8; 20:11

--SEE White Raiment,

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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