רָחַץ
to lave (the whole or a part of a thing)
Definition
The Hebrew verb רָחַץ (râchats) fundamentally means 'to wash' or 'to bathe.' It is used for washing parts of the body, such as hands (Genesis 43:31) or feet (Genesis 18:4), as well as for washing the entire body, as in ritual purification (Exodus 29:4). In some contexts, it refers to washing objects, like the entrails of a sacrificial animal (Exodus 29:17). The action typically involves washing with water for purposes of cleanliness, hospitality, or religious ceremony.
Biblical Usage
רָחַץ appears 70 times across the Old Testament, most frequently in the Pentateuch (especially Exodus and Leviticus) in the context of ritual law and priestly consecration. It is also common in narrative settings for acts of hospitality (washing a guest's feet, as in Genesis 19:2) and personal hygiene (Genesis 43:24). The verb is used for both human-initiated washing and divine commands for purification.
Etymology
A primitive root, רָחַץ is the common Hebrew verb for washing with water. It is related to the Akkadian word 'raḫāṣu,' meaning 'to wash,' indicating a shared Semitic origin. The root conveys the basic action of cleansing by water, without the specialized nuance of rinsing or sprinkling found in other Hebrew washing terms.
Semantic Range
רָחַץ is theologically significant as it is the primary verb used in the Torah for the ritual washings that symbolize purification from defilement and preparation for approaching God. These acts, commanded by God (e.g., Exodus 30:18-21), taught Israel about holiness, the seriousness of sin, and the need for cleanliness before the Lord. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of both the Old Testament ceremonial law and New Testament passages that use washing as a metaphor for spiritual cleansing (e.g., Ephesians 5:26).
In ancient Near Eastern culture, washing was not only for hygiene but a vital social and religious practice. Offering water for guests to wash their feet (Genesis 18:4) was a fundamental act of hospitality in a dusty, sandaled society. Ritual washing, as commanded in the Mosaic law, set Israel apart, embedding physical acts with spiritual meaning, distinguishing them from the ritual practices of neighboring cultures.
כָּבַס (kāḇas, H3526) — to wash clothing or fabric; שָׁטַף (shāṭaph, H7857) — to rinse, overflow, or wash away, often with force; טָהֵר (ṭāhēr, H2891) — to be clean or pure, a broader state often achieved by washing (râchats).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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