טָהֵר (ta.her)
ta.her
be pure
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 68 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb ṭāhēr means to be or become clean, pure, or bright. Its root sense involves clarity and freedom from contamination. In Scripture it describes physical healing, such as a skin disease clearing up in 2 Kings 5:14. It also covers ritual status, marking the difference between what is acceptable for worship and what is defiled.
The word extends beyond hygiene to moral integrity. Passages like Job 4:17 and Proverbs 20:9 use it to ask whether a person can be morally pure before God. The active forms show priests declaring someone clean or performing the rites that restore them to community life. This dual focus on body and soul shows how ancient Israel linked physical health with spiritual standing.
Translators often render ṭāhēr as "cleanse" or "purify," but these English words can sound too narrow. The Hebrew term carries the idea of being made whole and fit for holy use. It appears most frequently in Leviticus and Numbers, where it governs the laws that separate the sacred from the common.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word ṭāhēr invites us to look beyond surface cleanliness toward a state of wholeness and fit-for-purpose. In ancient Israel, this term described not just the washing of clothes or the healing of skin, but the restoration of a person’s standing within the community and before God. It suggests that purity is about being made whole again, ready to engage in holy life without the barrier of defilement.
For your faith today, this offers a comforting picture of how God handles our brokenness. Whether dealing with physical illness or moral failure, the biblical narrative shows that restoration is possible through prescribed means—often involving sacrifice and priestly declaration. This dual focus on body and soul reminds us that God cares for our entire well-being, seeking to restore us to full health and fellowship.
When we feel distant from God due to sin or suffering, this word points to a clear path back. It is not about achieving perfection through our own effort, but about accepting the cleansing work that makes us fit for His presence again. This hope of restoration remains central to Christian life, reminding us that no stain is too deep for God’s grace to heal and restore.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 68 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ [one] purifying himself10×
- and/ he will be pure7×
- and/ he will declare pure/ him5×
- he will be pure4×
- and/ it will be pure4×
- and/ he will declare pure4×
- to/ cleanse3×
- to/ purify/ them2×
- they had purified themselves2×
- and/ you will purify2×
- and/ she will be pure2×
- and/ he will be clean2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/טָהֵֽר\׃8×
- הַ/מִּטַּהֵ֖ר5×
- וְ/טִהַ֤ר3×
- יִטְהָ֑ר2×
- וּ/טְהָֽר\׃2×
- וְ/טָהֵ֔ר2×
- וְ/טִהֲר֖/וֹ2×
- הַ/מִּטַּהֵר֙2×
- הַ/מִּטַּהֵ֑ר2×
- תִּטְהָֽרוּ\׃1×
- תִּטְהָֽר\׃1×
- תִטְהֲרִ֔י1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 35:2
Then Jacob said to his household, and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments.
Jacob uses this call to purify themselves as a holistic act of removing idolatry, linking internal faithfulness with external preparation.
-
Leviticus 14:7
He shall sprinkle on him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird go into the open field.
This verse details the ritual sprinkling that formally pronounces the leper clean, showing the community’s restoration through priestly mediation.
-
Leviticus 13:13
then the priest shall examine him. Behold, if the leprosy has covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean of the plague. It has all turned white: he is clean.
Here the priest declares a person clean when leprosy covers all flesh, illustrating that total transformation leads to full acceptance.
-
Leviticus 12:7
He shall offer it before Yahweh, and make atonement for her; then she shall be cleansed from the fountain of her blood. “‘This is the law for her who bears, whether a male or a female.
The priest makes atonement so the mother is cleansed from her blood flow, connecting ritual purity with spiritual forgiveness and restoration.