טָהֵר
ta.her
be pure
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Hebrew word טָהֵר (ta.her, Strong's H2891) primarily means "to be pure" or "to be clean." In the context of sin and righteousness, it implies a state of spiritual purity, free from moral impurity. This concept is used in a wide range of contexts, appearing in the Hebrew Bible 94 times. In addition to spiritual purity, the word can also refer to physical cleanliness, both bodily and ritualistic. The scope of usage extends to various aspects of life, including worship, relationships, and personal conduct. The significance of this word lies in its association with moral integrity and holiness. When used in combination with concepts like obedience, faithfulness, and truth, it underscores the importance of living a life without moral stain or defilement. In this sense, טָהֵר highlights the value of striving for a higher standard of righteousness and living in accordance with divine principles.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
94 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
They gathered their brothers, sanctified themselves, and went in, according to the commandment of the king by Yahweh’s words, to cleanse Yahweh’s house.
2 Chronicles 29:16The priests went into the inner part of Yahweh’s house to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in Yahweh’s temple into the court of Yahweh’s house. The Levites took it from there to carry it out to the brook Kidron.
2 Chronicles 29:18Then they went in to Hezekiah the king within the palace, and said, “We have cleansed all Yahweh’s house, including the altar of burnt offering with all its vessels, and the table of show bread with all its vessels.
2 Chronicles 30:18For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover other than the way it is written. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, “May the good Yahweh pardon everyone
2 Chronicles 34:3For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, the Asherah poles, the engraved images, and the molten images.
2 Chronicles 34:5He burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and purged Judah and Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 34:8Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair Yahweh his God’s house.
Nehemiah 13:22I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember to me, my God, this also, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness.
Ezra 6:20Because the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together, all of them were pure. They killed the Passover for all the children of the captivity, for their brothers the priests, and for themselves.
Nehemiah 12:30The priests and the Levites purified themselves; and they purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.
Nehemiah 12:30The priests and the Levites purified themselves; and they purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.
Nehemiah 13:9Then I commanded, and they cleansed the rooms. I brought into them the vessels of God’s house, with the meal offerings and the frankincense again.
Nehemiah 13:30Thus I cleansed them from all foreigners, and appointed duties for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work;
Job 4:17‘Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?
Job 37:21Now men don’t see the light which is bright in the skies, but the wind passes, and clears them.
Psalms 51:2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin.
Psalms 51:7Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Proverbs 20:9Who can say, “I have made my heart pure. I am clean and without sin?”
Isaiah 66:17“Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go to the gardens, behind one in the middle, eating pig’s meat, abominable things, and the mouse, they shall come to an end together,” says Yahweh.
Jeremiah 13:27I have seen your abominations, even your adulteries, and your neighing, the lewdness of your prostitution, on the hills in the field. Woe to you, Jerusalem! You will not be made clean. How long will it yet be?”
Jeremiah 33:8I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against me. I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned against me and by which they have transgressed against me.
Ezekiel 22:24“Son of man, tell her, ‘You are a land that is not cleansed, nor rained on in the day of indignation.’
Ezekiel 24:13“ ‘ “In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I have cleansed you and you weren’t cleansed, you won’t be cleansed from your filthiness any more, until I have caused my wrath toward you to rest.
Ezekiel 24:13“ ‘ “In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I have cleansed you and you weren’t cleansed, you won’t be cleansed from your filthiness any more, until I have caused my wrath toward you to rest.
Ezekiel 24:13“ ‘ “In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I have cleansed you and you weren’t cleansed, you won’t be cleansed from your filthiness any more, until I have caused my wrath toward you to rest.
Ezekiel 36:25I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness, and from all your idols.
Ezekiel 36:25I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness, and from all your idols.
Ezekiel 36:33“ ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “In the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited and the waste places will be built.
Ezekiel 37:23They won’t defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. So they will be my people, and I will be their God.
Ezekiel 39:12“ ‘ “The house of Israel will be burying them for seven months, that they may cleanse the land.
Ezekiel 39:14“ ‘ “They will set apart men of continual employment, who will pass through the land. Those who pass through will go with those who bury those who remain on the surface of the land, to cleanse it. After the end of seven months they will search.
Ezekiel 39:16Hamonah will also be the name of a city. Thus they will cleanse the land.” ’
Ezekiel 43:26Seven days shall they make atonement for the altar and purify it. So shall they consecrate it.
Malachi 3:3and he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver; and they shall offer to Yahweh offerings in righteousness.
Malachi 3:3and he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver; and they shall offer to Yahweh offerings in righteousness.
Genesis 35:2Then Jacob said to his household, and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, change your garments.
Leviticus 13:23But if the bright spot stays in its place, and hasn’t spread, it is the scar from the boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
Leviticus 11:32Anything they fall on when they are dead shall be unclean; whether it is any vessel of wood, or clothing, or skin, or sack, whatever vessel it is, with which any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the evening. Then it will be clean.
Leviticus 12:7He 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.
Leviticus 12:8If she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons: the one for a burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering. The priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.’ ”
Leviticus 13:6The priest shall examine him again on the seventh day. Behold, if the plague has faded and the plague hasn’t spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. It is a scab. He shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
Leviticus 13:6The priest shall examine him again on the seventh day. Behold, if the plague has faded and the plague hasn’t spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. It is a scab. He shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
Leviticus 13:13then 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.
Leviticus 13:17The priest shall examine him. Behold, if the plague has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him clean of the plague. He is clean.
Leviticus 13:28If the bright spot stays in its place, and hasn’t spread in the skin, but is faded, it is the swelling from the burn, and the priest shall pronounce him clean, for it is the scar from the burn.
Leviticus 13:34On the seventh day, the priest shall examine the itch; and behold, if the itch hasn’t spread in the skin, and its appearance isn’t deeper than the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. He shall wash his clothes and be clean.
Leviticus 13:34On the seventh day, the priest shall examine the itch; and behold, if the itch hasn’t spread in the skin, and its appearance isn’t deeper than the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. He shall wash his clothes and be clean.
Leviticus 13:37But if in his eyes the itch is arrested and black hair has grown in it, then the itch is healed. He is clean. The priest shall pronounce him clean.
Leviticus 13:58The garment, either the warp, or the woof, or whatever thing of skin it is, which you shall wash, if the plague has departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and it will be clean.”
Leviticus 13:59This is the law of the plague of mildew in a garment of wool or linen, either in the warp, or the woof, or in anything of skin, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.