Lexical Summary tahor: Clean, pure Original Word: טְהוֹר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance pureness From taher; purity -- pureness. see HEBREW taher NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originthe same as tahor, q.v. Topical Lexicon Semantic Range and Literary Context טְהוֹר conveys moral and ritual purity, not merely external cleanliness but an inward state that accords with the character of God. In wisdom literature it describes an undivided heart; in prophetic literature it portrays divine perfection. The noun functions substantively, emphasizing the quality itself rather than a qualified object. Occurrences in Scripture • Proverbs 22:11 – “He who loves a pure heart and gracious speech will have the king for a friend.” The verse links purity of motive to favor at the highest human level, anticipating New Testament teaching that the pure in heart “will see God.” Theological Significance 1. Divine Attribute: Habakkuk grounds his lament in God’s intrinsic purity, underscoring that judgment on evil is rooted in who God is, not merely in covenant stipulations. Historical Background and Cultural Setting Ancient Israel distinguished between ritual cleanness and moral integrity, but Scripture progressively unites the two. During the monarchy (Proverbs) royal courts prized eloquence, yet the proverb elevates heart purity above rhetorical skill as the true path to influence. Habakkuk prophesied amid Babylonian aggression; by highlighting divine purity he vindicated God’s eventual justice despite interim perplexity. Practical and Pastoral Application • Personal Holiness: Believers pursue purity not as legalistic performance but as alignment with God’s nature, relying on the cleansing accomplished by Christ (Hebrews 9:14). Intercanonical Connections Genesis 6:9 depicts Noah as “blameless,” a narrative foretaste of the pure-hearted person of Proverbs 22:11. Revelation 21:27 completes the arc, admitting into the New Jerusalem only “those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life,” an ultimate realization of purity untouched by evil. Thus טְהוֹר, though sparsely used, threads through Scripture as a witness to God’s holy essence and His purpose to produce a pure people for Himself. Forms and Transliterations טְה֤וֹר טהור לֵ֑ב לב lêḇ Lev ṭə·hō·wr teHor ṭəhōwrLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Proverbs 22:11 HEB: כ] (טְהָר־ לֵ֑ב ק) חֵ֥ן KJV: He that loveth pureness of heart, INT: loves clean pureness is gracious speech Habakkuk 1:13 2 Occurrences |
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