Topical Bible: Bathe

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In biblical times, the act of bathing held significant cultural, religious, and symbolic importance. Bathing was not only a matter of personal hygiene but also a ritualistic practice that signified purification and preparation for worship or special occasions.

Cultural and Hygienic Practices:

Bathing in ancient Israel was a common practice for maintaining cleanliness, especially in a hot and arid climate. The availability of water sources such as rivers, springs, and wells facilitated this practice. Bathing was often done in public baths or private settings, depending on one's social status and resources.

Ritual Purification:

In the Old Testament, bathing is frequently associated with ritual purification. The Mosaic Law prescribed specific instances where bathing was required to restore ceremonial cleanliness. For example, Leviticus 15 outlines various bodily discharges that rendered a person unclean, necessitating washing with water to regain purity: "When a man has a discharge from his body, his discharge is unclean... When the man with the discharge is cleansed from his discharge, he must count off seven days for his cleansing, wash his clothes, and bathe his body in fresh water; then he will be clean" (Leviticus 15:2, 13).

Similarly, priests were required to bathe before performing their sacred duties. Exodus 30:18-21 describes the bronze basin placed between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, where Aaron and his sons were to wash their hands and feet before entering the tent or approaching the altar, "so that they will not die" (Exodus 30:20).

Symbolism and Spiritual Significance:

Bathing also carries symbolic meaning in the Bible, often representing spiritual cleansing and renewal. In the New Testament, the concept of washing is linked to the cleansing power of Jesus Christ's sacrifice. Ephesians 5:25-26 speaks of Christ's love for the church, "to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word" .

The act of baptism, a central rite in Christianity, is a form of spiritual bathing. It symbolizes the washing away of sins and the believer's identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Acts 22:16, Ananias instructs Saul (later Paul), "And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name" .

Cultural Context and Gender:

Bathing practices also varied between men and women, with specific regulations for women, particularly concerning menstruation and childbirth. Leviticus 12:1-8 outlines the purification process for women after childbirth, which included bathing as part of the ritual to restore ceremonial cleanliness.

Conclusion:

The act of bathing in the Bible is multifaceted, encompassing practical, ritualistic, and symbolic dimensions. It underscores the importance of purity, both physical and spiritual, in the life of the believer and the community. Through the lens of Scripture, bathing serves as a reminder of the need for cleansing and preparation in approaching God.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (v. t.) To wash by immersion, as in a bath; to subject to a bath.

2. (v. t.) To lave; to wet.

3. (v. t.) To moisten or suffuse with a liquid.

4. (v. t.) To apply water or some liquid medicament to; as, to bathe the eye with warm water or with sea water; to bathe one's forehead with camphor.

5. (v. t.) To surround, or envelop, as water surrounds a person immersed.

6. (v. i.) To bathe one's self; to take a bath or baths.

7. (v. i.) To immerse or cover one's self, as in a bath.

8. (v. i.) To bask in the sun.

9. (n.) The immersion of the body in water; as to take one's usual bathe.

Greek

3068. louo -- to bathe, to wash
... louo. 3069 . to bathe, to wash. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: louo Phonetic
Spelling: (loo'-o) Short Definition: I wash, bathe Definition: (lit. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3068.htm - 7k

899. bathos -- depth
... see GREEK bathus. (bathe) -- 1 Occurrence. (bathos) -- 6 Occurrences. (bathous) --
1 Occurrence. 898, 899. bathos. 900 . Strong's Numbers.
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/899.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

7364. rachats -- to wash, wash off or away, bathe
... rachats. 7365 . to wash, wash off or away, bathe. Transliteration: rachats Phonetic
Spelling: (raw-khats') Short Definition: bathe. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/7364.htm - 6k

7301. ravah -- to be saturated, drink one's fill
... bathe, make drunk, take the fill, satiate, abundantly satisfy, soak, water
abundantly. A primitive root; to slake the thirst (occasionally ...
/hebrew/7301.htm - 6k

Library

Commandments to Women.
... That a Woman Must Not Bathe with Men. IX. ... But if the bath be appropriated
to women, let her bathe orderly, modestly, and moderately. ...
/.../various/constitutions of the holy apostles/sec iii commandments to women.htm

Why we are to Use the Bath.
... [1653] To bathe for the sake of heat is a superfluity, since one may restore
what is frozen by the cold in other ways. Constant ...
/.../clement/the instructor paedagogus/chapter ix why we are to.htm

Fill Me Now.
... The Fullness of the Spirit. Hover o'er me, Holy Spirit; Bathe my trembling heart
and brow; Fill me with thy hallowed presence, Come, oh, come and fill me now. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/lorenz/the otterbein hymnal/175 fill me now 8s.htm

The Child Moses.
... She had seen a fair Egyptian princess coming down from the palace every morning
to bathe in the river at a place not far from her hut; and she thought that if ...
/.../anonymous/children of the old testament/the child moses.htm

The Finding of Moses
... She knew that presently the great princess, Pharaoh's daughter, would come down
to bathe in the river, and would notice the queer little ark floating there. ...
/.../steedman/the babe in the bulrushes/the finding of moses.htm

But we are Called to Account as Harm-Doers on Another Ground...
... I do not at the Saturnalia bathe myself at dawn, that I may not lose both day and
night; yet I bathe at a decent and healthful hour, which preserves me both in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/apology/chapter xlii but we are.htm

Songs from 'the Water-Babies'
... and foaming wear; Under the crag where the ouzel sings, And the ivied wall where
the church-bell rings, Undefiled, for the undefiled; Play by me, bathe in me ...
/.../kingsley/andromeda and other poems/songs from the water-babies.htm

Hail, Jesus, Hail!
... whose price could raise The world from wrath and sin; Whose streams our inward thirst
appease, And heal the sinner's worst disease, If he but bathe therein, If ...
/.../various/the st gregory hymnal and catholic choir book/no 71 hail jesus hail.htm

Mission Tours.
... in the region of the sacred river, which receives from the people divine honours,
and which in their belief confers inestimable benefit on all who bathe in its ...
/.../life and work in benares and kumaon 1839-1877/chapter xiv mission tours.htm

The Age, Birth, and Life of Moses.
... In this emergency, the king's daughter, who for a long time had not been pregnant,
and who longed for a child, came that day to the river to bathe and wash ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xxiii the age birth and.htm

Thesaurus

Bathe (35 Occurrences)
... 4. (vt) To apply water or some liquid medicament to; as, to bathe the eye with warm
water or with sea water; to bathe one's forehead with camphor. ...
/b/bathe.htm - 18k

Toucheth (45 Occurrences)
... (KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS). Leviticus 15:5 And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash
his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. ...
/t/toucheth.htm - 20k

Touches (55 Occurrences)
... (WEB NAS RSV NIV). Leviticus 15:5 Whoever touches his bed shall wash his clothes,
and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. ...
/t/touches.htm - 22k

Flux (26 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 15:6 And he that sitteth on any object whereon he sat that hath the flux
shall wash his garments, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the even. ...
/f/flux.htm - 16k

Discharge (30 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 15:6 He who sits on anything whereon the man who has the discharge sat
shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the ...
/d/discharge.htm - 18k

Issue (59 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 15:6 And he that sitteth on any thing whereon he sat that hath the issue
shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the ...
/i/issue.htm - 29k

Wash (105 Occurrences)
... wash" are rachats, and kabhac, the former being normally used of persons or of
sacrificial animals (Genesis 18:4, etc., often translated "bathe"; Leviticus 15: ...
/w/wash.htm - 45k

Ceremonially (38 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Leviticus 14:8 "He who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and
shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water; and he shall be clean. ...
/c/ceremonially.htm - 18k

Evening (163 Occurrences)
... (WEB BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Leviticus 15:5 Whoever touches his bed shall wash
his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. ...
/e/evening.htm - 41k

Bath (13 Occurrences)
... bathing and partial washing-both are expressed by rahats, and the Revised Version
(British and American) rightly renders "wash" instead of "bathe" in some cases ...
/b/bath.htm - 22k

Resources

What is the water of life? | GotQuestions.org

What is the origin of baptism? | GotQuestions.org

Why were a husband and wife considered unclean after they had sexual relations? | GotQuestions.org

Bathe: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Bathe (35 Occurrences)

Mark 7:4
They don't eat when they come from the marketplace, unless they bathe themselves, and there are many other things, which they have received to hold to: washings of cups, pitchers, bronze vessels, and couches.)
(WEB ASV)

Acts 16:33
and having taken them, in that hour of the night, he did bathe 'them' from the blows, and was baptized, himself and all his presently,
(YLT)

Exodus 2:5
Pharaoh's daughter came down to bathe at the river. Her maidens walked along by the riverside. She saw the basket among the reeds, and sent her handmaid to get it.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Exodus 29:4
And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring near the entrance of the tent of meeting, and shalt bathe them with water.
(DBY YLT)

Exodus 40:12
And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons near, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and bathe them with water.
(DBY YLT)

Leviticus 8:6
And Moses brought Aaron near, and his sons, and bathed them with water.
(Root in DBY YLT)

Leviticus 14:8
"He who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water; and he shall be clean. After that he shall come into the camp, but shall dwell outside his tent seven days.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 14:9
It shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off. He shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his body in water, then he shall be clean.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 15:5
Whoever touches his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 15:6
He who sits on anything whereon the man who has the discharge sat shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 15:7
"'He who touches the body of him who has the discharge shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 15:8
"'If he who has the discharge spits on him who is clean, then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 15:10
Whoever touches anything that was under him shall be unclean until the evening. He who carries those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 15:11
"'Whoever he who has the discharge touches, without having rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 15:13
"'When he who has a discharge is cleansed of his discharge, then he shall count to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes; and he shall bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 15:16
"'If any man has an emission of semen, then he shall bathe all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the evening.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 15:18
If a man lies with a woman and there is an emission of semen, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the evening.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 15:21
Whoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 15:22
Whoever touches anything that she sits on shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 15:27
Whoever touches these things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 16:4
He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches on his body, and shall put on the linen sash, and he shall be dressed with the linen turban. They are the holy garments. He shall bathe his body in water, and put them on.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 16:24
Then he shall bathe himself in water in a holy place, and put on his garments, and come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 16:26
"He who lets the goat go for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 16:28
He who burns them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 17:15
"'Every person that eats what dies of itself, or that which is torn by animals, whether he is native-born or a foreigner, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening: then he shall be clean.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 17:16
But if he doesn't wash them, or bathe his flesh, then he shall bear his iniquity.'"
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 22:6
the person that touches any such shall be unclean until the evening, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he bathe his body in water.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 19:7
Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 19:8
He who burns her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the evening.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 19:19
and the clean person shall sprinkle on the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify him; and he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 23:11
but it shall be, when evening comes on, he shall bathe himself in water; and when the sun is down, he shall come within the camp.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY YLT NAS RSV)

Deuteronomy 33:24
Of Asher he said, "Asher is blessed with children. Let him be acceptable to his brothers. Let him dip his foot in oil.
(See NIV)

2 Samuel 12:20
And David riseth from the earth, and doth bathe and anoint 'himself', and changeth his raiment, and cometh in to the house of Jehovah, and boweth himself, and cometh unto his house, and asketh and they place for him bread, and he eateth.
(YLT)

Psalms 58:10
The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked;
(See RSV NIV)

Psalms 68:23
That you may crush them, dipping your foot in blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies."
(See RSV)

Subtopics

Bathe

Related Terms

Washed (113 Occurrences)

Touching (121 Occurrences)

Tent-circle (45 Occurrences)

Bathe (35 Occurrences)

Opening (242 Occurrences)

Bathing (9 Occurrences)

Natives (6 Occurrences)