πλύνω G4150
to wash, to clean by washing; to launder or cleanse, especially clothing or fabric
This verb means to wash or clean, particularly linen, clothes, or fabric (distinct from bathing the body). Fishermen were 'washing' their nets by the lake when Jesus called them (Luke 5:2). The great multitude in Revelation have 'washed' their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Rev 7:14; 22:14). The word emphasizes the act of cleansing fabric, which becomes a powerful metaphor in Revelation: garments made white not by bleach but by sacrificial blood—purity through atonement.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Multilingual glosses uniformly indicate washing: English 'they-washed/washing/were-washing', Spanish 'lavaban/lavando/lavaron', French 'laver', German 'waschen/ἔπλυνον'. The lexicon defines it as 'wash, clean, properly of linen, clothes, etc.' (opposed to λούομαι 'bathe' or νίζω 'wash hands'). Luke 5:2 describes fishermen washing nets. Rev 7:14 and 22:14 speak of washing robes in the Lamb's blood. The verb specifically denotes washing fabric/garments, making the metaphor in Revelation particularly vivid: laundering robes in sacrificial blood. 3×
AR["الَّذينَ يَغْسِلونَ", "غَسَلوا", "كانوا-يَغسِلونَ"]·ben["তারা-ধুয়েছে", "ধুতেন", "ধৌতকারীরা"]·DE["waschen", "ἔπλυνον"]·EN["they-washed", "washing", "were-washing"]·FR["laver"]·heb["הַ-מְכַבְּסִים", "כִּבְּסוּ", "שָׁטְפוּ"]·HI["उन्होंने-धोये", "जो-धोते-हैं", "धोते-थे"]·ID["mereka-mencuci", "sedang-mencuci", "yang-mencuci"]·IT["eplunan", "eplunon", "plunontes"]·jav["ngumbah", "piyambakipun-sedaya-ngumbah", "wisuh"]·KO["빨는-자들이", "씬다", "씻고-있었다"]·PT["lavaram", "que-lavam"]·RU["мыли", "омывающие", "омыли"]·ES["lavaban", "lavando", "lavaron"]·SW["walikuwa-wanaosha", "wameyaosha", "wanaofua"]·TR["yıkadılar", "yıkayanlar", "yıkıyorlardı"]·urd["دھو-رہے-تھے", "دھوئے", "دھونے-والے"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3772 1. cut a covenant / make a pact (97×)H5060 1. touch physically (Qal) (96×)H3615 1. complete a task (Piel) (85×)H3772 2. cut off / destroy (Hifil causative) (81×)H3920 1. capture, seize (Qal) (76×)H???? 12. (76×)H3772 3. be cut off / be eliminated (Niphal) (74×)H6213a 3. be done, be made (Niphal) (73×)G4160 2. make, construct, create (62×)H3847 1. Qal: put on, wear (60×)H8210 1. pour out (liquid/libation) (59×)G2440 1. garment or clothing (general) (54×)H4191 4. kill / put to death (Hifil causative) (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
πλύνω [ῡ], Epic dialect imperfect πλύνεσκον Refs 8th c.BC+: future πλῠνῶ Refs 5th c.BC+; Ionic dialect and Epic dialect πλῠνέω Refs 8th c.BC+aorist ἔπλῡνα, Epic dialect πλῦνα Refs 8th c.BC+:—middle, future πλῠνοῦμαι LXX+5th c.BC+: aorist participle πλυνάμενος LXX+5th c.BC+:—passive, future πλῠθήσομαι (πλυνθ- Refs 5th c.AD+: aorist ἐπλύθην [ῠ], 3rd.pers. singular subjunctive πλυθῇ Refs 4th c.BC+;…