רָחַץ72 H7364
To wash, bathe, or rinse with water; covering full-body bathing for purification, washing specific objects or body parts, and passive reception of washing.
The verb רָחַץ is the everyday Hebrew word for washing with water, but its biblical significance runs far deeper than hygiene. In Leviticus, it becomes the central verb for ritual bathing — the priest 'shall bathe his body in water' before approaching the holy (Lev 16:4). Arabic رَحَضَ shares the root, and Ethiopic extends it to sweating, hinting at the body's relationship with water in all its forms. The word divides naturally between intransitive bathing (washing oneself) and transitive washing (cleaning feet, entrails, garments). Abraham's offer to wash his guests' feet (Gen 18:4) became a model of hospitality that echoes all the way to John 13. The rare passive occurrences — Ezekiel's image of the unwashed newborn (Ezek 16:4) — carry particular poignancy.
Senses
1. bathe the body — To bathe the entire body in water, typically intransitive or reflexive. This is overwhelmingly the Levitical purification sense — after contact with uncleanness, one 'shall bathe in water' (Lev 15:5, and dozens of similar commands). Spanish lavará and se lavará both capture this reflexive bathing. Pharaoh's daughter 'came down to bathe' at the Nile (Exod 2:5), and Bathsheba was 'bathing' when David saw her (2 Sam 11:2). The sense emphasizes the whole body being immersed or doused, whether for ritual restoration or personal cleanliness. 37×
AR["وَ-يَسْتَحِمُّ", "وَ-يَغْسِلُ"]·ben["এবং-ধৌত-করবে", "এবং-স্নান-করবে"]·DE["und-bathe", "und-lass-waschen", "und-soll-bathe"]·EN["and-bathe", "and-let-wash", "and-shall-bathe"]·FR["et-bathe", "et-devra-bathe", "et-laisse-laver"]·heb["ו-רחץ"]·HI["अपने वस्त्र", "और-नहाएगा", "और-वह-नहाए", "में-जल"]·ID["Dan-memandikan", "dan-hendaklah-membasuh", "dan-mandi", "dan-mandilah", "dan-memandikan", "dan-membasuh", "maka-memandikan"]·IT["e-bathe", "e-lascia-lavare", "e-si-lavera"]·jav["lan-madus", "lan-siram"]·KO["그리고-씬었다", "그리고-씬으리라", "그리고-씬을-것이다", "그리고-씻을-것이다"]·PT["E-lavará", "e-lavar-se-á", "e-lavará"]·RU["и-омоет", "и-омоется"]·ES["Y-lavará", "y-lavará", "y-se-lavará"]·SW["Na-ataoga", "ataoga", "na-aogeshe", "na-ataoga"]·TR["ve-yıkanacak", "ve-yıkayacak"]·urd["اور-دھوئے", "اور-نہائے", "اور-نہلائے", "تو-نہائے"]
2. wash something with water — To wash a specific object, body part, or another person with water — the transitive use. Washing feet is the paradigmatic example: Abraham offers water for his guests' feet (Gen 18:4), a gesture repeated throughout the patriarchal narratives (Gen 19:2, 24:32, 43:24). The verb also covers washing sacrificial entrails and legs on the altar (Lev 1:9, 13) and washing one's hands or face (Gen 43:31, Exod 30:19-21). Spanish lavaron and French laver straightforwardly render this active, object-directed washing. Job 29:6 extends it metaphorically: 'I washed my steps in butter.' 32×
AR["بِ-غَسلِ", "لِ-الاغْتِسَالِ", "لِ-الاِغتِسالِ", "لِلاغْتِسَالِ", "وَ-اغْسِلُوا", "وَ-تَغسِلُ", "وَ-تَغْسِلُهُمْ", "وَ-غَسَلَ", "وَ-غَسَلُوا", "وَ-يَغتَسِلونَ", "وَ-يَغتَسِلُ", "يَغْسِلُ", "يَغْسِلُونَ"]·ben["-ধোয়ার-জন্য", "-ধোয়ার-জন্য।", "আর-ধুলল", "এবং-তুমি-ধোবে", "এবং-তুমি-ধোয়াবে", "এবং-ধুয়েছিলেন", "এবং-ধুলেন", "এবং-ধোও", "এবং-ধোবে", "এবং-সে-ধোয়াল", "ও-ধুয়ে-নিন", "তারা-ধৌত-করবে", "ধোক", "ধোয়ার-জন্য", "যখন-ধুয়েছিলাম"]·DE["[ברחץ]", "[לרחצה]", "er-soll-waschen", "fuer-washing", "soll-waschen", "und-du-soll-waschen", "und-du-sollst-waschen", "und-er-wusch", "und-sie-soll-waschen", "und-soll-waschen", "und-wascht", "und-wusch"]·EN["and-he-washed", "and-shall-wash", "and-they-shall-wash", "and-wash", "and-washed", "and-you-shall-wash", "for-washing", "he-shall-wash", "shall-wash", "when-washed"]·FR["[לרחצה]", "dans-laver", "devra-laver", "et---laver", "et-il-lava", "et-ils---laver", "et-lava", "et-laver", "et-tu---laver", "il-lavera", "pour-washing"]·heb["ב-רחוץ", "ו-ירחץ", "ו-רחץ", "ו-רחצו", "ו-רחצת", "ירחץ", "ירחצו", "ל-רחצה", "ל-רחצה-ה"]·HI["और-उन्होंने-धोए", "और-धो", "और-धोए", "और-धोएं", "और-धोएगा", "और-धोना", "और-धोया", "और-नहलाना", "धोए", "धोएंगे", "धोने", "धोने-के-लिए", "धोने-को", "ब-धोने-में"]·ID["Dan-akan-membasuh", "Dan-ia-membasuh", "Dan-membasuh", "Dan-mereka-akan-membasuh", "Ketika-mencuci", "biarlah-membasuh", "dan-cucilah", "dan-engkau-akan-memandikan", "dan-engkau-akan-membasuh", "dan-memandikan", "dan-membasuh", "dan-mereka-membasuh", "ia-akan-membasuh", "untuk-mencuci", "untuk-pembasuhan"]·IT["[לרחצה]", "e-egli-lavo", "e-egli-lavò", "e-essi-shall-lavare", "e-lavare", "e-lavo", "e-lavò", "e-shall-lavare", "e-tu-laverai", "e-tu-shall-lavare", "egli-dovra-lavare", "in-when-washed", "lavera", "per-washing"]·jav["Lan-ngumbah", "Lan-wijik", "Lan-wisuh", "Nalika-wisuh", "bakal-ngumbah", "kagem-wijik", "kanggé-sesuci", "kanggé-wisuh", "lan-ngumbah", "lan-panjenengan-wijiki", "lan-piyambakipun-sedaya-wisuh", "lan-wijik", "lan-wisuhana", "ngumbah"]·KO["그-가-씻을지니라", "그리고-씨으라라", "그리고-씫어라", "그리고-씬었다", "그리고-씬으십시오", "그리고-씻었다", "그리고-씻을-것이다", "씨으려고-", "씨으리라", "씩으려고-", "씬으려고", "씻기-위하여", "씻을-때에"]·PT["E-lavaram", "E-lavarão", "E-lavou", "Quando-lavar", "e-lavai", "e-lavaram", "e-lavarás", "e-lavou", "lavará", "lavarão", "para-lavar"]·RU["И-будут-омывать", "вымоет", "для-омовения", "и-омоешь", "и-омой", "и-омойте", "и-омывали", "и-омыл", "и-омыли", "когда-омывались", "омоют"]·ES["Cuando-lavé", "Y-lavaron", "Y-lavarán", "Y-lavó", "lavará", "lavarán", "para-lavar", "para-lavarse", "y-lavad", "y-lavarás", "y-lavó", "y-los-lavarás", "y-se-lavaron"]·SW["Na-akaosha", "ataosha", "kunawa", "kwa-kunawa", "na-akakumimina", "na-akawaosha", "na-mnawe", "na-pishe", "na-utaosha", "na-utawaosha", "na-wakanawa", "na-watanawa", "wakati-wa-kuosha", "wataosha"]·TR["Ve-yıkadı", "Ve-yıkadılar", "Ve-yıkayacaklar", "Yıkadığımda", "ve-yıkadı", "ve-yıkadılar", "ve-yıkayacaksın", "ve-yıkayın", "yıkamak-için", "yıkanmak-için", "yıkayacak", "yıkayacaklar"]·urd["اور-تو-دھوئے-گا", "اور-دھوؤ", "اور-دھوئیں-گے", "اور-دھوئے-اُنہوں-نے", "اور-دھوئےگا", "اور-دھوتے-تھے", "اور-دھویا", "دھوئیں", "دھوئے", "دھونے-میں-میں", "دھونے-کو", "دھونے-کے-لیے"]
Gen 18:4, Gen 19:2, Gen 24:32, Gen 43:24, Gen 43:31, Exod 29:4, Exod 29:17, Exod 30:18, Exod 30:19, Exod 30:20, Exod 30:21, Exod 40:12 (+20 more)
3. be washed — The passive form (Pual stem) — to be washed or to have washing done to oneself. Only two clear occurrences: Ezekiel's devastating image of Jerusalem as a newborn who 'was not washed in water' at birth (Ezek 16:4), and Proverbs 30:12's portrait of a generation 'not washed from their filth.' Spanish fuiste lavada ('you were washed') captures the passive voice. These rare passives carry theological weight — the absence of washing becomes a metaphor for neglect, abandonment, or moral impurity. 2×
AR["اغْتَسَلَ", "تُغْسَلِي"]·ben["ধোয়া-হল-তুমি", "ধৌত"]·DE["[רחץ]", "[רחצת]"]·EN["washed", "were-you-washed"]·FR["laver"]·heb["רוחץ", "רוחצת"]·HI["धोयी।", "नहलाई-गई-तू"]·ID["dicuci", "engkau-dimandikan"]·IT["[רחצת]", "washed"]·jav["dipun-wijiki", "dipunresiki"]·KO["씩겨졌다", "씬겨지다"]·PT["foste-lavada", "é-lavado"]·RU["омыта", "омыто"]·ES["fuiste-lavada", "se-ha-lavado"]·SW["kuoshwa", "oshwa"]·TR["yıkandın", "yıkanmış"]·urd["دھلی-گئی", "دھوئی-گئی"]
4. sense 4 — A single occurrence in Job 9:30 where Job speaks hypothetically: 'If I wash myself (אִם־הִתְרָחַצְתִּי) with snow water.' This is the Hithpael (reflexive intensive) stem, the only such form of רָחַץ in the Hebrew Bible. It intensifies the reflexive sense — not merely bathing but thoroughly cleansing oneself with the purest water imaginable. Spanish me lavara and English 'I wash myself' reflect the emphatic self-cleansing. Job's point is devastating: even such extreme purification would not avail before God. 1×
AR["اغْتَسَلْتُ"]·ben["আমি-ধৌত-করি"]·DE["[התרחצתי]"]·EN["I-wash-myself"]·FR["laver"]·heb["התרחצתי"]·HI["मैं-धोता"]·ID["aku-membasuh-diri"]·IT["I-wash-myself"]·jav["kawula-wisuh"]·KO["내가-씻었어도"]·PT["me-lavar"]·RU["омоюсь-я"]·ES["me-lavara"]·SW["nijinawe"]·TR["yıkansam"]·urd["دھوؤں"]
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
רָחַץ72 vb. wash, wash off, away, bathe (NH = BH; Arabic رَحَضَ (also of garments); Ethiopic ርሕፀ:, ረሐፀ:, sweat; cf. Assyrian raḫâṣu, overflow, flood (on ḫ = ح v. NöZMG xi (1886), 727));— Qal69 Pf. 3 ms. ר׳ Is 4:4 +, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. יִרְחַץ Dt 23:12 + etc.; Imv. ms. רְחַץ 2 S 11:8; 2 K 5:13; mpl. רַחֲצוּ Gn 18:4 +; Inf. cstr. רְחֹץ Gn 24:32 +, לְרָחְצָה Ex 30:18 +; Pt. fs. רֹחֶ֫צֶת 2 S 11:2,…