Wash כָּבַס

We are in chapter six of Leviticus with our word for today. כָּבַס tread, wash, full, clean clothes, clean, cleanse. It is used 51 times in the Old Testament. Most of the uses of our word are in the sense to wash, to cleanse with a cleaning agent, such as soap and water, sometimes only with water. Jeremiah 2:22 Though תְּכַבְּסִי֙ you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me, declares the Lord God. Malachi 3:2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like מְכַבְּסִֽים fullers' soap. We find our word used of washing clothes. Leviticus 11:39-40 And if any animal which you may eat dies, whoever touches its carcass shall be unclean until the evening, and whoever eats of its carcass יְכַבֵּ֥ס shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening. And whoever carries the carcass יְכַבֵּ֥ס shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening. This is how our word is used in our chapter today. Leviticus 6:26-27 The priest who offers it for sin shall eat it. In a holy place it shall be eaten, in the court of the tent of meeting. Whatever touches its flesh shall be holy, and when any of its blood is splashed on a garment, תְּכַבֵּ֖ס you shall wash that on which it was splashed in a holy place. We also see a very specific way our word is used in regard to washing one’s clothes when people are to meet God or be in his presence in a special way. Exodus 19:10-11, 14, 17 The Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, וְכִבְּס֖וּ and let them wash their garments and be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people … So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and consecrated the people; וַֽיְכַבְּס֖וּ and they washed their garments … Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. The people were to prepare themselves to meet with God who showed himself in a special way to them. This was part of the people consecrating themselves, setting them apart for God. This concept of holiness in order to meet God is seen throughout the Bible. A good example is in Jesus parable of the wedding garment. Matthew 22:11-14 But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” I’ll close with these great passages in Revelation and Psalms that remind us that God is the one who makes us clean, holy and acceptable to himself if we are willing to let him do so. Revelation 7:13-14 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Revelation 22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Psalm 51:2, 7 כַּבְּסֵ֣נִי Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! … Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; תְּ֝כַבְּסֵ֗נִי wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.