Ablution

Passages on this topic

From Nave’s Topical Bible (1896), a historical reference index. The groupings are Nave’s; the verses are shown in the text used across this site.

General scriptures concerning

• Exodus 19:10 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes
• Exodus 19:14 When Moses came down from the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.
• Matthew 15:2 “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”
• Mark 7:2–5 and they saw some of His disciples eating with hands that were defiled— that is, unwashed. Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially. And on returning from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there…
• Mark 7:8–9 You have disregarded the commandment of God to keep the tradition of men.” He went on to say, “You neatly set aside the command of God to maintain your own tradition.
• Luke 11:38 But the Pharisee was surprised to see that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.
• Hebrews 9:10 They consist only in food and drink and special washings — external regulations imposed until the time of reform.

Of priests

• Exodus 29:4 Then present Aaron and his sons at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water.
• Exodus 36:18–21 He also made fifty bronze clasps to join the tent together as a unit. Additionally, he made for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of fine leather. Next, he constructed upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. Each frame was ten cubits long and a cubit and…
• Exodus 40:12 Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water.
• Exodus 40:31–32 and from it Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and feet. They washed whenever they entered the Tent of Meeting or approached the altar, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
• Leviticus 8:6 Then Moses presented Aaron and his sons and washed them with water.
• Leviticus 16:4 He is to wear the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments. He must tie a linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are holy garments, and he must bathe himself with water before he wears them.
• Leviticus 16:24 He is to bathe himself with water in a holy place and put on his own clothes. Then he must go out and sacrifice his burnt offering and the people’s burnt offering to make atonement for himself and for the people.
• Leviticus 16:26 The man who released the goat as the scapegoat must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may reenter the camp.
• Leviticus 16:28 The one who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and afterward he may reenter the camp.
• Numbers 19:7–10 Then the priest must wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; after that he may enter the camp, but he will be ceremonially unclean until evening. The one who burned the heifer must also wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and he too will be ceremonially unclean until evening. Then a…

Of burnt offerings

• Leviticus 1:9 The entrails and legs must be washed with water, and the priest shall burn all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
• Leviticus 1:13 The entrails and legs must be washed with water, and the priest shall present all of it and burn it on the altar; it is a burnt offering, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
• Leviticus 9:14 He washed the entrails and the legs and burned them atop the burnt offering on the altar.
• 2 Chronicles 4:6 He also made ten basins for washing and placed five on the south side and five on the north. The parts of the burnt offering were rinsed in them, but the priests used the Sea for washing.

Of the dead

• Acts 9:37 At that time, however, she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upper room.

Of infants

• Ezekiel 16:4 On the day of your birth your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water for cleansing. You were not rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths.

Of the face

• Matthew 6:17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,

Of the feet

• Genesis 18:4 Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree.
• Genesis 19:2 and said, “My lords, please turn aside into the house of your servant; wash your feet and spend the night. Then you can rise early and go on your way.” “No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.”
• Genesis 24:32 So the man came to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and feed were brought to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of his companions.
• Genesis 43:24 And the steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet, and provided food for their donkeys.
• Exodus 30:19 with which Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet.
• Exodus 30:21 Thus they are to wash their hands and feet so that they will not die; this shall be a permanent statute for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come.”
• Exodus 40:31 and from it Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and feet.
• Judges 19:21 So he brought him to his house and fed his donkeys. And they washed their feet and ate and drank.
• 2 Samuel 11:8 Then he said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king followed him.
• 2 Samuel 5:3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where King David made with them a covenant before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel.

Of the hands

• Exodus 30:18–21 “You are to make a bronze basin with a bronze stand for washing. Set it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it, with which Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet. Whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offe…
• Exodus 40:30–32 He placed the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing; and from it Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and feet. They washed whenever they entered the Tent of Meeting or approached the altar, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Of the hands, as a token of innocency

• Deuteronomy 21:6 Then all the elders of the city nearest the victim shall wash their hands by the stream over the heifer whose neck has been broken,
• Psalm 26:6 I wash my hands in innocence that I may go about Your altar, O LORD,
• Matthew 27:24 When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.”

For defilement

Of lepers

• Leviticus 14:8–9 The one being cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe with water; then he will be ceremonially clean. Afterward, he may enter the camp, but he must remain outside his tent for seven days. On the seventh day he must shave off all his hair — his head, his beard, his eyebrows…

Those having bloody issue

• Leviticus 15:5–13 Anyone who touches his bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening. Whoever sits on furniture on which the man with the discharge was sitting must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening. Whoever touches the body of the ma…

Those having eaten that which died

• Leviticus 17:15–16 And any person, whether native or foreigner, who eats anything found dead or mauled by wild beasts must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening; then he will be clean. But if he does not wash his clothes and bathe himself, then he shall bear his iniquity.”

Traditional forms of, not observed by Jesus

• Luke 11:38–39 But the Pharisee was surprised to see that Jesus did not first wash before the meal. Then the Lord said, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.

See Purification

See Defilement

Figurative

• Psalm 51:2 Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
• Psalm 51:7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
• Psalm 65:3 When iniquities prevail against me, You atone for our transgressions.
• Psalm 73:13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure; in innocence I have washed my hands.
• Psalm 79:9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; deliver us and atone for our sins, for the sake of Your name.
• Proverbs 16:6 By loving devotion and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns aside from evil.
• Proverbs 20:9 Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”?
• Isaiah 1:16 Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!
• Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool.
• Isaiah 4:3–4 Whoever remains in Zion and whoever is left in Jerusalem will be called holy— all in Jerusalem who are recorded among the living— when the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains from the heart of Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire.

See Regeneration