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wosh, wosh´ing: The two usual Hebrew words for “wash†are רחץ, raÌ„hÌ£ac, and כּבס, kaÌ„bhasÌ£, the former being normally used of persons or of sacrificial animals (, etc., often translated “batheâ€; , etc.), and the latter of things (, etc.), the exceptions to this distinction being few (for raÌ„hÌ£ac, margin; for kaÌ„bhasÌ£, , ; ; ). Much less common are דּוּח, duÌ„ahÌ£ (; ; ) and ש×טף, shaÌ„taph (; ; ), translated “rinse†in ; , . In the King James Version has “washing†and the Revised Version (British and American) “water†for mayim, but the text is hopelessly obscure (compare the Revised Version margin). In the Apocrypha and New Testament the range of terms is wider. Most common is νιÌπτω, nıÌptoÌ„ (, etc.), with aponıÌptoÌ„ in . Of the other terms, λουÌω, louÌoÌ„ (Susanna verses 15, 17; , etc.), with apolouÌoÌ„ (; ) and the noun loutroÌn (Sirach 34:25b; ; ), usually has a sacral significance. On βαπτιÌζω, baptıÌÌzoÌ„ (Sirach 34:25a; ; ), with the noun baptismoÌs ( (text?); ), see BAPTISM. In ; ; the Revised Version (British and American) occurs πλυÌνω, pluÌnoÌ„, while Judith 10:3 has πεÏικλυÌζω, perikluÌzoÌ„. Virtually, as far as meaning is concerned, all these words are interchangeable. Of the figurative uses of washing, the most common and obvious is that of cleansing from sin (; , etc.), but, with an entirely different figure, “to wash in†may signify “to enjoy in plenty†(; ; the meaning in is uncertain). Washing of the hands, in token of innocence, is found in ; .
The “washing balls†of Susanna verse 17 (σμῆγμα, smeÌ„Ìgma, a very rare word) were of soap. See SOAP.