Hebrew · H2891, G2511 · unreviewed

טָהֵר

To be pure (physical sound, clear, unadulterated; Levitically, uncontaminated; morally, innocent or holy) · to cleanse (literally or figuratively)

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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant

טָהֵר H2891 to be pure (physical sound, clear, unadulterated; Levitically, uncontaminated; morally, innocent or holy)
Pronunciation taher
Ranges from physical cleansing through ritual purity to moral innocence; fundamentally means freedom from contamination.
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καθαρίζω G2511 to cleanse (literally or figuratively)
Pronunciation katharízō
Cleanse implies removal of defilement—physical disease, moral corruption, or ceremonial impurity—restoring fitness.
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What does טָהֵר (taher) mean in the Bible?

טָהֵר · καθαρίζω is a Hebrew word meaning "to be ceremonially or morally clean".

Full entry for טָהֵר (H2891, G2511) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to be ceremonially or morally clean
Grammatical Forms

How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.

Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 12×
Imperfect Job 4:17 · Lev 15:13 · Lev 22:4 · Num 19:12 · Ezek 24:13 · Jer 13:27 · Lev 15:28 · Lev 16:30
Perfect Ezek 24:13 · Lev 15:28 · Prov 20:9
Hithpael reflexive or reciprocal — the subject acts on itself or mutually with others
Perfect 2Chr 30:18 · Ezra 6:20 · Josh 22:17
Participle active Neh 13:22
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action
Perfect 2Chr 29:18
Imperfect Ezek 36:25
Infinitive construct Ezek 39:12
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject
Participle passive Ezek 22:24
Hebrew Verb Forms

How this verb appears across 20 occurrences in the Hebrew OT (OSHB Leningrad Codex).

Aspect / Form
Imperfect 10 Perfect 7 Participle passive 1 Infinitive construct 1 Participle 1
Stem
Qal 12 Hithpael 4 Piel 3 Pual 1
Mood
Indicative/jussive 9 Indicative 7 Indicative/cohortative 1

Aspect in Hebrew reflects grammatical form, not tense. "Perfect" (Perfective) typically denotes completed action; "Imperfect" (Imperfective) denotes incomplete or ongoing action. Stem modifies the action type (Qal=simple, Niphal=passive, Piel=intensive, etc.).

Morphology: OSHB WLC (Open Scriptures, CC BY 4.0) · STEPBible TEHMC (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0)

Word Pictures (Robertson)
Sources