WASHING

Various ceremonial washings were enjoined in the Mosaic law, both upon priests, Ex 30:19-21, and upon others, Le 12:1; 15:33 Heb 9:10. These were significant of spiritual purification through the Savior’s blood, Tit 3:5 Re 1:5, as well as of that holiness without which none can see God. To these the Jews added other traditional ablutions, Mr 7:2-4; and regarded it as an act of impiety to neglect them, as Christ frequently did, Lu 11:38. The washing of the hands before and after meals, Mt 15:2, called for by their custom of feeding themselves with their fingers, is still practiced in Syria. See cut in BED. Where there is a servant in attendance, he pours water from a pitcher over his master’s hands, holding also a broad vessel underneath them, 2Ki 3:11 Ps 60:8. See FOOT and SANDALS. "Washing the hands" was a protestation of innocence, De 21:6 Mt 27:24; and has given rise to the proverbial saying common among us, "I wash my hands of that."

---

Washing. Washing
(Mark 7:1-9). The Jews, like other Orientals, used their fingers when taking food, and therefore washed their hands before doing so, for the sake of cleanliness. Here the reference is to the ablutions prescribed by tradition, according to which “the disciples ought to have gone down to the side of the lake, washed their hands thoroughly, ‘rubbing the fist of one hand in the hollow of the other, then placed the ten finger-tips together, holding the hands up, so that any surplus water might flow down to the elbow, and thence to the ground.’” To neglect to do this had come to be regarded as a great sin, a sin equal to the breach of any of the ten commandments. Moses had commanded washings oft, but always for some definite cause; but the Jews multiplied the legal observance till they formed a large body of precepts. To such precepts about ceremonial washing Mark here refers. (See ABLUTION.)

---

WASHING. → Of hands, a token of innocence De 21:6; Ps 26:6; 73:13; Mt 27:24 → See ABLUTION → See PURIFICATION → FIGURATIVE
* Of regeneration Ps 51:7; Pr 30:12; Isa 1:16; 4:4; Zec 13:1; 1Co 6:11; Eph 5:26; Tit 3:5

---

Wash″ing, n. 1. 1. The act of one who washes; the act of cleansing with water; ablution.
2. 2. The clothes washed, esp. at one time; a wash.
Washing bear (Zoöl.), the raccoon. — Washing bottle (Chem.), a bottle fitted with glass tubes passing through the cork, so that on blowing into one of the tubes a stream of water issuing from the other may be directed upon anything to be washed or rinsed, as a precipitate upon a filter, etc. — Washing fluid, a liquid used as a cleanser, and consisting usually of alkaline salts resembling soaps in their action. — Washing machine, a machine for washing; specifically, a machine for washing clothes. — Washing soda. (Chem.) See Sodium carbonate, under Sodium. — Washing stuff, any earthy deposit containing gold enough to pay for washing it; — so called among gold miners.