We are in chapter twenty-four of Exodus with our word for today. טֹ֫הַר purity, clearness, purifying. The noun is used 3 times in the Old Testament. Let’s look at all the uses starting with our chapter since it is the first time it is used in the Bible. Exodus 24:10 And they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven לָטֹֽהַר for clearness. The verb, which is used 94 times in the Old Testament, in Job helps us understand this word better. Job 37:21 And now no one looks on the light when it is bright in the skies, when the wind has passed וַֽתְּטַהֲרֵֽם and cleared them. The NIV translates our word clean which is the idea here. The wind sweeps by and cleans so that it is clear. This is the idea of our word in our chapter. God is seen as one that has under his feet this pavement that is so clean that it is clear as sapphire stone. All the other uses of our word in the noun form has this sense of cleansing. Leviticus 12:1-4, 6-7 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If a woman conceives and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days. As at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Then she shall continue for thirty-three days in the blood of טָהֳרָ֑ה her purifying. She shall not touch anything holy, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of טָהֳרָֽהּ her purifying are completed … And she shall continue in the blood of טָהֳרָֽה her purifying for sixty-six days. And when the days of טָהֳרָ֗הּ her purifying are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb a year old for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering, and he shall offer it before the Lord and make atonement for her. Then she shall וְטָהֲרָ֖ה be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, either male or female. The verb form shows how God cleans us from our sin. I’ll close with these great passages. Jeremiah 33:8 וְטִ֣הַרְתִּ֔ים I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Psalm 51:1-2, 7 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and טַהֲרֵֽנִי cleanse me from my sin … וְאֶטְהָ֑ר Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
