בֹּרִית
𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤕
bôrîyth
H1287 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
An alkaline substance derived from plant ashes, primarily used as a cleansing or bleaching agent, particularly for washing and laundering. It refers to a natural soda or potash compound effective in cleaning wool, garments, or, metaphorically, in ritual or moral purifications.
Semantic Range
alkaline plant-derived cleanser, lye, potash, substance for laundering, metaphorical purifier, material for refining or cleansing fabrics
Root / Etymology
From the root בֹּור (bor), meaning 'lye' or 'alkali,' with בֹּרִית formed as a feminine noun indicating the substance produced from the root's meaning of 'cleansing agent.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
בֹּרִית appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible (Malachi 3:2, Jeremiah 2:22), always in the context of washing or cleansing, especially for removing physical or metaphorical stains. Its primary reference is to an alkaline substance, most likely derived from the ashes of plants such as the alkaline halophyte Salsola kali, used historically in the ancient Near East for cleaning fabric and wool. The word is distinct from חֶבֶל (hevel, 'soapstone') and from the root כבשׁ (k-b-sh, 'to wash'), reflecting a particular focus on alkaline cleansers rather than generic soap or physical washing. In post-biblical Hebrew, בורית continued to signify lye or soap-like substances. Some English translations render it as 'soap' or 'lye,' but in the Iron Age context, soap as known today did not exist; the biblical term refers more accurately to alkaline salts used for cleansing. The later English term 'soap' may obscure the natural, mineral-plant origin of the biblical בֹּרִית. Its use in prophetic and poetic texts often has a figurative aspect, indicating thorough moral or ritual purification, not just physical cleaning.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of בֹּר; vegetable alkali; sope.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בור (b-w-r) — to cleanse, to purify, to make bright
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1287-01 |
בֹּרִ֑ית | borit | HNcfsa |
soap | alkaline cleanser | 1 |
H1287-02 |
וּ/כְ/בֹרִ֖ית | ukhevorit | HC/R/Ncfsa |
and like | and like cleansing-lye | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1287-01 |
Jeremiah 2:22 | בֹּרִ֑ית | borit | HNcfsa |
soap | alkaline cleanser |
H1287-02 |
Malachi 3:2 | וּ/כְ/בֹרִ֖ית | ukhevorit | HC/R/Ncfsa |
and like | and like cleansing-lye |