What does כָּבַס (kābas) mean in the Bible?
The Hebrew verb kabas describes washing or laundering, especially garments. At Sinai, the people wash their clothes as part of preparation for meeting the Lord.
Hebrew · H3526
כָּבַס
To trample ; hence, to wash (properly, by stamping with the feet), whether literal (including the fulling process) or figurative
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כָּבַסH3526
Pronunciationkābas
What does כָּבַס (kābas) mean in the Bible?
The Hebrew verb kabas describes washing or laundering, especially garments. At Sinai, the people wash their clothes as part of preparation for meeting the Lord.
Reader summary
Full entry for כָּבַס (H3526) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3526?
The BSB source-word alignment has 51 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include must wash (17), He must wash (3), to the Launderer’s (3), wash (3), it has been washed (2).
Where does כָּבַס (kābas) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 49:11. Its strongest book concentrations include Leviticus (31), Numbers (8), Exodus (2), Isaiah (2).
What This Word Actually Means
The Hebrew verb kabas describes washing or laundering, especially garments. At Sinai, the people wash their clothes as part of preparation for meeting the Lord. Priestly and purity instructions repeatedly require a person to wash garments after particular contact or ritual conditions. Narrative can mention ordinary personal neglect of washing, while Psalms and prophets use washing imagery for forgiveness, cleansing, and refinement.
The physical action and the figurative appeal must be distinguished. Laundry in Torah does not mean that a person's body or identity is morally dirty, and ritual uncleanness is not identical to sin, contagion, inferiority, or divine rejection. Psalm 51's prayer for cleansing arises from acknowledged wrongdoing; it must not be turned against victims as if harm done to them were their stain.
Malachi's launderer image concerns the Lord's purifying judgment in its prophetic setting. Responsible teaching preserves hygiene, ritual, poetic, and moral senses while refusing shame, compulsive washing, purity abuse, or promises that a physical wash removes guilt or illness.
How the Bible Uses It
Kabas describes laundering garments in preparation and purity procedures, ordinary washing, and figurative cleansing or refining. Each occurrence must distinguish physical care, ritual status, and moral repentance.
- Exod.19.10
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes
The Lord directs Moses to consecrate the people and have them wash their clothes before Sinai.
- Exod.19.14
When Moses came down from the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.
Moses consecrates the people after descending the mountain, and they wash their clothes in preparation.
- Num.19.7
Then the priest must wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; after that he may enter the camp, but he will be ceremonially unclean until evening.
The priest washes his clothes and bathes after the red-heifer procedure before later reentering the camp.
- Num.19.19
The man who is ceremonially clean is to sprinkle the unclean person on the third day and on the seventh day. After he purifies the unclean person on the seventh day, the one being cleansed must wash his clothes and bathe in water, and that evening he will be clean.
The purification procedure includes washing clothes and bathing before cleanness at evening.
- 2Sam.19.24
Then Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, went down to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king had left until the day he returned safely.
Mephibosheth has not cared for his feet, trimmed his mustache, or washed his clothes during David's absence.
- Ps.51.2
Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
David asks God to wash away his iniquity and cleanse him from acknowledged sin.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itmust wash17×Leviticus 11:25, Leviticus 11:28, Leviticus 11:40, Leviticus 14:8
He must wash3×Leviticus 13:34, Leviticus 14:9, Leviticus 15:27
to the Launderer’s3×2 Kings 18:17, Isaiah 7:3, Isaiah 36:2
wash3×Leviticus 15:13, Leviticus 17:16, Jeremiah 4:14
it has been washed2×Leviticus 13:55, Leviticus 13:56
must also wash2×Numbers 19:8, Numbers 19:10
-1×Leviticus 14:47
. . .1×Psalms 51:2
[like] a launderer’s1×Malachi 3:2
[that person] must wash1×Leviticus 15:8
[the one being cleansed] must wash1×Numbers 19:19
and they washed1×Exodus 19:14
and wash1×Numbers 8:7
He washes1×Genesis 49:11
must be washed1×Leviticus 15:17
the one who was touched must wash1×Leviticus 15:11
The person must wash1×Leviticus 13:6
themselves and washed1×Numbers 8:21
then it is to be washed1×Leviticus 13:58
They must wash1×Exodus 19:10
to be washed1×Leviticus 13:54
wash me1×Psalms 51:7
washed1×2 Samuel 19:24
washing1×Leviticus 13:58
you are to wash1×Numbers 31:24
you must wash1×Leviticus 6:27
you wash1×Jeremiah 2:22
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 49:11כִּבֵּ֤סtoHe washesVerb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularExodus 19:10וְכִבְּס֖וּtoThey must washConjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralExodus 19:14וַֽיְכַבְּס֖וּtoand they washedConjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralLeviticus 6:27תְּכַבֵּ֖סtoyou must washVerb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singularLeviticus 11:25יְכַבֵּ֥סtomust washVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singularLeviticus 11:28יְכַבֵּ֥סtomust washVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singularLeviticus 11:40יְכַבֵּ֥סtomust washVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singularLeviticus 11:40יְכַבֵּ֥סtomust washVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singularLeviticus 13:6וְכִבֶּ֥סtoThe person must washConjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularLeviticus 13:34וְכִבֶּ֥סtoHe must washConjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 49:11
Aligned rows51
Books represented10
Genesis1Exodus2Leviticus31Numbers82 Samuel12 Kings1Psalms2Isaiah2Jeremiah2Malachi1
Source forms
יְכַבֵּ֧ס6xyə·ḵab·bêsLeviticus 15:5, Leviticus 15:6, Leviticus 15:7, Leviticus 15:10
וְכִבֶּ֧ס4xwə·ḵib·besLeviticus 15:8, Leviticus 15:11, Leviticus 15:27, Numbers 19:19
יְכַבֵּ֥ס4xyə·ḵab·bêsLeviticus 11:25, Leviticus 11:28, Leviticus 11:40
יְכַבֵּ֣ס3xyə·ḵab·bêsLeviticus 16:26, Leviticus 16:28, Numbers 19:21
כוֹבֵֽס׃3xḵō·w·ḇês2 Kings 18:17, Isaiah 7:3, Isaiah 36:2
הֻכַּבֵּ֣ס2xhuk·kab·bêsLeviticus 13:55, Leviticus 13:56
וְכִבֶּ֥ס2xwə·ḵib·besLeviticus 13:6, Leviticus 13:34
וְכִבֶּ֣ס2xwə·ḵib·besLeviticus 14:9, Leviticus 15:13
Parsing patterns
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular17xLeviticus 11:25, Leviticus 11:28, Leviticus 11:40, Leviticus 14:47
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular12xLeviticus 13:6, Leviticus 13:34, Leviticus 14:8, Leviticus 14:9
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural3xExodus 19:10, Leviticus 13:54, Numbers 8:7
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular3x2 Kings 18:17, Isaiah 7:3, Isaiah 36:2
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural2xExodus 19:14, Numbers 8:21
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Pual - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular2xLeviticus 13:58, Leviticus 15:17
Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive construct2xLeviticus 13:55, Leviticus 13:56
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular2xLeviticus 6:27, Leviticus 13:58
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Concerns about compulsive washing, skin injury, contamination fear, or inability to manage daily care may need compassionate clinical and practical support.
- Community hygiene practices should use current health guidance, accessible facilities, consent, and non-shaming assistance rather than proof-texted purity rules.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that ritual washing texts classify menstruation, illness, disability, grief, or victimization as moral defilement.
- Do not claim that physical washing forgives sin, cures disease, erases trauma, or demonstrates superior faith.
- Do not claim that every biblical washing image refers to baptism or to one identical cleansing process.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Washing through trampling motion; the physical labor of cleansing merges literal and figurative purification.
Strong'sH3526
Lexical occurrences51 versesWord forms3 forms29 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkLeviticus 13:53-59Source Gloss
to trample ; hence, to wash (properly, by stamping with the feet), whether literal (including the fulling process) or figurative
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Washing through trampling motion; the physical labor of cleansing merges literal and figurative purification.
to trample; hence, to wash (properly, by stamping with the feet), whether literal (including the fulling process) or figurative BDB: tread Usage: fuller, wash(-ing).
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups3Aligned forms29
Pielintensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action24×
ImperfectLev 11:25 · Lev 11:28 · Lev 11:40 · Lev 14:47 · Lev 15:5 · Lev 15:6 · Lev 15:7 · Lev 15:10 · Lev 15:21 · Lev 15:22 · Lev 16:26 · Lev 16:28 · Lev 17:16 · Num 19:8 · Num 19:21 · Lev 6:2020×
Perfect2Sam 19:25 · Gen 49:112×
Sequential imperfectJer 4:141×
Participle activeMal 3:21×
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense3×
Participle active2Kgs 18:17 · Isa 7:3 · Isa 36:23×
Hithpolal2×
Infinitive constructLev 13:55 · Lev 13:562×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Literal washing of garments in the fulling process to check for mildew
Ritual washing of the body for purification from uncleanness
Ceremonial washing required for restoration to ritual purity
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 51 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
כָּבַס is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Kabas keeps material and moral cleansing related without confusing them. Washing garments at Sinai prepares a covenant people for a particular meeting with the Lord. Numbers prescribes washing within Israel's ritual purity system, where uncleanness is a defined status managed by stated procedures. It is not a declaration that a person's body, disability, menstruation, grief, or social identity is sinful.
Mephibosheth's unwashed clothes appear among signs of distress during David's absence and should not become grounds for contempt toward someone whose care has been disrupted. Psalm 51 deliberately uses washing imagery for moral guilt because David confesses wrongdoing. That prayer offers language for repentance by an offender, not a command that survivors cleanse themselves of another person's violence.
Faithful teaching can affirm practical hygiene, honor Torah's covenant categories, and receive God's forgiveness without making physical washing magical. It must also recognize that anxiety disorders, trauma, poverty, disability, displacement, or limited water access can shape washing practices. Pastoral care should reduce shame, support appropriate care, and refer persistent compulsions or health concerns to qualified professionals rather than spiritualizing them.
Anchor passage
Ps.51.2
Doctrinal connections
- Preparation at Sinai joins bodily practice to a specific covenant encounter under the Lord's instruction.
- Israel's purity procedures regulate access and time without making every ritual condition a personal moral failure.
- Material washing can support communal care while remaining unable by itself to forgive sin.
- Mephibosheth's neglected care appears within distress and contested testimony rather than as evidence of worthlessness.
- Psalm 51 places cleansing within an offender's honest confession and dependence on God's mercy.
- Prophetic laundering imagery portrays divine refinement while its specific oracle controls the judgment being announced.
Kabas is a Hebrew verb commonly used for washing or laundering garments, historically associated with working fabric in water. Figurative uses extend the material action toward cleansing, but the object and genre determine whether literal laundry or moral imagery is intended.
From Old to New Testament
The New Testament speaks of washing, baptism, cleansing, forgiveness, and purified garments through varied Greek terms and theological settings. Canonical links should follow explicit texts without making kabas the lexical basis for every baptismal or cleansing claim.