Original Word: טֹהַר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: tohar
Pronunciation: TO-har
Phonetic Spelling: (to'-har)
KJV: clearness, glory, purifying
Word Origin: [from H2891 (טָּהֵר - clean)]

1. literally brightness
2. ceremonially purification

clearness, glory, purifying

From taher; literally brightness; ceremonially purification -- clearness, glory, purifying.

see HEBREW taher

טֹּ֫הַר noun [masculine] purity, purifying —

1 purity, כְּעֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם לָטֹּ֫הַר Exodus 24:10 (JE), as the body of heavens for purity.

2 suffix יְמֵי טָהֳרָהּ Leviticus 12:4,6 the days of her purifying (menstruation).

[טֳהָר] (see Ges^{§ 10}. 2. B), or [טְהָר] (Ol^{§ 173 b} Bö^{§ 386}),

noun [masculine] clearness, lustre (dubious word; below טֹהַר Hup Pe SS; so Thes, reading מִטָּהֳרוֺ) — only הִשְׁבַּתָּ מִטֳּהָרוֺ Psalm 89:45; De Hup Pe Sch thou hast made (him) to cease from his lustre; ᵑ6 ᵑ9 made his lustre to cease, so AE Ki and others reading noun מִטְהָרוֺ or מִטְּהָרוֺ (dagesh forte according to Ges^{§ 20}. 2. 2 b), and Schr^{SK 1868, 642} who reads הִשְׁבַּתָּה טְהָרוֺ; Gr proposes עטרתוֺ his crown; Bae מַטֶּה מִיָּדוֺ sceptre from his hand.

Definition and Scope

טֹהַר (tohar) denotes a quality of unblemished clarity, a brilliance that is free from any defilement or impurity. While the noun appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, it is closely related to the wider root טהר, from which come common terms for ceremonial and moral cleanness. In both of its occurrences, tohar functions as a vivid metaphor, portraying either the flawless splendor of God’s presence or, conversely, the disappearance of royal magnificence under divine judgment.

Canonical Occurrences

1. Exodus 24:10 – When the seventy elders ascend Mount Sinai with Moses, “under His feet was a work like a pavement of sapphire stone, as clear as the sky itself”. Here tohar renders the “clarity” of the heavenly pavement, emphasizing the unclouded purity of God’s realm.
2. Psalm 89:44 – Lamenting the apparent collapse of the Davidic monarchy, the psalmist cries, “You have put an end to his splendor and cast his throne to the ground”. The noun is translated “splendor,” signifying the once-brilliant purity of the king’s glory now extinguished.

Theological Themes

• Divine Holiness: In Exodus 24, tohar underscores the transparent perfection of the God who reveals Himself. The imagery anticipates later prophetic visions (for example, Ezekiel 1:26) where God’s throne is surrounded by gleaming crystal, portraying His absolute holiness.
• Glory Removed through Judgment: Psalm 89 uses tohar ironically; the purity associated with royal honor has been “brought to an end.” The contrast highlights the covenantal principle that sin obscures glory, whereas obedience preserves it.
• Purity as a Prerequisite for Fellowship: The elders behold God only after the covenant is ratified with blood (Exodus 24:8–10). Purity—symbolized by tohar—is therefore not merely aesthetic but relational, making communion with the Holy One possible.

Relation to Ritual and Moral Purity

Though the noun itself is rare, the root טהר saturates Leviticus, Numbers, and Ezekiel, regulating everything from cleansing rituals (Leviticus 14:7) to the priestly garments (Exodus 28:36–38). Tohar represents the ideal toward which these ordinances point. It stands behind the call, “Be holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44).

Christological Perspective

The sapphire-like pavement that is “as clear as the sky” prefigures the perfected access believers now enjoy through Jesus Christ, whose blood “purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). In Him the fading royal purity lamented in Psalm 89 finds its restoration; He is the King whose splendor can never be diminished (Revelation 1:13–16).

Intertextual Connections

• Adjective טָהוֹר (tahor, “clean”): employs the same root in Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.”
• Noun טְהוּרָה (tehurah, “cleansing”): used in Zechariah 13:1 to describe the fountain opened “to cleanse them from sin and impurity.”

These cognates broaden the scriptural vision of purity from a physical description (tohar) to a moral and spiritual mandate.

Historical and Jewish Tradition

Rabbinic commentators often associate the sapphire clarity of Exodus 24 with the “blue of the tzitzit,” reminding Israel to keep the commandments (Numbers 15:38–39). The Targums equate the tohar in Psalm 89 with “glory,” reinforcing the loss of covenant honor when the monarchy fell.

Ministry and Practical Application

1. Worship: Tohar invites believers to approach God with reverent awe, recognizing the spotless purity of His presence (Hebrews 12:28–29).
2. Personal Holiness: The imagery challenges Christians to pursue lives “pure and blameless for the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:10).
3. Hope in Restoration: Even when purity seems lost—as in Psalm 89—God’s covenant faithfulness assures eventual renewal (Jeremiah 33:14–17).

Summary

Although appearing only twice, טֹהַר encapsulates a rich biblical motif: the radiant purity intrinsic to God, essential for covenant fellowship, and ultimately realized and restored in the Messiah.

לָטֹֽהַר׃ לטהר׃ מִטְּהָר֑וֹ מטהרו lā·ṭō·har laTohar lāṭōhar miṭ·ṭə·hā·rōw mittehaRo miṭṭəhārōwInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts