Original Word: רַחְצָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: rachtsah
Pronunciation: rakh-tsah
Phonetic Spelling: (rakh-tsaw')
KJV: washing
NASB: washing
Word Origin: [feminine of H7366 (רַחַץ - washbowl)]

1. a bathing place

washing

Feminine of rachats; a bathing place -- washing.

see HEBREW rachats

Word Origin
fem. of rachats
Definition
a washing
NASB Translation
washing (2).

רַחְצָה noun feminine id., literal; — ׳עָלוּ מִןהָֿר, of sheep, Songs 4:2; Songs 6:6 (in simile).

Overview

Strong’s Hebrew 7367 designates a place of washing. Though appearing only twice, the word paints a vivid picture of cleansing that enriches the Bible’s larger theology of purity, covenant love, and sanctification.

Occurrences in Scripture

Song of Songs 4:2 and Song of Songs 6:6 employ the term in nearly identical imagery: “Your teeth are like a flock of sheep coming up from the washing, each one bearing twins, and none has lost her young” (Song of Songs 6:6). The bridegroom’s praise hinges on the flawless whiteness and orderly arrangement of freshly washed sheep, transferring that pastoral perfection to the bride’s teeth.

Pastoral and Cultural Background

In the agrarian life of ancient Israel, sheep were immersed in flowing water before shearing so the wool could be carded and spun free of debris. Such pools were often hewn near springs or along streambeds. Seeing sheep emerge glistening and uniform provided a ready metaphor for purity and completeness—qualities prized not only in livestock but also in covenantal relationships and worship. Those who first sang Solomon’s song therefore pictured an actual, commonly observed ritual as they heard the poetry.

Symbolic and Theological Themes

1. Purity and Whiteness.

The washed sheep evoke sin erased and conscience cleansed. Isaiah 1:18 declares, “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” The same visual whiteness underlies the Song’s comparison.

2. Completeness and Order.

“Each one bearing twins, and none missing” highlights perfection without loss. Within marital imagery this assures the bride that she is wholly pleasing; within salvation themes it anticipates a redeemed community in which none of Christ’s people are absent (John 6:39).

3. Covenant Intimacy.

The washing-pool scene frames marital delight, which Scripture frequently uses to mirror the LORD’s covenant love for His people (Hosea 2:19–20; Ephesians 5:25–27). The very act of cleansing prepares the bride for joyful union, just as divine cleansing prepares believers for fellowship with God.

Connections Within the Canon

• Ritual washing stands at the heart of Levitical worship (Leviticus 16:4) and the ministry of priests (Exodus 30:18–21).
• Prophetic promises of inner washing anticipate the new covenant (Ezekiel 36:25–27).
• The New Testament unfolds the reality foreshadowed: “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 6:11).
• Christ cleanses His bride “by the washing with water through the word” (Ephesians 5:26), ensuring the church will be presented “without stain or wrinkle.”
• Revelation looks forward to the consummation: “They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14).

Practical and Ministry Implications

• Preaching. Strong’s 7367 encourages sermons that link the bride’s flawless teeth to believers’ call to holiness—external conduct reflecting internal cleansing.
• Discipleship. The shepherd’s vigilance in washing sheep models pastoral care: leaders labor so that every believer emerges pure and intact.
• Worship. References to the washing place remind congregations that purity precedes praise; confession and assurance of pardon rightly open gathered worship.
• Pastoral Counseling. The imagery offers hope for those burdened by guilt, assuring them that in Christ they can “come up from the washing” entirely clean and belonging.
• Marriage Ministry. Song of Songs employs the term within marital celebration, validating the pursuit of physical and spiritual purity that deepens spousal intimacy.

In two brief appearances, רַחְצָה invites readers to behold the transforming power of divine cleansing—an ancient shepherd’s pool that reflects the gospel’s promise of a spotless bride.

הָרַחְצָ֑ה הרחצה hā·raḥ·ṣāh harachTzah hāraḥṣāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts