טָהֵר ṭâhêr — properly, to be bright
Translated in the KJV as be (make, make self, pronounce) clean, cleanse, purge, purify(-ier, self).
a primitive root; properly, to be bright; i.e. (by implication); to be pure (physical sound, clear, unadulterated; Levitically, uncontaminated; morally, innocent or holy).
ṭâhêr in each stem
Pi'el
Sequential perfect (weqatal) 17Infinitive construct 11Wayyiqtol 4Perfect (qatal) 3Participle (active) 2Imperative 1Imperfect (yiqtol) 1
And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague be somewhat dark, and the plague spread not in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean: it is but a scab: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
Then the priest shall consider: and, behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: it is all turned white: he is clean.
And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if the plague be turned into white; then the priest shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: he is clean.
Qal (Pa'al)
Sequential perfect (weqatal) 17Imperfect (yiqtol) 10Perfect (qatal) 4Imperative 2Wayyiqtol 1
And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.
Who shall offer it before the Lord, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female.
And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.
Hitpa'el
Participle (active) 14Perfect (qatal) 3Imperative 1Sequential perfect (weqatal) 1Wayyiqtol 1
Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:
Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:
And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.
Pu'al
Participle (passive) 1
Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation.
What the stems mean
A Hebrew verb is its root letters set into a pattern. The pattern — the binyan — is the grammar's way of saying three things at once: whether the action is simple, intensive or causative, and whether its subject is active, passive or reflexive. That is why one Hebrew word can need six English ones. All seven binyanim, explained ›