For though thou wash thee with nitre
The word (rtn) , "nitre",
is only used in this place and in ( Proverbs
25:20 ) and it is hard to say what it is. Kimchi and Ben
Melech observe, that some say it is what is called "alum"; and
others that it is a dust with which they wash the head, and
cleanse everything; and so Jarchi says it is a kind of earth used
in cleaning garments; and "nitre" is mentioned by the Misnic
doctors F19 among those things which are used
for the washing of garments, and taking spots out of them; though
about what it is they are not agreed; and it seems the nitre of
the ancients is unknown to us {t}; and saltpetre is put in the
room of it; and some render the word here "saltpetre"; and Pliny
F21 observes, that nitre does not much
differ from salt, and ascribes to it a virtue of eating out
filth, and removing it; so Aristotle F23 reports of the lake
Ascania; that its water is of such a nitrous quality, that
garments, being put into it, need no other washing. Nitre has its
name from (rtn) , "to
loose", because it looses the filth, and cleanses from it:
and take thee much soap.
The Septuagint render it, "herb"; and the Vulgate Latin version,
"the herb borith"; which is the Hebrew word here used; and about
the sense of which there is some difficulty. Kimchi and Ben
Melech say some take it to be the same with what is called
"soap"; so Jarchi; and others, that it is an herb with which they
wash, the same that is called fullers' herb; but whether it is
soap, or fullers' herb, or fullers' earth, as others, it is
certain it is something fullers used in cleaning garments, as
appear from ( Malachi 3:2 ) , where
the same word is used, and fullers made mention of as using what
is signified by it. It has its name from (hrb) , which signifies to "cleanse" and "purify".
The sense is, let this backsliding and degenerate people take
what methods they will to cleanse themselves from their sins, as
by their ceremonial ablutions and sacrifices, which was the usual
method they had recourse to, to purify themselves, and in which
they rested: yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith
the Lord God;
or, "will retain its spots" F24 these remain; the filth is
not washed away; the iniquity is not hid and covered; it appears
very plain and manifest; yea, shines like gold;
or, "is gilded" F25; as the word used signifies. It is
of too deep a die to be removed by such external things; nothing
but the blood of Christ can cleanse from sin, take away its
filth, removes its guilt, and cover it out of the sight of God,
so that it can be seen no more. The Targum is,
``for if you think to be cleansed from your sins, as they cleanse with nitre, or make white with "borith", or soap; lo, as the mark of a spot which is not clean, so are your sins multiplied before me, saith the Lord God.''