soap Summary and Overview

(Jer. 2:22; Mal. 3:2; Heb. borith), properly a vegetable alkali, obtained from the ashes of certain plants, particularly the salsola kali (saltwort), which abounds on the shores of the Dead Sea and of the Mediterranean. It does not appear that the Hebrews were acquainted with what is now called "soap," which is a compound of alkaline carbonates with oleaginous matter. The word "purely" in Isa. 1:25 (R.V., "throughly;" marg., "as with lye") is lit. "as with "bor"." This word means "clearness," and hence also that which makes clear, or pure, alkali. "The ancients made use of alkali mingled with oil, instead of soap (Job 9:30), and also in smelting metals, to make them melt and flow more readily and purely" (Gesenius).

The Hebrew term borith is a general term for any substance of cleansing qualities. As, however, it appears in #Jer 2:22| in contradistinction to nether, which undoubtedly means "natron" or mineral alkali, it is fair to infer that borith refers to vegetable alkali, or some kind of potash, which forms one of the usual ingredients in our soap. Numerous plants capable of yielding alkalies exist in Israel and the surrounding countries; we may notice one named hubeibeh (the Salsola kali of botanists) found near the Dead Sea, the ashes of which are called el-kuli, from their strong alkaline properties.

SOAP . Jer 2:22; Mal 3:2. Several kinds of shrubby alkaline plants, one of which is figured, grow very abundantly in the vicinity of the Dead Salsola Kali. and Mediterranean Seas. The Arabs dry and burn these, and obtain a large proportion of potash from their ashes. With this, from oil and other fatty substances, a soft soap has been made by the Jews from very early times. They used it not only for washing their persons and their clothes, but in smelting metals as a flux, or substance which cleansed them and made them flow more readily. In Isa 1:25 the reading should be, instead of "purely," "as with alkali." Making hard soap from olive oil is the only important manufacturing business of modern Jerusalem. There is considerable exportation from Palestine of the alkali mentioned above. See Nitre

borit. (See FULLER.) Jeremiah 2:22. Vegetable alkali or potash. Many plants yielding alkalies exist in Israel and around: hubeibet (Salsola kali) with glass-like leaves near the Dead Sea; ajram near Sinai, pounded for use as soap; the gilloo or soap plant of Egypt; and the heaths near Joppa. The Saponaria offcinalis and Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum. (Job 9:30; Isaiah 1:25). Hebrew for "purely" "as alkali (purifies)."