Job 9:30 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

Bible Comments

If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; If I wash myself with snow water - Supposed to have a more detergent quality than common water; and it was certainly preferred to common water by the ancients. Of this we find an example in an elegant but licentious author: Tandem ergo discubuimus, pueris Alexandrinis Aquam in manus Nivatam infundentibus, aliisque insequentibus ad pedes - Petr. Satyr., cap. xxxi. "At length we sat down, and had snow water poured on our hands by lads of Alexandria," etc. Mr. Good supposes that there is an allusion here to the ancient rite of washing the hands in token of innocence. See Psalms 26:6 : I will Wash my hands in Innocency; and Psalms 73:13 : Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and Washed my Hands in Innocency. And by this ceremony Pilate declared himself innocent of the blood of Christ, Matthew 27:24.

Job 9:30

30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;