Bible Dictionary
DIP
To dip means to immerse or moisten something, especially in blood, water, or another liquid. Priests dipped their fingers in sacrificial blood before sprinkling it in worship.
Definition
To dip means to immerse or moisten something in a liquid, especially blood or water, and may include sprinkling after dipping. The term can also describe a foot or garment associated with blood, though some passages have disputed readings.
Biblical Usage
Priests dipped a finger in sacrificial blood and sprinkled it before the Lord. Similar dipping occurred in the cleansing of infected houses and lepers. Psalm 68:23 uses the expression of dipping the foot in blood, while Revelation 19:13 has a textual variation between dipped and sprinkled.
Historical Background
The underlying Hebrew and Greek words mean to dip in or moisten. In Revelation, the Revised Version follows a reading meaning sprinkled, while its margin retains dipped in.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>Priests when offering a sin offering were required to dip a finger into the blood of the sacrificed bullock and "to sprinkle of the blood seven times before Yahweh" (compare Le 4:6, et al.). See also the law referring to the cleansing of infected houses (Le 14:51) and the cleansing of a leper (Le 14:16). In all such cases "to dip" is "to moisten," "to besprinkle," "to dip in," the Hebrew Tabhal, or the Greek bapto. See also ASHER. In Ps 68:23 "dipping" is not translated from the Hebrew, but merely employed for a better understanding of the passage: "Thou mayest crush them, dipping thy foot in blood" (the King James Version "that thy foot may be dipped in the blood"). Re 19:13 is a very doubtful passage. the King James Version reads: "a vesture dipped in blood" (from bapto, "to dip"); the Revised Version (British and American) following another reading (either rhaino, or rhantizo, both "to sprinkle"), translates "a garment sprinkled with blood." the Revised Version, margin gives "dipped in." See also SOP.</p><p>A. L. Breslich</p>