Bible Dictionaries
Spit, Spittle

Holman Bible Dictionary

Spitting at or on someone is the strongest sign of contempt. The brother who refused to perform levirate marriage (have a child by his brother's wife to carry on the name of the brother, Deuteronomy 25:5-6 ) would have his face spit in by the spurned wife of the brother (Deuteronomy 25:7-9 ). The soldiers that mocked Jesus before His crucifixion spat on Him (Matthew 27:30 ). The religious leaders who tried Jesus before taking Him to Pilate spat in His face (Matthew 26:67 ). Spittle was used to heal (Mark 8:23; John 9:6 ). Mixing spittle with clay (John 9:6 ) may have been to deliberately break the Sabbath laws of the Jewish religious leaders.