ne.ter denotes a cleansing substance used in washing and set beside vinegar in a proverb.

The attested uses present ne.ter as a material associated with washing in Jeremiah 2:22 and with vinegar in the comparison of Proverbs 25:20; the two verses do not establish separate lexical senses.

1. A cleansing material in washing and comparison · dominant

   Both occurrences are masculine singular absolute nouns. In Jeremiah 2:22, the noun occurs in the clause about washing, where the APB renders, “Though you wash with lye”; in Proverbs 25:20, it occurs in the comparison “vinegar upon lye,” alongside actions judged unsuitable for a heavy heart.

   Jeremiah 2:22Proverbs 25:20

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB presents the term as “lye” in both verses: as something used in washing in Jeremiah 2:22 and as the object of vinegar in Proverbs 25:20. These renderings confirm the verse-level presentation rather than establish finer distinctions.