Misquote: "Cleanliness is next to godliness"
While there are many references in the Torah (first five books of the Bible) to cleanliness, the focus is not on taking a bath. Mostly, being "clean" in the Bible refers to a state of ritual purity. That does sometimes involve hygiene, but cleansing in the Bible is often concerned most directly with a person's ability to enter holy places and engage in sacred activities.
The source of this proverb is not known, but some say it comes from a second-century Rabbi. The first reference in the English language comes from Sir Francis Bacon.
