How many times is ashes mentioned in the Bible?
The word ashes appears 43 times in the King James Version, in 42 verses. It is found in 21 of the 66 books. The World English Bible uses ashes 40 times.
Ashes in the King James Version and the World English Bible
Each form of ashes counted in each translation.
| Form | KJV | WEB |
|---|---|---|
| ashes | 43 | 40 |
| Total | 43 | 40 |
Which books mention ashes most
Ashes appears in 21 books of the 66 in the King James Version. Leviticus has the most (5), then Numbers (4) and 1 Kings (4).
Also in: Jonah (1), Malachi (1), Matthew (1), Luke (1), Hebrews (1), 2 Peter (1).
First and last mention of ashes
And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
The verse that uses it most is Leviticus 4:12, 2 times:
Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.
Where the two translations differ
3 verses match in the KJV but not in the World English Bible, and 0 verses match only in the World English Bible, usually because the other translation chose a different word there.
1 Kings 20:38: counted in the KJV only
So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.
So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with his headband over his eyes.
1 Kings 20:41: counted in the KJV only
And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.
He hurried, and took the headband away from his eyes; and the king of Israel recognized that he was one of the prophets.
Verses with ashes on our topic pages
2 verses that use ashes in the World English Bible are in our topic collections.
to provide for those who mourn in Zion, to give to them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Yahweh, that he may be glorified.
On: Comfort, Depression
I set my face to the Lord God, to seek by prayer and petitions, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.
On: Fasting
Common questions
How many times is ashes in the Old Testament and the New Testament?
In the King James Version, counting every form, 39 of the 43 uses are in the Old Testament and 4 in the New Testament. Ashes appears in 21 books of the 66 in the King James Version. Leviticus has the most (5), then Numbers (4) and 1 Kings (4).
Where is ashes first mentioned in the Bible?
The first use in the King James Version is Genesis 18:27: "And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:" The last is 2 Peter 2:6.
More word counts: sickness, Kohath, curse, life, eyes, garden, sea, youth, or all 635 words.
Counted by Bible Says About from the full public-domain text of the King James Version (1769 edition) and the World English Bible. Verse text only: headings and psalm titles are left out. A word is a run of letters: a hyphenated name like Beer-sheba counts as two, and an apostrophe stays inside its word (LORD'S is one). Matching ignores capital letters. Data compiled 2026-10-24.