English Standard Version
Exodus 30:20
20When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn a food offering to the Lord, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die.
Exodus 30:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the Lord:
- New International Version (NIV)Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the Lord,
- New King James Version (NKJV)When they go into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to the Lord, they shall wash with water, lest they die.
- New Living Translation (NLT)They must wash with water whenever they go into the Tabernacle to appear before the Lord and when they approach the altar to burn up their special gifts to the Lord—or they will die!
Context of Exodus 30:20
18"You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it, 19with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet. When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn a food offering to the Lord, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die. 21They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die. It shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his offspring throughout their generations." 22The Lord said to Moses,
Read all of Exodus 30Exodus 30:20 word by word
בְּבֹאָ֞ם אֶל־אֹ֧הֶל מוֹעֵ֛ד יִרְחֲצוּ־מַ֖יִם וְלֹ֣א יָמֻ֑תוּ א֣וֹ בְגִשְׁתָּ֤ם אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ לְשָׁרֵ֔ת לְהַקְטִ֥יר אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַֽיהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- When they goבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- into the tabernacleאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
- of the congregationמוֹעֵדmô‛êd mô‛êd mô‛âdâh · meetingH4150
- they shall washרָחַץrâchats · to wash: washH7364
- with waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
- that they dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- not; or when they come nearנָגַשׁnâgash · to approach: approachH5066
- to the altarמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
- to ministerשָׁרַתshârath · to ministerH8334
- to burn offeringקָטַרqâţar · to offer: burnH6999
- made by fireאִשֶּׁה'ishshâh · food offeringH801
- unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for Exodus 30:20
- Exodus 12:15Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven out of your houses, for if anyone eats what is leavened, from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel.
- Leviticus 10:1Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them.
- Leviticus 16:1The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the Lord and died,
- 1 Samuel 6:19And he struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked upon the ark of the Lord. He struck seventy men of them, and the people mourned because the Lord had struck the people with a great blow.
- 1 Chronicles 13:10And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God.
- Psalms 89:7a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him?
- Acts 5:5When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it.
- Hebrews 12:28Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,
Commentaries on Exodus 30:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20They shall wash with water, that they die not - This was certainly an emblematical washing; and as the hands and the feet are particularly mentioned, it must refer to the purity of their whole conduct. Their hands - all their works, their feet - all their goings, must be washed - must be holiness unto the Lord. And this washing must be repeated every time they entered into the tabernacle, or when they came near to the altar to minister. This washing was…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17-21Verses 17-21 Exodus 38:8. The bronze for the “Laver of brass” and its foot was supplied from the bronze mirrors of the women who voluntarily gave up these articles of luxury. Bronze mirrors were much used by the ancient Egyptians. No hint is given as to the form of the laver. The brazen sea and the ten lavers that served the same purpose in the temple of Solomon, were elaborately worked in artistic designs and are minutely described 1 Kings 7:23-29…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-21Verses 17-21 A large vessel of brass, holding water, was to be set near the door of the tabernacle. Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and feet at this laver, every time they went in to minister. This was to teach them purity in all their services, and to dread the pollution of sin. They must not only wash and be made clean, when first made priests, but must wash and be kept clean, whenever they went to minister. It teaches us daily to attend upon…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-21On why the plans for the bronze washbasin are included here, see study note on 30:1–10.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2118-21. Thou shalt ... make a laver of brass--Though not actually forming a component part of the furniture of the tabernacle, this vase was closely connected with it; and though from standing at the entrance it would be a familiar object, it possessed great interest and importance from the baptismal purposes to which it was applied. No data are given by which its form and size can be ascertained; but it was probably a miniature pattern of Solomon's--a…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 30:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 30
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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