Exodus 30:20

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,
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• 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.

Context of Exodus 30:20

18“You are also to make a large bronze basin with a bronze stand for washing. You are to put it between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it, 19and Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and their feet from it. When they enter the tent of meeting, they must wash with water so that they do not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by burning incense as an offering made by fire to the Lord, 21they must wash their hands and their feet so that they do not die. And this will be a perpetual ordinance for them and for their descendants throughout their generations.” 22The Lord spoke to Moses:

Exodus 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 12:15For seven days you must eat bread made without yeast. Surely on the first day you must put away yeast from your houses because anyone who eats bread made with yeast from the first day to the seventh day will be cut off from Israel.
• Leviticus 10:1Then Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, each took his fire pan and put fire in it, set incense on it, and presented strange fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them to do.
• Leviticus 16:1The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of Aaron’s two sons when they approached the presence of the Lord and died,
• 1 Samuel 6:19But the Lord struck down some of the people of Beth Shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the Lord; he struck down 50,070 of the men. The people grieved because the Lord had struck the people with a hard blow.
• 1 Chronicles 13:10The Lord was so furious with Uzzah, he killed him, because he reached out his hand and touched the ark. He died right there before God.
• Psalms 89:7a God who is honored in the great angelic assembly, and more awesome than all who surround him?
• Acts 5:5When Ananias heard these words he collapsed and died, and great fear gripped all who heard about it.
• Hebrews 12:28So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion 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

• Ablution
• Laver
• Purification
• Types
• Worship

In the dictionaries

• Ablution
• Beat
• Compound
• Curious
• Onycha
• Perpetual
• Purification
• Smell
• Spices
• Temper

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