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 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 laver of bronze, with its base also of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar. And you shall put water in it, 19for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet in water from it. 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. 21So they shall wash their hands and their feet, lest they die. And it shall be a statute forever to them—to him and his descendants throughout their generations.” 22Moreover the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

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 12:15Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel.
• Leviticus 10:1Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them.
• Leviticus 16:1Now the Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered profane fire before the Lord, and died;
• 1 Samuel 6:19Then He struck the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. He struck fifty thousand and seventy men of the people, and the people lamented because the Lord had struck the people with a great slaughter.
• 1 Chronicles 13:10Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzza, and He struck him because he put his hand to the ark; and he died there before God.
• Psalms 89:7God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him.
• Acts 5:5Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.
• Hebrews 12:28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

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