Bible/Exodus/30

Exodus 30:20

30:19 For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:
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:

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When they go into the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water, that they not die; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to Yahweh.

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:

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 to the LORD:

30:21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.

What does Exodus 30:20 mean?

Exodus 30:20 is a verse in the book of Exodus, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include בּוֹא (bôwʼ), אֹהֶל (ʼôhel), מוֹעֵד (môwʻêd). It connects to 10 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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When
they
goבּוֹאbôwʼ/bo/H935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
into
the
tabernacleאֹהֶלʼôhel/o'-hel/H168a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance)
of
the
congregation,מוֹעֵדmôwʻêd/mo-ade'/H4150properly, an appointment, i.e. a fixed time or season; specifically, a festival; conventionally ayear; by implication, an assembly (as convened for a definite purpose); technically the congregation; by extension, the place of meeting; also a signal (as appointed beforehand)
they
shall
washרָחַץrâchats/raw-khats'/H7364to lave (the whole or a part of a thing)
with
water,מַיִםmayim/mah'-yim/H4325water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen
that
they
dieמוּתmûwth/mooth/H4191to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
not;
or
when
they
come
nearנָגַשׁnâgash/naw-gash'/H5066to be or come (causatively, bring) near (for any purpose); euphemistically, to lie with a woman; as an enemy, to attack; religious to worship; causatively, to present; figuratively, to adduce an argument; by reversal, to stand back
to
the
altarמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach/miz-bay'-akh/H4196an altar
to
minister,שָׁרַתshârath/shaw-rath'/H8334to attend as a menial or worshipper; figuratively, to contribute to
to
burn
offeringקָטַרqâṭar/kaw-tar'/H6999to smoke, i.e. turn into fragrance by fire (especially as an act of worship)
made
by
fireאִשָּׁהʼishshâh/ish-shaw'/H801properly, a burnt-offering; but occasionally of any sacrifice
unto
the
LORD:יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of God

Commentary on Exodus 30:20

HENRY_FULL · Exodus 30:19–23
hi >18 Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. 19 For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: 20 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 : 21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations. Orders are here given, 1. For the making of a laver, or font, of brass, a large vessel, that would contain a good quantity of water, which was to be set near the door of the tabernacle, v. 18 . The foot of brass, it is supposed, was so contrived as to receive the water, which was let into it out of the laver by spouts or cocks. They then had a laver for the priests only to wash in, but to us now there is a fountain open for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in ( Zech. xiii. 1 ), an inexhaustible fountain of living water, so that it is our own fault if we remain in our pollution. 2. For the using of this laver. Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and feet at this laver every time they went in to minister, every morning, at least, v. 19-21 . For this purpose clean water was put into the laver fresh every day. Though they washed themselves ever so clean at their own houses, that would not serve; they must wash at the laver, because that was appointed for washing, 2 Kings v. 12-14 . This was designed, (1.) To teach them purity in all their ministrations, and to possess them with a reverence of God's holiness and a dread of the pollutions of sin. They must not only wash and be made clean when they were first consecrated, but they must wash and be kept clean whenever they went in to minister. He only shall stand in God's holy place that has clean hands and a pure heart, Ps. xxiv. 3, 4 . And, (2.) It was to teach us, who are daily to attend upon God, daily to renew our repentance for sin and our believing application of the blood of Christ to our souls for remission; for in many things we daily offend and contract pollution, John xiii. 8, 10 ; Jam. iii. 2 . This is the preparation we are to make for solemn ordinances. Cleanse your hands and purify your hearts, and then draw nigh to God, Jam. iv. 8 . To this law David alludes in Ps. xxvi. 6 , I will wash my hands in innocency, so will I compass thine altar, O Lord. 22 Moreover the Lord spake unto Moses, sayi

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Exodus 12:15

Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.

Leviticus 10:1

And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.

Leviticus 16:1

And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;

Leviticus 16:2

And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

1 Samuel 6:19

And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.

1 Chronicles 13:10

And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.

Acts 5:5

And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

Acts 5:10

Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

Hebrews 12:28

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: let: or, let us hold fast

Hebrews 12:29

For our God is a consuming fire.

Topics

AblutionLaverPriestsPurificationTypes of Christ

People & places in this verse

Things

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Exodus 30:20.

Exodus 28:43

And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him.

Exodus 30:18

Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.

Exodus 29:4

And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water.

Exodus 29:44

And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office.

Exodus 27:21

In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.

Exodus 29:10

And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock.

Exodus 29:11

And thou shalt kill the bullock before the LORD, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Exodus 29:30

And that son that is priest in his stead shall put them on seven days, when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation to minister in the holy place. that son: Heb. he of his sons

Frequently asked questions

What does Exodus 30:20 say?

Exodus 30:20 (King James Version) reads: "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:"

Is Exodus 30:20 in the Old or New Testament?

Exodus 30:20 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Exodus.

Reflect

As you read Exodus 30:20, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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