Exodus 30:19 kjv

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

Exodus 30:19 nkjv

for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet in water from it.

Exodus 30:19 niv

Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it.

Exodus 30:19 esv

with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet.

Exodus 30:19 nlt

Aaron and his sons will wash their hands and feet there.

Exodus 30 verses

Exodus 30 19 Meaning

Exodus 30:19 instructs Aaron and his sons, the consecrated priests, to perform ritual washing of their hands and feet at the bronze laver before entering the Tent of Meeting or approaching the altar for ministry. This act of purification was mandatory to prevent them from dying, signifying the crucial need for ceremonial cleanliness when ministering in the holy presence of God. It underscored that only the pure could approach a holy God without incurring His divine judgment.

Exodus 30 19 Context

Exodus 30:19 is part of God's detailed instructions for the construction and service of the Tabernacle, His earthly dwelling place among the Israelites. The immediate preceding verses (30:17-18) describe the bronze laver itself: its material, its stand, and its prescribed placement between the Tent of Meeting (where God's presence dwelt) and the altar of burnt offering. The laver's purpose was specifically for the ritual washing of the priests. The chapter overall covers various sacred furnishings—the altar of incense, the atonement money, the anointing oil, and the incense formula—all essential for proper worship and safe approach to God. Historically, these detailed laws established a strict order of ritual purity and holiness for Israel's priestly class, distinguishing their worship from the cultic practices of surrounding nations, where such elaborate and divinely commanded purification rituals were absent or rooted in idolatry. This washing emphasized the absolute purity required to mediate between a holy God and an unholy people.

Exodus 30 19 Word analysis

• they shall wash: The Hebrew term is רָחֲצוּ (rachatsu), derived from the root רָחַץ (rachats), meaning "to wash" or "to bathe." This signifies a ceremonial cleansing, distinct from ordinary hygiene. For the priests, this was a divinely mandated purification, an act of ritual obedience essential for ministry. It indicates the necessary separation from common defilements to engage with sacred space and holy objects.
• their hands: (יְדֵיהֶם - yadeihem). Hands are symbolic of actions and labor. Washing the hands signified purifying their work and everything they would touch or do in their service before God, emphasizing that their every deed in ministry must be consecrated and pure.
• and their feet: (וְרַגְלֵיהֶם - v'ragleihem). Feet are symbolic of one's walk, journey, or conduct. Washing the feet indicated cleansing their entire pathway or journey within the holy precincts. It addressed defilements acquired from moving about in the world, preparing them to enter and move within God's sacred dwelling in holiness.
• that they die not: (לֹא יָמֻתוּ - lo yamutu). This phrase is a severe warning and an explicit motivation. It underlines the deadly consequence of impurity in the presence of a holy God. To approach Him in an unholy state was an affront that resulted in divine judgment, typically in the form of immediate death (e.g., Nadab and Abihu in Lev 10:1-2). The repetition of this phrase within the verse stresses the gravity and absolute necessity of this purification ritual. It sets strict boundaries for priestly conduct and highlights God's absolute holiness and justice.

Exodus 30 19 Bonus section

The bronze laver was unique among Tabernacle furniture in that it had no prescribed dimensions but was formed from the bronze mirrors donated by women (Ex 38:8), possibly suggesting the priests saw their own need for cleansing reflected. Unlike other items which were anointed with oil, the laver itself was used for washing. Typologically, the bronze laver points directly to Jesus Christ, who provides ultimate purification. As the laver cleansed the priests for service, Christ's blood cleanses believers from sin, making them a holy priesthood (1 Pet 2:5) to offer spiritual sacrifices. Furthermore, just as the laver contained water, often symbolic of the Holy Spirit or God's Word, New Covenant cleansing comes through the "washing of water with the word" (Eph 5:26) and the "washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5), preparing believers for pure worship and service. The need for continuous washing in the Old Testament reflects the ongoing need for repentance, confession, and cleansing in the Christian life (1 Jn 1:9), for even those redeemed can be defiled by their "walk."

Exodus 30 19 Commentary

Exodus 30:19, concerning the bronze laver, underscores a foundational principle of worship: approach to God necessitates purification. Even after their initial consecration, priests were required to continually cleanse their hands and feet before ministering, acknowledging ongoing defilement from their earthly journey. This act symbolized cleansing for the work they would perform (hands) and the ground they would tread in sacred service (feet). The repeated warning "that they die not" is profound, demonstrating God's unwavering holiness and the fatal consequence of treating His presence with impurity or irreverence. This ritual was not merely for hygiene but was a divinely appointed symbol of the absolute holiness required of those who minister before Him. It foreshadowed the New Testament truth that our spiritual walk and deeds must be continually cleansed by the atoning work of Christ and the living Word to draw near to God without condemnation.