Exodus 30:21 kjv

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.

Exodus 30:21 nkjv

So 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."

Exodus 30:21 niv

they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come."

Exodus 30:21 esv

They 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."

Exodus 30:21 nlt

They must always wash their hands and feet, or they will die. This is a permanent law for Aaron and his descendants, to be observed from generation to generation."

Exodus 30 verses

Exodus 30 21 Meaning

Exodus 30:21 establishes a perpetual divine ordinance for the Aaronic priesthood: they must ritually wash their hands and feet at the bronze laver before performing any service in the Tabernacle or at the altar. Failure to comply would result in their death, emphasizing the extreme seriousness of purity in approaching a holy God. This statute was binding on Aaron, his sons, and all their priestly descendants through every generation.

Exodus 30 21 Context

Exodus 30 specifies further instructions for the Tabernacle and its associated ministry, building upon the construction details in earlier chapters. The chapter details the Altar of Incense (vv. 1-10), the ransom money (vv. 11-16), and the bronze laver (vv. 17-21), as well as the anointing oil (vv. 22-33) and the holy incense (vv. 34-38). Verses 18-21 specifically command the making and use of the bronze laver, situated between the Tent of Meeting and the altar. This laver was for the ceremonial washing of the priests. Exodus 30:21 underscores the absolute necessity of this washing for the priests before their sacred duties. The immediate historical context is the period in the wilderness when God was establishing His worship system and training the newly delivered Israelites in holiness and the requirements for fellowship with a holy God. This washing was crucial for setting the priesthood apart and impressing upon all the reverence due to God and His dwelling place.

Exodus 30 21 Word analysis

• So they shall wash (וְרָחֲצוּ, v'rakhatzu):
  • Meaning: From the root rachats, to wash or bathe. This is a deliberate, ritual cleansing, not merely for hygiene, but for purification from defilement and readiness for sacred service.
  • Significance: It's a prescribed action, emphasizing divine command rather than personal preference, showing the necessity of preparation before spiritual work.
• their hands (יְדֵיהֶם, yedeyhem) and their feet (רַגְלֵיהֶם, ragleeyhem):
  • Meaning: Yadayim (hands) and raglayim (feet) are both dual forms, emphasizing both.
  • Significance: Hands represent action, work, and service; feet represent one's walk, pathway, and movements. The washing of both signifies that every aspect of the priest's service and his walk before God must be purified. The Laver's bronze composition, often fashioned from the mirrors of the women (Exo 38:8), metaphorically encouraged self-examination before service.
• lest they die (פֶּן יָמֻתוּ, pen yamutu):
  • Meaning: Mutu (die). A direct, severe warning.
  • Significance: This underscores the infinite holiness of God. Access to God's presence and ministry in His sanctuary is not to be taken lightly. Failure to comply with His commands regarding purity results in divine judgment, reflecting God's uncompromising demand for holiness in those who serve Him directly. It signifies spiritual death, cessation from priestly function, and potentially physical death, as seen with Nadab and Abihu.
• and it shall be a statute (חֻקַּת, chukkat) for ever (עוֹלָם, ʿolam):
  • Meaning: Chuqqah means an enduring ordinance, a fixed statute. ʿOlam denotes eternity or for all generations/perpetual.
  • Significance: This emphasizes the enduring nature of the principle. While the physical ritual was superseded by Christ's atoning work, the underlying principle of purification for approaching God remains eternally valid in the spiritual realm.
• to them, even to him and to his seed (וּלְזַרְעוֹ, ul'zar'o) throughout their generations:
  • Meaning: Referring specifically to Aaron and his descendants, the priestly line. Zera means seed or offspring.
  • Significance: The command was not just for Aaron's lifetime but for all subsequent priests in Israel, reinforcing its perpetual nature for that specific ministry. It demonstrates God's consistent standard for His consecrated servants through successive ages of the Old Covenant.
• Words-group Analysis:
  • "wash their hands and their feet": This phrase captures the essence of practical, visible consecration for ministry. It is the ritual act that prepares the priests, symbolizing inner purity for external actions.
  • "lest they die": This is the severe deterrent and divine imperative. It highlights the non-negotiable nature of God's holiness and the absolute consequences of neglecting the prescribed path to His presence. It warns against defiling the sacred and approaching God carelessly.
  • "a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations": This phrase ensures the longevity and hereditary nature of this specific command within the Aaronic priesthood. It signifies the lasting standard God expected from His chosen ministers across time, reflecting the immutable character of God.

Exodus 30 21 Bonus section

The bronze laver, positioned between the Altar of Burnt Offering and the Holy Place (Exo 40:30), signifies the crucial step of self-purification and self-examination after atonement (the altar) but before communion and service (the Tabernacle). It represents the truth that while sin is atoned for, ongoing purification for daily defilements is necessary for continued fellowship and ministry. This perpetual requirement for the priests foreshadowed the enduring need for spiritual hygiene for believers: while initially justified and washed clean by Christ, there is a continuous need for cleansing from the daily dust and defilement encountered in the "walk" of life, as illustrated by Jesus washing His disciples' feet (John 13).

Exodus 30 21 Commentary

Exodus 30:21 solidifies the divine imperative for holiness in priestly service, a foundational truth for approaching a holy God. The required washing at the laver was not merely physical hygiene but a profound symbol of purification from worldly defilement. It underscores that ministry and communion with God are conditional upon His terms, emphasizing reverence, meticulous obedience, and purity. The penalty of "death" highlights God's absolute holiness and His demand for separation from impurity in those who represent Him. This ritual prefigured the ultimate spiritual cleansing provided by Jesus Christ. In the New Covenant, believers, who are now a "royal priesthood" (1 Pet 2:9), are initially cleansed by Christ's blood and the washing of regeneration (Tit 3:5), and they continue to require ongoing spiritual cleansing—through confession, repentance, and the washing of water by the Word (Eph 5:26)—to remain pure in their daily walk and service (1 John 1:9, John 13:10). The principles of purity, humility, and ongoing spiritual maintenance remain vital for all who would serve God in truth today.