Exodus 40 30

Exodus 40:30 kjv

And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and put water there, to wash withal.

Exodus 40:30 nkjv

He set the laver between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar, and put water there for washing;

Exodus 40:30 niv

He placed the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing,

Exodus 40:30 esv

He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it for washing,

Exodus 40:30 nlt

Next Moses placed the washbasin between the Tabernacle and the altar. He filled it with water so the priests could wash themselves.

Exodus 40 verses

Exodus 40 30 Meaning

Exodus 40:30 details the final placement of the bronze laver within the Tabernacle complex and its explicit purpose. It describes Moses setting the laver, a large basin filled with water, between the brazen altar (where sacrifices were made) and the Tent of Meeting (the immediate presence of God). The water in the laver was for the ritual washing of the priests, a non-negotiable step required before they could perform their sacred duties at the altar or enter the holy sanctuary, emphasizing the necessity of purification for approaching God.

Exodus 40 30 Context

Exodus chapter 40 marks the culmination of the detailed instructions given in Exodus chapters 25-39 for the construction of the Tabernacle and its furnishings. This final chapter describes the actual assembly and erection of the Tabernacle by Moses according to divine blueprint. The process is meticulous, beginning with the structure itself and proceeding to the placement of each sacred vessel and its specific purpose. Verse 30 specifically deals with the laver, one of the last major items to be placed, signifying the final step in preparing the Tabernacle for its divine purpose—God's dwelling among His people. Historically and culturally, the Tabernacle served as the central point of Israelite worship, signifying God's tangible presence, and the laver's placement underscores the rigorous standards of purity required to minister in God's presence, reflecting broader ancient Near Eastern concepts of ritual cleanliness, though divinely mandated for Israel. This purity was not merely hygienic but symbolic of moral and spiritual separation.

Exodus 40 30 Word analysis

• And he set: (וַיָּ֕שֶׂם, vayyāśem). This simple verb emphasizes Moses' obedience and meticulous fulfillment of God's instructions. It denotes deliberate and precise placement according to the divine pattern (Exod 25:9).
• the laver: (כִּיּ֛וֹר, kiyyor). A large, bronze basin (often described as made from the mirrors of the worshipping women, Exod 38:8). Its primary function was holding water for purification. In biblical usage, kiyyor often refers to a washbasin.
• between: (בֵּ֥ין, bein). This preposition indicates a crucial intermediate position. The laver's placement was strategically vital, not merely decorative.
• the tent of meeting: (אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֖ד, ohel-mōʿēd). Lit. "tent of appointed meeting." This refers to the portable sanctuary itself, the place where God would meet with Moses and the priests, symbolizing His immediate, holy presence. It points to intimacy and direct access, but always conditional on sanctification.
• and the altar: (וְהַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ, vehammazbeakh). This is the bronze altar for burnt offerings, where sacrifices for atonement were made. Its prominent outdoor location emphasized the necessity of atonement as the foundational step before any further approach to God.
• and put water in it: (וַיִּתֵּן־בּ֥וֹ מַֽיִם, vayyittēn-bō mayim). Moses ensured the laver was prepared for immediate use, demonstrating its operational readiness for purification. Water, a universal symbol of life and cleansing, takes on deep theological significance here.
• for washing: (לְרָחְצָֽה, leraḥtzāh). This clearly states the purpose. The infinitive emphasizes the action of washing, highlighting its necessity. This was not for casual hygiene but for ritual purification (Hebrew rachatz - to wash, often in a ceremonial sense).

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "And he set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar": This specific placement is highly significant. It visually depicts the sequence of approach to God in the Old Covenant Tabernacle system: one first approaches the altar for atonement (sacrificial blood dealing with sin), then proceeds to the laver for cleansing (water for ritual purity), and only then can one enter the Tent of Meeting (God's immediate presence). The laver stands as a vital intermediary, signifying that atonement must be followed by purification before communion.
• "and put water in it for washing": This simple phrase activates the laver's purpose. The presence of water is what makes the laver functional. It reinforces that access to God’s holy presence is contingent upon a specific, divinely ordained act of cleansing, which foreshadows the deeper spiritual cleansing necessary in the New Covenant for fellowship with God. This ritual wash was a life-or-death requirement for the priests (Exod 30:20-21), demonstrating God's absolute holiness.

Exodus 40 30 Bonus section

The bronze laver's specific material—bronze, often associated with judgment and the common things of the earth—distinguished it from the gold-covered items of the Holy Place, reinforcing its function in the outdoor court as a point of cleansing from worldly defilement before entering God's sacred dwelling. It served as a constant visual reminder to the priests of their need for continuous self-examination and cleansing from the pollutions encountered in their service and daily life, paralleling the New Covenant emphasis on ongoing spiritual purification for believers. The repeated references to priestly washing in Exodus and Leviticus (Exod 30:18-21; Lev 8:6) underscore that even those called to sacred office require continual cleansing to remain fit for God's service.

Exodus 40 30 Commentary

Exodus 40:30 concisely describes a crucial element in the Tabernacle's final setup: the laver. Its physical position between the altar of burnt offering and the Tent of Meeting is profoundly symbolic. It teaches that one cannot move from the shedding of atoning blood (at the altar) directly into the presence of a holy God (in the Tent of Meeting) without an intervening act of purification. The water in the laver, therefore, served as a mandatory cleansing agent for the priests. This washing was not just physical; it carried profound spiritual weight, signifying separation from impurity and consecration for service. This system highlights God's unyielding demand for holiness in those who would draw near to Him and mediate on behalf of His people. The necessity of purification foreshadows the deeper spiritual cleansing provided by Christ, who, as our Great High Priest, makes us spiritually clean by His blood and the washing of regeneration (Heb 9:14, Tit 3:5). We no longer wash our hands with physical water for ritual service, but confess our sins (1 Jn 1:9) and are cleansed by Christ's atoning work, purified through the Word, to enter God's presence by grace.