King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and put water there, to wash [withal].
Complete Jewish Bible:
He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing,
Berean Standard Bible:
He placed the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing;
American Standard Version:
And he set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water therein, wherewith to wash.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And he set{H7760} the laver{H3595} between the tent{H168} of the congregation{H4150} and the altar{H4196}, and put{H5414} water{H4325} there, to wash{H7364} withal.
Cross-References (KJV):
Exodus 40:7
- And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shalt put water therein.
Hebrews 10:22
- Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Exodus 38:8
- And he made the laver [of] brass, and the foot of it [of] brass, of the lookingglasses of [the women] assembling, which assembled [at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
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 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.
Ezekiel 36:25
- ¶ Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Exodus 40:30
1. **Themes:**
- **Purification and Holiness:** The placement of the laver, a large basin for washing, emphasizes the importance of ritual purity in the Israelite worship. Before entering the tent of the congregation (the Tabernacle) or approaching the altar for sacrifice, the priests were required to wash their hands and feet, signifying a physical and symbolic cleansing, representing spiritual purity and readiness to serve God.
- **Order and Structure:** The precise location of the laver between the Tabernacle and the altar reflects the detailed instructions given by God for the construction and operation of the Tabernacle. This orderliness is indicative of the structured approach to worship and the maintenance of a sacred space.
- **Divine Presence:** The laver's role in the Tabernacle complex underscores the theme of God's dwelling among His people. The washing ritual was a prerequisite for the priests to safely enter the divine presence without incurring sanctuary pollution.
2. **Historical Context:**
- **Completion of the Tabernacle:** Exodus 40:30 is part of the narrative that describes the final stages of the Tabernacle's construction. Moses, following God's detailed instructions, is setting up the sanctuary that will serve as the center of Israelite worship until the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
- **Wilderness Wanderings:** This event occurs during the Israelites' journey in the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt and before their entrance into the Promised Land. The Tabernacle serves as a portable worship center for the newly formed nation.
- **Covenant Relationship:** The establishment of the Tabernacle and its rituals is part of the covenant relationship between God and Israel. The laver, as part of the Tabernacle complex, is a tangible expression of the covenant stipulations regarding worship and purity.
In summary, Exodus 40:30 reflects the themes of purification, divine order, and the sacredness of God's presence, set against the backdrop of Israel's journey in the wilderness and the establishment of their worship practices as a covenant people.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H7760
There are 550 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שׂוּם
Transliteration: sûwm
Pronunciation: soom
Description: or שִׂים; a primitive root; to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically); [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring, call (a name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider, convey, determine, [phrase] disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out), mark, [phrase] name, [idiom] on, ordain, order, [phrase] paint, place, preserve, purpose, put (on), [phrase] regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set (on, up), shew, [phrase] stedfastly, take, [idiom] tell, [phrase] tread down, (over-)turn, [idiom] wholly, work. - Strong's Number: H3595
There are 20 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כִּיּוֹר
Transliteration: kîyôwr
Pronunciation: kee-yore'
Description: or כִּיֹּר; from the same as כּוּר; properly, something round (as excavated or bored), i.e. a chafing-dish forcoals or a caldron forcooking; hence (from similarity of form) a washbowl; also (for the same reason) a pulpit or platform; hearth, laver, pan, scaffold. - Strong's Number: H168
There are 369 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֹהֶל
Transliteration: ʼôhel
Pronunciation: o'-hel
Description: from אָהַל; a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance); covering, (dwelling) (place), home, tabernacle, tent. - Strong's Number: H4150
There are 213 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מוֹעֵד
Transliteration: môwʻêd
Pronunciation: mo-ade'
Description: or מֹעֵד; or (feminine) מוֹעָדָה; (2 Chronicles 8:13), from יָעַד; properly, 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); appointed (sign, time), (place of, solemn) assembly, congregation, (set, solemn) feast, (appointed, due) season, solemn(-ity), synogogue, (set) time (appointed). - Strong's Number: H4196
There are 338 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מִזְבֵּחַ
Transliteration: mizbêach
Pronunciation: miz-bay'-akh
Description: from זָבַח; an altar; altar. - Strong's Number: H5414
There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָתַן
Transliteration: nâthan
Pronunciation: naw-than'
Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield. - Strong's Number: H4325
There are 525 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מַיִם
Transliteration: mayim
Pronunciation: mah'-yim
Description: dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense); water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen; [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)). - Strong's Number: H7364
There are 71 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רָחַץ
Transliteration: râchats
Pronunciation: raw-khats'
Description: a primitive root; to lave (the whole or a part of a thing); bathe (self), wash (self).