Exodus 30:19

19 with the water Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet.

Exodus 30:19 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 30:19

For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their
feet thereat.
] Not in it, but at it; the laver had mouths or spouts, as Ben Melech says, from whence the water flowed when the priests washed their hands and feet at it; and so Bartenora says F26 they did not wash out of the laver, but from water flowing out of it; it is said "out of it", not in it; it seems at first there were but two of these spouts; for it is said F1 Ben Katin made twelve spouts or cocks, which had but two before; so that twelve priests could wash their hands and feet at one time, and which they could do at once, presently, by putting the right hand on the top of the right foot, and the left hand upon the left foot, as both Jarchi and Ben Melech relate: and now the hands being the instruments of action, and the feet of walking, this shows that the actions of good men, the priests of the Lord, and their walk and conversation, are not without sin, and that these need washing in the laver of Christ's blood, to which there must be daily application, see ( Zechariah 13:1 ) ( Revelation 7:14 ) . Our Lord seems to have reference to this ceremony, ( John 13:10 ) the Egyptian priests washed twice every day in cold water, and twice every night F2.


FOOTNOTES:

F26 In Misn. Zebachim, c. 2. sect. 1.
F1 Misn. Yoma. c. 3. sect. 10.
F2 Herodot. Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 37.

Exodus 30:19 In-Context

17 The Lord spoke to Moses:
18 You shall make a bronze basin with a bronze stand for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it;
19 with the water Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet.
20 When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to make an offering by fire to the Lord, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die.
21 They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die: it shall be a perpetual ordinance for them, for him and for his descendants throughout their generations.

Footnotes 1

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.