Exodus 30:19

19 Aaron and his sons shall wash therein 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 And the Lord spake to Moses, and said,
18 Also thou shalt make a great vessel of brass with his foundament, to wash in, and thou shalt set it betwixt the tabernacle of witnessing and the altar; and when water is put therein, (And thou shalt make a great bronze vessel, with a bronze foundation, or a bronze base, to wash in, and thou shalt set it between the Tabernacle of the Witnessing and the altar; and when water is put in it,)
19 Aaron and his sons shall wash therein their hands and their feet,
20 when they shall enter into the tabernacle of witnessing, and when they shall nigh to the altar, that they offer therein incense to the Lord, lest peradventure they die; (whenever they shall go into the Tabernacle of the Witnessing, or when they shall approach the altar to offer incense on it to the Lord, otherwise they shall die/or they shall be killed;)
21 it shall be a lawful thing everlasting to him and to his seed by successions. (this shall be an everlasting law for him and for his descendants by succession.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.