Exodus 30:18
in Exodus 30“You are to make a bronze basin with a bronze stand for washing. Set it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and the base thereof of brass, whereat to wash. And thou shalt put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Exodus 30
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Exo 38:8. The bronze for the “Laver of brass” and its foot was supplied from the bronze mirrors of the women who voluntarily gave up these articles of luxury. Bronze mirrors were much used by the ancient Egyptians. No hint is given as to the form of the laver. The brazen sea and the ten lavers that served the same purpose in the temple of Solomon, were elaborately worked in artistic designs and are minutely described 1Ki 7:23-
This site's exposition
the Lord spake unto Moses, saying
on Exodus 30:17-21
The third speech gives the only piece of the tabernacle whose size the text never fixes, since the laver is described by its metal and its use and by nothing else. Exodus 38:8 says what the brass came from, the looking glasses of the women assembling at the door of the tent. Aaron and his sons were already washed once at their consecration in Exodus 29:4, and this is a different thing, a washing of hands and feet repeated at every approach, with the reason given twice as that they die not. John 13:10 sets a bathed man needing only his feet washed.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
In the first instance, we can understand this basin (or flanged bowl, as it is called further on) to be the water of baptism, in which all those who enter the doors of the church must bathe in order to be cleansed. It was put …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
But many of the Jewish writers, and others from them, are of opinion that it was to be an annual tribute, only it was begun when Moses first numbered the people. This was that tribute-money which Christ paid, for fear of offending his adversaries ( Matt. xvii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
The foot of brass, it is supposed, was so contrived as to receive the water, which was let into it out of the laver by spouts or cocks. They then had a laver for the priests only to wash in, but to us now there is a fountain open for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in ( Zech. xiii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A laver of brass - כיור kiyor sometimes signifies a caldron, 1Sa 2:14; but it seems to signify any large round vessel or basin used for washing the hands and feet. There were doubtless cocks or spigots in it to draw off the water, as it is not likely the feet were put into it in order to be washed. The foot of the laver must mean the pedestal on which it stood.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
This laver was provided for the priests alone. But in the Christian dispensation, all believers are priests, and hence the apostle exhorts them how to draw near to God (Joh 13:10;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
The words behind it
16 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְעָשִׂ֜יתָ | veasita | and you will make | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| כִּיּ֥וֹר | kiyor | a laver of | H3595 → | 23 times |
| נְחֹ֛שֶׁת | nechoshet | bronze | H5178 → | 140 times |
| וְכַנּ֥וֹ | vekhano | and base of its | H3653 → | 17 times |
| נְחֹ֖שֶׁת | nechoshet | bronze | H5178 → | 140 times |
| לְרָחְצָ֑ה | lerachetzah | for washing | H7364 → | 72 times |
| וְנָתַתָּ֣ | venatata | and you will put | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| אֹת֗וֹ | ʾoto | <obj.> it | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בֵּֽין־ | bein- | between | H996 → | 407 times |
| אֹ֤הֶל | ʾohel | [the] tent of | H168 → | 345 times |
| מוֹעֵד֙ | moed | meeting | H4150 → | 223 times |
| וּבֵ֣ין | uvein | and between | H996 → | 407 times |
| הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ | hamizbeach | the altar | H4196 → | 401 times |
| וְנָתַתָּ֥ | venatata | and you will put | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| שָׁ֖מָּה | shamah | there <towards> | H8033 → | 834 times |
| מָֽיִם׃ | mayim | water | H4325 → | 581 times |
וְעָשִׂ֜יתָand you will make
veasitaH6213 →2628 times
כִּיּ֥וֹרa laver of
kiyorH3595 →23 times
נְחֹ֛שֶׁתbronze
nechoshetH5178 →140 times
וְכַנּ֥וֹand base of its
vekhanoH3653 →17 times
נְחֹ֖שֶׁתbronze
nechoshetH5178 →140 times
לְרָחְצָ֑הfor washing
lerachetzahH7364 →72 times
וְנָתַתָּ֣and you will put
venatataH5414 →2011 times
אֹת֗וֹ<obj.> it
ʾotoH853 →10935 times
בֵּֽין־between
bein-H996 →407 times
אֹ֤הֶל[the] tent of
ʾohelH168 →345 times
מוֹעֵד֙meeting
moedH4150 →223 times
וּבֵ֣יןand between
uveinH996 →407 times
הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַthe altar
hamizbeachH4196 →401 times
וְנָתַתָּ֥and you will put
venatataH5414 →2011 times
שָׁ֖מָּהthere <towards>
shamahH8033 →834 times
מָֽיִם׃water
mayimH4325 →581 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Exodus 40:7And place the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it.
it leads to
- 1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 10:22
let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 26:6
I wash my hands in innocence that I may go about Your altar, O LORD,
- 1 John 1:7
Through
Exodus 38:8Next he made the bronze basin and its stand from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
it leads to
- Luke 2:37
and then was a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.
- 1 Samuel 2:22
Now Eli was very old, and he heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of…
- Exodus 40:7
And place the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it.
- 1 Timothy 5:5
The widow who is truly in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers.
- Titus 3:5–6
He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
- Luke 2:37
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Exodus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, On the Tabernacle 3.14, AT EXODUS 3:18-20; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.