Exodus 30:21
in Exodus 30Thus they are to wash their hands and feet so that they will not die; this shall be a permanent statute for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
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.
⋯
This verse in Exodus 30
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThis 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 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
So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not,....
For this purpose clean water was put into the laver fresh every day. Though they washed themselves ever so clean at their own houses, that would not serve; they must wash at the laver, because that was appointed for washing, 2 Kings
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
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
And it shall be a statute for ever - To continue, in its literal meaning, as long as the Jewish economy lasted, and, in its spiritual meaning, to the end of time. What an important lesson does this teach the ministers of the Gospel of Christ!
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְרָחֲצ֛וּ | verachatzu | and they will wash | H7364 → | 72 times |
| יְדֵיהֶ֥ם | yedeihem | hands their | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| וְרַגְלֵיהֶ֖ם | veragleihem | and feet their | H7272 → | 247 times |
| וְלֹ֣א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָמֻ֑תוּ | yamutu | they will die | H4191 → | 839 times |
| וְהָיְתָ֨ה | vehayetah | and it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לָהֶ֧ם | lahem | for <the> them | ||
| חָק־ | chok- | a decree of | H2706 → | 127 times |
| עוֹלָ֛ם | olam | perpetuity | H5769 → | 438 times |
| ל֥וֹ | lo | for him | ||
| וּלְזַרְע֖וֹ | ulezaro | and for offspring his | H2233 → | 229 times |
| לְדֹרֹתָֽם׃ פ | ledorotam | to generations their | H1755 → | 167 times |
וְרָחֲצ֛וּand they will wash
verachatzuH7364 →72 times
יְדֵיהֶ֥םhands their
yedeihemH3027 →1618 times
וְרַגְלֵיהֶ֖םand feet their
veragleihemH7272 →247 times
וְלֹ֣אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
יָמֻ֑תוּthey will die
yamutuH4191 →839 times
וְהָיְתָ֨הand it will be
vehayetahH1961 →3559 times
לָהֶ֧םfor <the> them
lahem
חָק־a decree of
chok-H2706 →127 times
עוֹלָ֛םperpetuity
olamH5769 →438 times
ל֥וֹfor him
lo
וּלְזַרְע֖וֹand for offspring his
ulezaroH2233 →229 times
לְדֹרֹתָֽם׃ פto generations their
ledorotamH1755 →167 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 28:43Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die. This…
it leads to
- Exodus 27:21
In the Tent of Meeting, outside the veil that is in front of the Testimony, Aaron and his sons are to tend the lamps before the LORD from evening until morning. This is to…
- Exodus 20:26
And you must not go up to My altar on steps, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.’
- Leviticus 5:17
If someone sins and violates any of the LORD’s commandments even though he was unaware, he is guilty and shall bear his punishment.
- Exodus 27:21
Through
Exodus 27:21In the Tent of Meeting, outside the veil that is in front of the Testimony, Aaron and his sons are to tend the lamps before the LORD from evening until morning. This is to…
it leads to
- Numbers 19:21
This is a permanent statute for the people: The one who sprinkles the water of purification must wash his clothes, and whoever touches the water of purification will be unclean until evening.
- Numbers 18:23
The Levites are to perform the work of the Tent of Meeting, and they must bear their iniquity. This is a permanent statute for the generations to come. The Levites will not receive an…
- Exodus 30:8
When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he must burn the incense perpetually before the LORD for the generations to come.
- Leviticus 3:17
This is a permanent statute for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood.”
- 1 Samuel 3:3
Before the lamp of God had gone out, Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was located.
- Numbers 19:21
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Exodus
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; 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.