Exodus 30:20
◄  Exodus 30:20  ►
New International Version (©2011)
Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the LORD,

New Living Translation (©2007)
They must wash with water whenever they go into the Tabernacle to appear before the LORD and when they approach the altar to burn up their special gifts to the LORD--or they will die!

English Standard Version (©2001)
When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn a food offering to the LORD, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
when they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, so that they will not die; or when they approach the altar to minister, by offering up in smoke a fire sacrifice to the LORD.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD:

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Whenever they enter the tent of meeting or approach the altar to minister by burning up an offering to the LORD, they must wash with water so that they will not die.

International Standard Version (©2012)
When they enter the Tent of Meeting or when they approach the altar to minister to make an offering by fire to the LORD, they are to wash with water so they don't die.

NET Bible (©2006)
When they enter the tent of meeting, they must wash with water so that they do not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by burning incense as an offering made by fire to the LORD,

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Before they go into the tent of meeting, they must wash so that they will not die. Before they come near the altar to serve as priests and burn an offering by fire to the LORD,

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
When they go into the tabernacle of meeting, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD:

American King James Version
When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire to the LORD:

American Standard Version
when they go into the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.

Douay-Rheims Bible
When they are going into the tabernacle of the testimony, and when they are to come to the altar, to offer on it incense to the Lord,

Darby Bible Translation
When they go into the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, that they may not die; or when they come near to the altar to serve, to burn an offering by fire to Jehovah.

English Revised Version
when they go into the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire unto the LORD:

Webster's Bible Translation
When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not: or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire to the LORD.

World English Bible
When they go into the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water, that they not die; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to Yahweh.

Young's Literal Translation
in their going in unto the tent of meeting they wash with water, and die not; or in their drawing nigh unto the altar to minister, to perfume a fire-offering to Jehovah,

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

30:17-21 A large vessel of brass, holding water, was to be set near the door of the tabernacle. Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and feet at this laver, every time they went in to minister. This was to teach them purity in all their services, and to dread the pollution of sin. They must not only wash and be made clean, when first made priests, but must wash and be kept clean, whenever they went to minister. It teaches us daily to attend upon God, daily to renew our repentance for sin, and our looking to the blood of Christ for remission; for in many things we daily offend.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 20 - That they die not. Compare Exodus 28:35 and 43. Contempt of the simple and easy regulation to wash at the laver would imply contempt of purity itself; and so an entire hypocrisy of life and character, than which nothing could be a greater offence to God.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water,.... The laver standing near the door of the tabernacle, they washed at it as soon as they entered; and no man, we are told (c), entered into the court before he washed, even though he was clean; though he had contracted no filthiness, and even though he had washed his hands and feet at home, he was obliged to do it when he went into the tabernacle, before he attempted to perform any service. This intimates to us the necessity as of pure hearts, so of pure hands, in order to compass the altar of God, to attend public worship, and particularly prayer, in which holy hands should be lifted up, 1 Timothy 2:8,

that they die not: sin exposes to death, eternal death; that is the wages of it, and it is only the blood of Christ, and being washed in that, that can secure from it:

or when they come near to the altar to minister; to the altar of burnt offering to minister there, by laying on the wood and the pieces in order, and burning them on it, as follows:

to burn offering made by fire to the Lord; no man was fit for this service, or might be admitted to it, until he was washed; and it was usual among other nations to wash before they entered on religious service (d); even in the East Indies, the priests do not sacrifice to their idols before they wash in water that is about the temple (e); which seems to be a satanical imitation of this practice among the Jews.

(c) Misn. Yoma, c. 3. sect. 3.((d) Vid. Outram de Sacrificiis, l. 1. c. 6. sect. 14. (e) Vartoman. Navigat. l. 5. c. 23.

Exodus 30:20 Parallel Commentaries

Exodus 30:20 NIV
Exodus 30:20 NLT
Exodus 30:20 ESV
Exodus 30:20 NASB
Exodus 30:20 KJV

Bible Hub: Online Parallel Bible


The Bronze Basin
…19For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: 20When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire to the LORD: 21So 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.

Exodus 30:19 Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it.
Exodus 30:21 they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come."
Exodus 40:31 and Moses and Aaron and his sons used it to wash their hands and feet.
Leviticus 8:6 Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water.
Leviticus 16:4 He is to put on the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are sacred garments; so he must bathe himself with water before he puts them on.