Reference: Laver
American
A large circular vessel, cast from the polished brass mirrors contributed by the Hebrew women, and placed between the door of the tabernacle and the altar of burnt-offering, with water for the necessary sacred ablutions, Ex 30:18-21; 28:8; 40:7; 30-32.
For the temple of Solomon, besides the vast brazen sea for the use of the priests, (see SEA,) ten lavers were made for cleansing the sacrifices, 2Ch 4:6. Each laver contained about three hundred gallons, and was supported above a highly elaborate and beautiful base, 1Ki 7:27-39. They were stationed within the court of the priests, in front of the temple, five on each side. See TEMPLE.
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And the embroidered girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work of it: of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined bleached linen.
You shall also make a laver of bronze and its foot also of bronze, for washing. And you shall put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar. And you shall put water in it, for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet there. read more. When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water so that they do not die. Or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to Jehovah, they shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they do not die. And it shall be a statute forever to them, to him and to his seed throughout their generations.
And you shall set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shall put water in it.
And he made ten bases of bronze, four cubits the length of the one base, and four cubits its breadth, and three cubits its height. And the work of the bases was this way: they had borders, and the borders were between the stays. read more. And on the borders that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubs. And a pedestal was on the stays above. And beneath the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging-work. And the one base had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze. And its four feet were supports to them; under the basin were casted supports with wreaths at each side. And its mouth within and above the capital was a cubit. And its mouth was round like the work of a pedestal, a cubit and half of the cubit. And also on its mouth were carvings; and their borders were square, not round. And under the borders were four wheels. And the axletrees of the wheels were in the base. And the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half. And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel, their axletrees, and their rims, and their hub, and their spokes, were all cast. And there were four supports to the four corners of one base, and the supports were of the very base itself. And in the top of the base was a round compass of a half a cubit high. And on the top of the base its sides and its borders were from it. And he engraved cherubs, lions, and palm trees on the plates of its sides, and on its borders, as the place of each, with wreaths all around. So he made the ten bases, one casting, one measure, one form was to them all. And he made ten basins of bronze. One basin contained forty baths. The one basin was four cubits, one basin on the one base, to the ten bases. And he put five bases on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house. And he set the sea on the right side of the house, eastward, across from the south.
He also made ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them. They washed in them such things as they offered for the burnt offering. But the sea was for the priests to wash in.
Easton
(Heb kiyor), a "basin" for boiling in, a "pan" for cooking (1Sa 2:14), a "fire-pan" or hearth (Zec 12:6), the sacred wash-bowl of the tabernacle and temple (30/18/type/mkjv'>Ex 30:18,28; 31:9; 35:16; 38:8; 39:39; 40:7,11,30, etc.), a basin for the water used by the priests in their ablutions.
That which was originally used in the tabernacle was of brass (rather copper; Heb nihsheth), made from the metal mirrors the women brought out of Egypt (Ex 38:8). It contained water wherewith the priests washed their hands and feet when they entered the tabernacle (Ex 40:32). It stood in the court between the altar and the door of the tabernacle (Ex 30:19,21).
In the temple there were ten lavers used for the sacrifices, and the molten sea for the ablutions of the priests (2Ch 4:6). The position and uses of these are described 1Ki 7:23-39; 2Ch 4:6. The "molten sea" was made of copper, taken from Tibhath and Chun, cities of Hadarezer, king of Zobah (1Ch 18:8; 1Ki 7:23-26).
No lavers are mentioned in the second temple.
Illustration: Laver
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You shall also make a laver of bronze and its foot also of bronze, for washing. And you shall put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar. And you shall put water in it, for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet there.
they shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they do not die. And it shall be a statute forever to them, to him and to his seed throughout their generations.
and the altar of burnt offerings with all its vessels, and the laver and its foot.
and the altar of burnt offering with all its vessels, and the laver and its base,
And make the altar of burnt offering, with its bronze grating, its staves, and all its vessels, the laver and its base,
And he made the laver of bronze, and its base bronze, out of the mirrors of serving women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
And he made the laver of bronze, and its base bronze, out of the mirrors of serving women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
the bronze altar, and its grating of bronze, its staves, and all its vessels, the laver and its base,
And you shall set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shall put water in it.
And you shall anoint the laver and its base, and sanctify it.
And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and put water there, for washing.
When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near the altar, they washed, even as Jehovah commanded Moses.
And he stuck it into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot. All that the flesh-hook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites that came there.
And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from brim to brim, all around it. And its height was five cubits, and a line of thirty cubits went around it. And under its brim were gourds, going around it, ten by the cubit, going all around the sea. The gourds were cast in two rows when it was cast. read more. It stood on twelve oxen, three facing the north, and three facing the west, and three facing the south, and three facing the east. The sea was set on top of them, and all their hinder parts were inward. And it was a handbreadth thick, and its brim was fashioned like the brim of a cup, with a bud of a lily. It contained two thousand baths. And he made ten bases of bronze, four cubits the length of the one base, and four cubits its breadth, and three cubits its height. And the work of the bases was this way: they had borders, and the borders were between the stays. And on the borders that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubs. And a pedestal was on the stays above. And beneath the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging-work. And the one base had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze. And its four feet were supports to them; under the basin were casted supports with wreaths at each side. And its mouth within and above the capital was a cubit. And its mouth was round like the work of a pedestal, a cubit and half of the cubit. And also on its mouth were carvings; and their borders were square, not round. And under the borders were four wheels. And the axletrees of the wheels were in the base. And the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half. And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel, their axletrees, and their rims, and their hub, and their spokes, were all cast. And there were four supports to the four corners of one base, and the supports were of the very base itself. And in the top of the base was a round compass of a half a cubit high. And on the top of the base its sides and its borders were from it. And he engraved cherubs, lions, and palm trees on the plates of its sides, and on its borders, as the place of each, with wreaths all around. So he made the ten bases, one casting, one measure, one form was to them all. And he made ten basins of bronze. One basin contained forty baths. The one basin was four cubits, one basin on the one base, to the ten bases. And he put five bases on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house. And he set the sea on the right side of the house, eastward, across from the south.
And David brought very much bronze from Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer, with which Solomon made the bronze sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of bronze.
He also made ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them. They washed in them such things as they offered for the burnt offering. But the sea was for the priests to wash in.
In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire among cut grain. And they shall devour all the peoples all around, on the right hand and on the left hand. And Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her place, in Jerusalem.
Fausets
It and the altar stood in the court of the tabernacle. Consisting of the laver itself and a base, both of brass. In it the priests were bound to wash their hands and feet in approaching the altar and entering the tabernacle, on pain of death. Constructed of the polished metallic looking glasses which the devout women (assembling at the door of the tabernacle of God's meeting His people) offered, renouncing the instrument of personal vanity for the sake of the higher beauties of holiness. The word of God is at once a mirror wherein to see ourselves and God's image reflected, and the means of sanctifying or cleansing (2Co 3:18; Jas 1:23-25; Eph 5:26; Ex 30:18-19; 38:8). The women made a like sacrifice of ornaments ("tablets," rather armlets) for the Lord's honour (Ex 35:22). On solemn occasions the priest had to bathe his whole person (Ex 29:4; Le 16:4). The kiyor, "laver," was probably the reservoir; the base received and held water from it, and was the place for washing.
Thus, the water was kept pure until drawn off for use. In Solomon's temple there was one great brazen "sea" for the priests to wash in, and ten lavers on bases which could be wheeled about, for washing the animal victims for burnt offering, five on the N., five on the S. sides of the priests' courts; each contained 40 "baths" (1Ki 7:27,39; 2Ch 4:5-6). Ahaz mutilated the bases; and Nebuzaradan carried away the remainder (2Ki 16:17; 25:13). No lavers are mentioned in the second or Herod's temple. Solomon's "molten sea" was made of the copper captured from Tibhath and Chun, cities of Hadarezer king of Zobah (1Ch 18:8), five cubits high, ten diameter, 30 circumference; one hand-breadth thick; containing 3,000 baths according to Chronicles, but 2,000 in Kings; 2,000 is probably correct, Chronicles reading is a transcriber's error.
It is thought that it bulged out below, but contracted at the mouth to the dimensions in 1Ki 7:23-26. A double row of gourds ("knops"), 5 + 5 or 10 in each cubit, ran below the brim. The brim or lip was wrought curving outward like a lily or lotus flower. Layard describes similar vessels at Nineveh, of smaller size. The 12 oxen represent the 12 tribes of Israel the priestly nation, which cleansed itself here in the person of its priests to appear holy before the Lord. The sacrificial animals, the oxen, represent the priestly service.
The "oxen" in 2Ch 4:3 instead of "gourds" or "knops" in Kings is a transcriber's error. The "holy water" in the trial of jealousy (Nu 5:17), and in consecrating the Levites by purifying and sprinkling, was probably from the laver (Nu 8:7); type of the true and efficacious sprinkling of Christ's blood on the conscience (Heb 9:9-10; 10:22; Tit 3:5; Eph 5:26); not to be so washed entails eternal death. The hands and feet need daily cleansing, expressing those members in general most exposed to soils; but the whole body needs but once for all "bathing" (Greek louoo), just as once for all regeneration needs not repetition, but only the removal of partial daily "stains" (Greek niptoo). Joh 13:1-10, "he that is bathed has no need save to wash (the parts soiled, namely,) his feet."
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And you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall wash them with water.
You shall also make a laver of bronze and its foot also of bronze, for washing. And you shall put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar. And you shall put water in it, for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet there.
And the men came in together with the women, as many as were willing-hearted, bringing bracelets and earrings, and rings and ornaments, all jewels of gold. And everyone who offered waved a wave offering of gold to Jehovah.
And he made the laver of bronze, and its base bronze, out of the mirrors of serving women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches on his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen miter he shall be dressed. These are holy garments. And he shall wash his flesh in water and put them on.
And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel. And the priest shall take of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water.
And in this way shall you do to them to purify them. Sprinkle water of sin-offering on them, and let them shave all their flesh and wash their clothes, and make themselves clean.
And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from brim to brim, all around it. And its height was five cubits, and a line of thirty cubits went around it. And under its brim were gourds, going around it, ten by the cubit, going all around the sea. The gourds were cast in two rows when it was cast. read more. It stood on twelve oxen, three facing the north, and three facing the west, and three facing the south, and three facing the east. The sea was set on top of them, and all their hinder parts were inward. And it was a handbreadth thick, and its brim was fashioned like the brim of a cup, with a bud of a lily. It contained two thousand baths. And he made ten bases of bronze, four cubits the length of the one base, and four cubits its breadth, and three cubits its height.
And he put five bases on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house. And he set the sea on the right side of the house, eastward, across from the south.
And King Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from them. And he took down the sea from off the bronze oxen under it, and put it on a pavement of stones.
And the bronze pillars in the house of Jehovah, and the bases, and the bronze sea in the house of Jehovah, the Chaldeans broke into pieces and carried the bronze from them to Babylon.
And David brought very much bronze from Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer, with which Solomon made the bronze sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of bronze.
And under it was the shape of oxen, under it and all around it for ten cubits, going all around the sea. Two rows of oxen were cast when it was cast.
And before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come when He should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own in the world, He loved them to the end. And when supper had ended, the Devil now having put into the heart of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon to betray Him, read more. Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and went to God, He rose up from supper and laid aside His garments. And He took a towel and girded Himself. After that He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, Lord, do You wash my feet? Jesus answered and said to him, You do not know what I do now, but you shall know hereafter. Peter said to Him, You shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me. Simon Peter said to Him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and head. Jesus said to him, He who is bathed has no need except to wash his feet, but is clean every whit. And you are clean, but not all.
But we all, with our face having been unveiled, having beheld the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are being changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Lord Spirit.
that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word,
that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word,
not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
For it was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make him who did the service perfect as regards the conscience, which stood only in meats and drinks, and different kinds of washings and fleshly ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies having been washed with pure water.
For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man studying his natural face in a mirror. For he studied himself and went his way, and immediately he forgot what he was like. read more. But whoever looks into the perfect Law of liberty and continues in it, he is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work. This one shall be blessed in his doing.
Hastings
Morish
This appertained to the tabernacle and the temple. It was placed between the tabernacle and the brazen altar, and the priests were required to wash their hands and their feet when they approached for any service. Ex 30:18-21. The priests were at first thoroughly washed, but that was a distinct thing from the continual cleansing of their hands and feet. Joh 13:4-14 is somewhat analogous to this, where the apostles, though declared to be clean (except Judas), needed that their feet should be washed, because of the defilements of the way, in order to have part with Christ when He went to the Father. In the tabernacle it was hands as well as feet that were to be washed, because there it was service, as well as the sphere of their walk. Ex 40:7,11,30.
The laver for the tabernacle was made of the brazen mirrors given by the women. Ex 38:8; its shape and size are not specified. The laver for the temple was circular, being ten cubits in diameter, and (in round numbers) thirty in circumference, and five cubits in height. 1Ki 7:26 states that it "contained 2000 baths," which probably refers to the quantity of water that was usually put into it; for 2Ch 4:5 says "it received and held 3000 baths," which may signify its full capacity. The above dimensions do not seem to agree with this capacity; but the definite shape of the laver is not given, it may have bulged out considerably in the middle.
The laver for the temple is called 'a molten sea,' and 'a brazen sea,' and was supported on twelve oxen. It was used for the same purpose as the laver of the tabernacle; but in the temple there were also ten smaller lavers at which the sacrifices were washed. 1Ki 7:23-43; 2Ki 16:17; 2Ch 4:6,14.
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You shall also make a laver of bronze and its foot also of bronze, for washing. And you shall put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar. And you shall put water in it, for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet there. read more. When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water so that they do not die. Or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to Jehovah, they shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they do not die. And it shall be a statute forever to them, to him and to his seed throughout their generations.
And he made the laver of bronze, and its base bronze, out of the mirrors of serving women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
And you shall set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shall put water in it.
And you shall anoint the laver and its base, and sanctify it.
And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and put water there, for washing.
And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from brim to brim, all around it. And its height was five cubits, and a line of thirty cubits went around it. And under its brim were gourds, going around it, ten by the cubit, going all around the sea. The gourds were cast in two rows when it was cast. read more. It stood on twelve oxen, three facing the north, and three facing the west, and three facing the south, and three facing the east. The sea was set on top of them, and all their hinder parts were inward. And it was a handbreadth thick, and its brim was fashioned like the brim of a cup, with a bud of a lily. It contained two thousand baths.
And it was a handbreadth thick, and its brim was fashioned like the brim of a cup, with a bud of a lily. It contained two thousand baths. And he made ten bases of bronze, four cubits the length of the one base, and four cubits its breadth, and three cubits its height. read more. And the work of the bases was this way: they had borders, and the borders were between the stays. And on the borders that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubs. And a pedestal was on the stays above. And beneath the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging-work. And the one base had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze. And its four feet were supports to them; under the basin were casted supports with wreaths at each side. And its mouth within and above the capital was a cubit. And its mouth was round like the work of a pedestal, a cubit and half of the cubit. And also on its mouth were carvings; and their borders were square, not round. And under the borders were four wheels. And the axletrees of the wheels were in the base. And the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half. And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel, their axletrees, and their rims, and their hub, and their spokes, were all cast. And there were four supports to the four corners of one base, and the supports were of the very base itself. And in the top of the base was a round compass of a half a cubit high. And on the top of the base its sides and its borders were from it. And he engraved cherubs, lions, and palm trees on the plates of its sides, and on its borders, as the place of each, with wreaths all around. So he made the ten bases, one casting, one measure, one form was to them all. And he made ten basins of bronze. One basin contained forty baths. The one basin was four cubits, one basin on the one base, to the ten bases. And he put five bases on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house. And he set the sea on the right side of the house, eastward, across from the south. And Hiram made the basins and the shovels and the bowls. So Hiram finished doing all the work that he did for King Solomon for the house of Jehovah. Two pillars, and the bowls of the capitals on the top of the two pillars, and the two gratings to cover the two bowls of the capitals on the top of the pillars, and the four hundred pomegranates for the two gratings; two rows of pomegranates for each grating, to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on the face of the pillars, and the ten bases, and ten basins on the bases,
And its thickness was a handbreadth, and its brim like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies. It received and held three thousand baths.
He rose up from supper and laid aside His garments. And He took a towel and girded Himself. After that He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. read more. Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, Lord, do You wash my feet? Jesus answered and said to him, You do not know what I do now, but you shall know hereafter. Peter said to Him, You shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me. Simon Peter said to Him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and head. Jesus said to him, He who is bathed has no need except to wash his feet, but is clean every whit. And you are clean, but not all. For He knew who would betray Him. Therefore He said, You are not all clean. So after He had washed their feet and had taken His garments and had reclined again, He said to them, Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me the Teacher, and Lord, and you say well, for I AM. If then I, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
Smith
Laver.
1. In the tabernacle, a vessel of brass containing water for the priests to wash their hands and feet before offering sacrifice. It stood in the fore offering sacrifice. It stood in the court between the altar and the door of the tabernacle.
It rested on a basis, i.e. a foot, which, was well as the laver itself, was made from the mirrors of the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle court.
The form of the laver is not specified, but may be assumed to have been circular. Like the other vessels belonging to the tabernacle, it was, together with its "foot," consecrated with oil.
2. In Solomon's temple, besides the great molten sea, there were ten lavers of brass, raised on bases,
five on the north and five on the south side of the court of the priests. They were used for washing the animals to be offered in burnt offerings.
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for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet there.
they shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they do not die. And it shall be a statute forever to them, to him and to his seed throughout their generations.
And he made the laver of bronze, and its base bronze, out of the mirrors of serving women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
And Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and sanctified them. And he sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its vessels, both the laver and its base, to sanctify them.
And he made ten bases of bronze, four cubits the length of the one base, and four cubits its breadth, and three cubits its height.
And he put five bases on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house. And he set the sea on the right side of the house, eastward, across from the south.
He also made ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them. They washed in them such things as they offered for the burnt offering. But the sea was for the priests to wash in.
Watsons
LAVER. Between the altar and the tabernacle, a little to the south, stood a circular laver, which, together with its base, was made of the brazen ornaments which the women had presented for the use of the tabernacle, and was thence called ???? ????, Ex 30:18; 40:7. The priests, when about to perform their duties, washed their hands in this laver.
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You shall also make a laver of bronze and its foot also of bronze, for washing. And you shall put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar. And you shall put water in it,
And you shall set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shall put water in it.