Bezalel made the bronze washbasin and its bronze stand from bronze mirrors donated by the women who served at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
Parallel translations
- WEB He made the basin of brass, and its base of brass, out of the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
- KJV And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the lookingglasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
- BSB Next he made the bronze basin and its stand from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
- NKJV He made the laver of bronze and its base of bronze, from the bronze mirrors of the serving women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
- NASB Moreover, he made the basin of bronze with its base of bronze, from the mirrors of the serving women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The bronze basin and its stand were made from the mirrors donated by the women who served at the entrance of the tent. Priests washed at it before ministering.
Overview
The laver held water for the priests' cleansing, teaching that those who serve God must be made clean (Exodus 30:18-21). The women freely gave their bronze mirrors, an act of devoted sacrifice, turning instruments of self-regard into vessels of holy service. The cleansing it provided points to the washing believers receive in Christ (Titus 3:5; Ephesians 5:26).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- 1 Sam 2:22Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how that they slept with the women who served at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
- Luke 2:37and she had been a widow for about eighty-four years), who didn’t depart from the temple, worshiping with fastings and petitions night and day.
- Exod 40:7You shall set the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and shall put water therein.
- 1 Tim 5:5Now she who is a widow indeed, and desolate, has her hope set on God, and continues in petitions and prayers night and day.
- Titus 3:5–6not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
- John 13:10Jesus said to him, “Someone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed, but is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.”
- Ps 26:6I will wash my hands in innocence, so I will go about your altar, Yahweh;
- Zech 13:1“In that day there will be a spring opened to David’s house and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.
- 1 Jn 3:7Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
- Exod 30:18–21“You shall also make a basin of brass, and its base of brass, in which to wash. You shall put it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it.
- Rev 1:5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood;
- Exod 40:30–32He set the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water therein, with which to wash.
- 1 Kgs 7:38He made ten basins of brass. One basin contained forty baths; and every basin was four cubits; and on every one of the ten bases one basin.
- 1 Kgs 7:23–26He made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in shape. Its height was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits encircled it.
- Prov 8:34Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.
- Heb 9:10being only (with meats and drinks and various washings) fleshly ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation.
- Matt 26:69Now Peter was sitting outside in the court, and a maid came to him, saying, “You were also with Jesus, the Galilean!”
- John 18:16but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought in Peter.
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 38:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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