SPECIAL TOPIC: LAVER

SPECIAL TOPIC: LAVER OF BRONZE (BDB 468 CONSTRUCT BDB 638)

This was a large, bronze bowl set in the court of the tabernacle for priests to do ceremonial washings (cf. Exod. 30:20-21; Num. 8:7). It is described in Exod. 30:17-21; 38:8. It was decorated with the mirrors from the women who served at the doorway of the tabernacle. Its placement was between the tabernacle's tent/shrine and the altar of sacrifice (cf. Exod. 40:7,30).

The Laver of the Tabernacle was made more elaborate and more numerous by the builders of Solomon's temple. It is called "the sea of cast metal" in 1 Kgs. 7:39. It is described in 1 Kgs. 7:44. One wonders if 1 Kgs. 7:38 is also referring to the Laver.

The Lavers themselves (not the elaborate stands) were removed from the temple by Ahaz (cf. 2 Kgs. 16:17) to pay tribute to Assyria.

It is even possible (ABD, vol. 4, p. 242) that the Laver's name is related to a Sumerian root denoting "the foundation of the earth." Therefore, it might have had cosmic significance beyond just a washing bowl.