The laver stood in the courtyard of the tabernacle, beyond the altar of sacrifice but before the entrance into the tent itself. At the laver, the priests were required to wash their hands and feet before undertaking any other service: “When they go into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to the Lord, they shall wash with water, lest they die” (Ex. 30:20).

Aaron and his sons had already been bathed on the day of their consecration (Ex. 29:4), a full-body washing which was not repeated. But daily washing at the laver was a necessity. In the course of daily life, the priests’ hands and feet would become dirty. The cleansing water of the laver would qualify them to carry out their duties for that day. On the next day, they would need to wash again. In the same way, the Lord Jesus told Peter that he was completely clean, yet foot-washing was necessary for Peter to enjoy fellowship with Him (Jn. 13:8–10).

For every part of the tabernacle, God’s instructions were incredibly detailed—specific heights, widths, and so on. Yet for the laver there is a complete absence of specifications. How large was it? All we can say is, “It was large enough.” And this provides a lesson of great comfort! No matter how dirty their hands or feet had become, the priests never had to wonder if there would be enough water to make them clean. Today, every Christian is a priest. God still requires clean hands and feet for service—but He has provided us with all the water we need, the washing of water by the Word of God.