LAVER (la'var), (Heb. '.11"'P and '1;, kee-yore', something round,a basin; Sept. Nourpbv, loo-tron'), a basin to contain the water used by the priests in their ablutions during their sacred ministrations.
(1) Tabernacle Laver. There was one of brass (fabricated out of the metal mirrors which the women brought from Egypt, Exod. xxxviii : 8). It had a 'foot' or base, which, from the man ner in which 'the laver and its foot' are men tioned, must have been a conspicuous feature, and was perhaps separable from the basin itself for the purpose of removal. We are not informed of the size or shape of this laver ; but it ap pears to have been large. It stood between the altar of burnt-offerings and the door of the taber nacle (Exod. xxx :18-21 ; x1:3o-32). The water of this laver seems to have served the double pur pose of washing the parts of the sacrifices, and the hands and feet of the priests.
(2) Temple Lavers. But in the temple of Solomon. when the number of both priests and victims had greatly increased, ten lavers were used for the sacrifices, and the molten sea for the personal ablutions of the priests (2 Chron. iv: 6). These lavers are more minutely described than that of the tabernacle. So far as can be made out from the description, they consisted of a square base or stand mounted upon rollers or wheels, and adorned with figures of palm-trees, cherubim, lions, and oxen. The stand doubt less formed a hollow basin for receiving the water which fell from the laver itself, and which appears to have been drawn from it by means of cocks (t Kings vii :27-39).
(a) Form and Capacity. The form of the lavers is not mentioned ; but it is stated that each of them contained forty baths, or. according to the usual computation, about 3oo English gallons.
(b) Brazen Sea. Solomon made a huge laver supported by twelve brazen or copper oxen, with their heads pointing three and three to the four cardinal points; this was for the priests to wash at, and was called the brazen sea (I Kings Vii:22-44; 2 Chron. iv.). From the manner in which the bases of the lavers are described. it is evident that they were regarded as admirable works of art ; but it is difficult to follow out the details which are given. This is evinced by the great discrepancy in the different figures, drawn from the descriptions which are given by Lamy, Calmet, and Villalpandus.
(3) Second Temple Laver. In the second temple there appears to have been only one laver. Of its size or shape we have no information, but it was probably like those of Solomon's temple.
LAW (la), (Heb. 71;11:1. to-raw' ; Gr. v6Acos, nonz' os, custom, law), means a rule of conduct enforced by. an authority superior to that of the moral beings to whom it is given.
1. ExpressiVe of Moral Connection. The word law is sometimes also employed. in order to express not only the moral connection between free agents of an inferior and others of a superior power, bm also in order to express the nexus causalis, the connection between cause and effect in inanimate nature. However, the expression, law of nature, lex naturce, is improper and figura tive. In a wider sense the word v6p.05., 'law,' is employed in order to express any guiding or directing power, originating from the nature of anything existing. The apostolic use of the word has been well expressed by Claudius Guilliaud in his work, In Omnes Pauli Epistolas Collatio, p. 21. Law is a certain power restraining front some, and impelling to other things or actions. What ever has such a power, and exercises any sway over man, may be called law, in a metaphorical sense.
2. Mosaical Law. lf, however, the word Attor,'Iaw,' alone is used, it is almost invariably equivalent to the law of Moses. The law is espe cially embodied in the last four books of the Pen tateuch. In Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers there is perceptible some arrangement of the various pre cepts, although they are not brought into a system. In Deuteronomy the law or legislation contained in the three preceding books is repeated with slight modifications. The whole legislation has for its manifest object, to found a theocratical hierarchy. In the Mosaical hierarchy the aim is manifest, viz. to rnake that which is really holy (TO lep6v) prevail. In the Mosaical legislation the priests certainly exercise a considerable authority as ex ternal ministers of holiness; but we find nothing to be compared with the sale of indulgences in the Roman Catholic church.