Exodus 25:31-40

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 25:31-40

I. The next thing ordered to be made for the furnishing of God's palace was a rich stately candlestick, all of pure gold, not hollow, but solid. The particular directions here given concerning it show, 1. That it was very magnificent, and a great ornament to the place; it had many branches drawn from the main shaft, which had not only their bowls (to put the oil and the kindled wick in) for necessity, but knops and flowers for ornament. 2. That it was very convenient, and admirably contrived... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 25:31

And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold ,.... Another piece of household furniture, and an useful one, especially in a house where there are no windows, as there were none in the tabernacle, denoting the darkness of the legal dispensation, see 2 Kings 4:10 . This candlestick was set in the holy place, on the south side of it, opposite the shewbread table, Exodus 26:35 and was typical of the church of God; so the candlesticks John had a vision of signify seven churches, Revelation... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 25:32

And six branches shall come out of the sides of it ,.... Out of the trunk or shaft, being beaten out of it: three branches of the candlestick out of one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side ; Jarchi takes what we render the "shaft" to be the lower part of the candlestick, from whence three feet went out below; and the "branch" or "cane", for it is in the singular number in the preceding verse, he takes to be the middle branch or trunk, that went up from the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 25:33

Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch ,.... There were three bowls or cups in the form of almond nuts to each branch, which were either to hold oil for the lamps, as before observed, or, as others think, to catch the snuff which fell from them; and there were a "knop", which, according to the signification of the word, was in the form of a pomegranate, and a flower, which the Targum of Jonathan renders a lily; and they are both in Scripture emblems of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 25:34

And in the candlestick shall be four bowls ,.... That is, in the trunk or body of it; the branches had but three apiece, but this being larger had four: and these were also made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers ; as the bowls on the branches had with them. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 25:35

And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same ,.... According to Jarchi, from the middle of the knop (which was like a pomegranate, or, as others, like an apple) two branches were drawn from the two sides of it, here and there; so they teach in the work of the tabernacle, the height of the candlestick was eighteen hands' breadth: this clause is repeated twice in this verse, signifying there should be a knop under each of the three branches on one side, and three on the other side:... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 25:36

Their knops and their branches shall be of the same ,.... Of the same metal, gold, and of same mass: all of it shall be one beaten work of pure gold not made in parts, and then put and soldered together, but the whole candlestick in all its parts and branches were to be beaten out of one piece of gold. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 25:37

And thou shall make the seven lamps thereof ,.... Which were, six of them, on the top of the six branches that came out of the sides of the candlestick, and the seventh on the top of the shaft which ran up in the middle of it; which no doubt were made of gold as well as the rest, and may signify the many members of churches bearing the lamp of a profession: or the several gifts and graces of the Spirit, which are sometimes, because of the perfection of them, called the seven spirits of God,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 25:38

Which, according to Jarchi, was a sort of forks with which they took the wicks out of the oil, and put them in the lamps; or, as some think, the snuffers, but they are distinguished from tongs, 1 Kings 7:49 and the snuffdishes thereof shall be of pure gold; in which the tongs or snuffers were put, or into which the snuff itself was put that was snuffed off. Jarchi says they were a sort of small cups, in which they put the ashes of the lamp, morning by morning, when they trimmed the lamps... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 25:39

Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels. The common talent weighed sixty pounds, but the sacred talent was double, and weighed one hundred and twenty pounds, as says Jarchi, and so Ben Melech: a talent of gold amounted to 5067 pounds, three shillings and ten pence of our money, according to Bishop Cumberland F4 Of Scripture Weights and Measures, p. 121. . (Assuming a troy weight of 12 ounces to a pound, and an ounce of gold worth $400 U.S., than a talent would... read more

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