Exodus 25:31-40

The Golden Lampstand

31 ¹"You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand shall be made of hammered work: its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it.

32 And there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it;

33 three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch--so for the six branches going out of the lampstand.

34 And on the lampstand itself there shall be four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers,

35 and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out from the lampstand.

36 Their calyxes and their branches shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it a single piece of hammered work of pure gold.

37 You shall make seven lamps for it. And the lamps ²shall be set up so as ³to give light on the space in front of it.

38 Its tongs and their trays shall be of pure gold.

39 It shall be made, with all these utensils, out of a talent^[a] of pure gold.

40 And ⁴see that you make them after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain.

Exodus 25:31-40 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 25

In this chapter an order is given for a freewill offering towards various things for the worship and service of God, and the materials to be offered, which would be useful and acceptable, are mentioned particularly, Ex 25:1-7, as also another order to build a sanctuary for God, after a model that he would give, Ex 25:8,9, and, an ark to put in the law on tables of stone, the fashion of which, and the various things belonging to it, are described, Ex 25:10-16, and a mercy seat with cherubim on it to be set over the ark, where the Lord promises to meet Moses and commune with him, Ex 25:17-22 and a table with various appurtenances to it to place the shewbread on, Ex 25:23-30 and a candlestick of gold, whose parts are described, and all the instruments relative to it, Ex 25:31-40.

Cross References

• 1. For ver. 31-39, see Exodus 37:17-24; [1 Kings 7:49; Zechariah 4:2; Hebrews 9:2; Revelation 1:12]
• 2. Leviticus 24:2-4; 2 Chronicles 13:11
• 3. Numbers 8:2
• 4. ver. 9; Exodus 26:30; Exodus 27:8; Numbers 8:4; Acts 7:44; Cited Hebrews 8:5; [1 Chronicles 28:11, 19]

Footnotes

• [a]. A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms