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The Lampstand

31 “Hammer pure gold to make a ·lampstand [L menorah]. Its base, ·stand [shaft], flower-like cups, buds, and petals must all be joined together in one piece [C its tree shape suggests that the Tabernacle represented Eden where God and humans lived in harmony]. 32 The lampstand must have six branches going out from its sides—three on one side and three on the other. 33 Each branch must have three cups shaped like almond flowers on it. Each cup must have a bud and a petal. Each of the six branches going out from the lampstand must be the same. 34 And there must be four more cups made like almond flowers on the lampstand itself. These cups must also have buds and petals. 35 Put a bud under each pair of branches that goes out from the lampstand. Each of the six branches going out from the lampstand must be the same. 36 The branches, buds, and lampstand must be made of one piece, hammered out of pure gold.

37 “Then make seven ·small oil lamps [L lamps for it] and put them on the lampstand so that they give light to the area in front of it. 38 The ·wick trimmers [snuffers] and trays must be made of pure gold. 39 Use ·seventy-five pounds [L one talent] of pure gold to make the lampstand and everything with it. 40 Be very careful to make them by the ·plan [pattern] I showed you on the mountain [25:9].

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The Golden Lampstand

31 “You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The [a]lampstand and its base and its shaft shall be made of hammered work; its cups, its [b]calyxes and its flowers shall be all of one piece with it. 32 Six branches shall come out of its sides; three branches of the lampstand out of the one side and three branches of the lampstand out of its other side [the shaft being the seventh branch]. 33 Three cups shall be made like almond blossoms, each with a calyx and a flower on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms on the other branch with a calyx and a flower—so for the six branches coming out of the lampstand; 34 and in the [center shaft of the] lampstand [you shall make] four cups shaped like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and their flowers. 35 A calyx shall be under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a calyx under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a calyx under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. 36 Their calyxes and their branches shall be of one piece with it; all of it shall be one piece of hammered work of pure gold. 37 Then you shall make the lamps [of the lampstand] [c]seven in number [with one lamp at the top of the shaft]. The priests shall set up its seven lamps so that they will light the space in front of it. 38 Its snuffers and their trays shall be of pure gold. 39 It shall be made from a talent (50-80 lbs.) of pure gold, including all these utensils. 40 See that you make them [exactly] after their pattern which was shown to you on the mountain.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 25:31 In Hebrew, menorah.
  2. Exodus 25:31 Leaf-like outer part of the flower.
  3. Exodus 25:37 The first objective evidence of the sevenfold lamp was found during an excavation of Tel Beit Mirsim, south of Jerusalem, where seven-armed lamps dated about 1200 b.c. were found. The seventh season at the Dothan excavation uncovered three sevenfold lamps from the period 1400-1200 b.c.