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2 Chronicles 4:20

the lampstands of pure gold and their lamps, to burn in front of the inner sanctuary as prescribed;
2 Chronicles 4:20 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB and the lamp stands with their lamps, to burn according to the ordinance before the inner sanctuary, of pure gold;
  • KJV Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before the oracle, of pure gold;
  • NKJV the lampstands with their lamps of pure gold, to burn in the prescribed manner in front of the inner sanctuary,
  • NASB the lampstands with their lamps of pure gold, to burn in front of the inner sanctuary in the way prescribed;
  • NLT the lampstands and their lamps of solid gold, to burn in front of the Most Holy Place as prescribed;

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

The pure-gold lampstands and their lamps were made to give light before the inner sanctuary as God had commanded. They show worship ordered exactly according to God's instruction.

Overview

The lampstands provided continual light before the most holy place, fulfilling the ordinance God established for the sanctuary. Made of pure gold, they signified the holiness and glory of the place where God's name dwelt. The light kept burning before God anticipates Christ, the light of the world, and the church called to shine before God and the nations.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 7

  • 2 Chr 4:7He made ten gold lampstands according to their specifications and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north.
  • Exod 25:31–37Then you are to make a lampstand of pure, hammered gold. It shall be made of one piece, including its base and shaft, its cups, and its buds and petals.
  • 1 Kgs 6:16–17He partitioned off the twenty cubits at the rear of the temple with cedar boards from floor to ceiling to form within the temple an inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place.
  • Exod 27:20–21And you are to command the Israelites to bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to keep the lamps burning continually.
  • 1 Kgs 8:6Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, beneath the wings of the cherubim.
  • Ps 28:2Hear my cry for mercy when I call to You for help, when I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.
  • 1 Kgs 6:5Against the walls of the temple and the inner sanctuary, Solomon built a chambered structure around the temple, in which he constructed the side rooms.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 2 Chronicles videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 2 Chronicles 4:20YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 2 ChroniclesMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Temple, priesthood, and the repeated need for a faithful king who seeks the LORD all point past every imperfect reign to the King and Temple who finally and fully dwell with God's people.

How 2 Chronicles 4:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.