the lampstands and their lamps of solid gold, to burn in front of the Most Holy Place as prescribed;
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;
- BSB the lampstands of pure gold and their lamps, to burn in front of the inner sanctuary as prescribed;
- 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;
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 the ten lamp stands of gold according to the ordinance concerning them; and he set them in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left.
- Exod 25:31–37“You shall make a lamp stand of pure gold. Of hammered work shall the lamp stand be made, even its base, its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its flowers, shall be of one piece with it.
- 1 Kgs 6:16–17He built twenty cubits on the back part of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the ceiling. He built them for it within, for an inner sanctuary, even for the most holy place.
- Exod 27:20–21“You shall command the children of Israel, that they bring to you pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually.
- 1 Kgs 8:6The priests brought in the ark of Yahweh’s covenant to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place, even under the cherubim’s wings.
- Ps 28:2Hear the voice of my petitions, when I cry to you, when I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.
- 1 Kgs 6:5Against the wall of the house, he built floors all around, against the walls of the house all around, both of the temple and of the inner sanctuary; and he made side rooms all around.
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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
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