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He shall tend the lamps on the pure gold lampstand before the LORD continually.
Leviticus 24:4 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB He shall keep in order the lamps on the pure gold lamp stand before Yahweh continually.
  • KJV He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the LORD continually.
  • NKJV He shall be in charge of the lamps on the pure gold lampstand before the Lord continually.
  • NASB He shall keep the lamps in order on the pure gold lampstand before the Lord continually.
  • NLT Aaron and the priests must tend the lamps on the pure gold lampstand continually in the Lord’s presence.

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 lamps on the pure gold lampstand were to be kept burning continually before the LORD. Worship demanded constant, ordered light.

Overview

This repeats and reinforces the command to maintain the seven-branched golden lampstand in perpetual order. The gold and the steady flame conveyed the holiness and permanence of God's presence with Israel. Revelation pictures the church as lampstands (Revelation 1:20), called to shine continually as God's witness in the world.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 15

  • Exod 31:8the table with its utensils, the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense,
  • Exod 39:37the pure gold lampstand with its row of lamps and all its utensils, as well as the oil for the light;
  • Exod 37:17–24Then he made the lampstand out of pure hammered gold, all of one piece: its base and shaft, its cups, and its buds and petals.
  • Jer 52:19The captain of the guard also took away the basins, censers, sprinkling bowls, pots, lampstands, pans, and drink offering bowls—anything made of pure gold or fine silver.
  • Exod 25:31–39Then 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 Chr 28:15the weight of the gold lampstands and their lamps, including the weight of each lampstand and its lamps; the weight of each silver lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand;
  • Num 3:31Their duties were the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used with them, and the curtain—all the service for these items.
  • Rev 2:5Therefore, keep in mind how far you have fallen. Repent and perform the deeds you did at first. But if you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
  • Zech 4:11–14Then I asked the angel, “What are the two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand?”
  • 1 Kgs 7:49the lampstands of pure gold in front of the inner sanctuary, five on the right side and five on the left; the gold flowers, lamps, and tongs;
  • Rev 11:4These witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
  • Num 4:9They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand used for light, together with its lamps, wick trimmers, and trays, as well as the jars of oil with which to supply it.
  • Heb 9:2A tabernacle was prepared. In its first room were the lampstand, the table, and the consecrated bread. This was called the Holy Place.
  • Rev 1:20This is the mystery of the seven stars you saw in My right hand and of the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
  • Zech 4:2–3“What do you see?” he asked. “I see a solid gold lampstand,” I replied, “with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven spouts to the lamps.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Leviticus videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

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

  • VideoWatch teaching on Leviticus 24:4YouTube · 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 LeviticusMatthew 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

Every sacrifice, every priest, and every day of atonement points beyond itself to the one perfect offering and the great High Priest who, by his own blood, makes the unclean holy once for all.

How Leviticus 24:4 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.