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Aaron and the priests must tend the lamps on the pure gold lampstand continually in the Lord’s presence.
Leviticus 24:4 · New Living Translation
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.
  • BSB He shall tend the lamps on the pure gold lampstand 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.

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 and its vessels, the pure lamp stand with all its vessels, the altar of incense,
  • Exod 39:37the pure lamp stand, its lamps, even the lamps to be set in order, all its vessels, the oil for the light,
  • Exod 37:17–24He made the lamp stand of pure gold. He made the lamp stand of beaten work. Its base, its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its flowers were of one piece with it.
  • Jer 52:19The captain of the guard took away the cups, the fire pans, the basins, the pots, the lamp stands, the spoons, and the bowls; that which was of gold, in gold, and that which was of silver, in silver.
  • Exod 25:31–39“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 Chr 28:15by weight also for the lamp stands of gold, and for its lamps, of gold, by weight for every lamp stand and for its lamps; and for the lamp stands of silver, by weight for every lamp stand and for its lamps, according to the use of every lamp stand;
  • Num 3:31Their duty shall be the ark, the table, the lamp stand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the screen, and all its service.
  • Rev 2:5Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I am coming to you swiftly, and will move your lamp stand out of its place, unless you repent.
  • Zech 4:11–14Then I asked him, “What are these two olive trees on the right side of the lamp stand and on the left side of it?”
  • 1 Kgs 7:49and the lamp stands, five on the right side, and five on the left, before the inner sanctuary, of pure gold; and the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of gold;
  • Rev 11:4These are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands, standing before the Lord of the earth.
  • Num 4:9“They shall take a blue cloth, and cover the lamp stand of the light, and its lamps, and its snuffers, and its snuff dishes, and all its oil vessels, with which they minister to it.
  • Heb 9:2For a tabernacle was prepared. In the first part were the lamp stand, the table, and the show bread; which is called the Holy Place.
  • Rev 1:20the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lamp stands. The seven stars are the angels of the seven assemblies. The seven lamp stands are seven assemblies.
  • Zech 4:2–3He said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I have seen, and behold, a lamp stand all of gold, with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps, which are on the top of it;

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.