Exodus 25:39

King James Version (KJV)

Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels - That is, a talent of gold in weight was used in making the candlestick, and the different vessels and instruments which belonged to it. According to Bishop Cumberland, a talent was three thousand shekels. As the Israelites brought each half a shekel, Exodus 38:26, so that one hundred talents, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels, were contributed by six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty persons; by halving the number of the Israelites, he finds they contributed three hundred and one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels in all. Now, as we find that this number of shekels made one hundred talents, and one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels over, if we subtract one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, the odd shekels, from three hundred and one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, we shall have for a remainder three hundred thousand, the number of shekels in one hundred talents: and if this remainder be divided by one hundred, the number of talents, it quotes three thousand, the number of shekels in each talent. A silver shekel of the sanctuary, being equal, according to Dr. Prideaux, to three shillings English, three thousand such shekels will amount to four hundred and fifty pounds sterling; and, reckoning gold to silver as fifteen to one, a talent of gold will amount to six thousand seven hundred and fifty pounds sterling: to which add two hundred and sixty-three pounds for the one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels, at three shillings each, and it makes a total of seven thousand and thirteen pounds, which immense sum was expended on the candlestick and its furniture. It is no wonder, then, (if the candlestick in the second temple was equal in value to that in the ancient tabernacle), that Titus should think it of sufficient consequence to be one of the articles, with the golden table, and silver trumpets, that should be employed to grace his triumph. Their intrinsic worth was a matter of no consequence to Him whose are the silver and gold, the earth and its fullness; they had accomplished their design, and were of no farther use, either in the kingdom of providence, or the kingdom of grace. See Clarke's note on Exodus 25:31, and see Clarke's note on Exodus 38:24.

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Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

Verses 31-39

Exodus 25:31

A candlestick of pure gold - (Compare Exodus 37:17-24.) A lampstand rather than a candlestick. Its purpose was to support seven oil-lamps. Its height appears to have been about three feet, and its width two feet. The original foot was lost or stolen when the candlestick was taken out of the temple, and the pedestal in the sculpture was added by some Roman artist to set off the trophy.

His shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers - Or, its base, its stem, its flower cups, its knobs, and its lilies.

Exodus 25:33

Three bowls made like unto almonds - Three cups of almond flowers. These appear to be the cups in immediate contact with the knobs as shown in the sculpture.

A flower - A lily; and this rendering well agrees with the sculpture.

The candlestick - Here, and in the two following verses, the word appears to denote “the stem,” as the essential part of the candlestick. It would seem from Exodus 25:33-35 that the ornamentation of the candlestick consisted of uniform members, each comprising a series of an almond flower, a knob and a lily; that the stem comprised four of these members; that each pair of branches was united to the stem at one of the knobs; and that each branch comprised three members. In comparing the description in the text with the sculptured figure, allowance must be made for some deviation in the sculptor‘s copy.

Exodus 25:37

Seven lamps - These lamps were probably like those used by the Egyptian and other nations, shallow covered vessels more or less of an oval form, with a mouth at one end from which the wick protruded. The candlestick was placed on the south side of the holy place Exodus 26:35, with the line of lamps parallel with the wall, or, according to Josephus, somewhat obliquely. If the wick-mouths of the lamps were turned outwards, they would give light over against the candlestick; that is, toward the north side (see Numbers 8:2).

Light was of necessity required in the tabernacle, and wherever light is used in ceremonial observance, it may of course be taken in a general way as a figure of the Light of Truth; but in the sanctuary of the covenanted people, it must plainly have been understood as expressly significant that the number of the lamps (seven) agreed with the number of the covenant. The covenant of Yahweh was essentially a covenant of light.

They shall light - See the margin and the note at Leviticus 1:9.

Exodus 25:38

The tongs - Used to trim and adjust the wicks. (Compare Isaiah 6:6.)

The snuff-dishes - These were shallow vessels used to receive the burnt fragments of wick removed by the tongs. The same Hebrew word is translated, in accordance with its connection, “fire pans,” Exodus 27:3; Exodus 38:3; and “censers,” Numbers 4:14; Numbers 16:6.

Exodus 25:39

A talent of pure gold - about 94 lbs.

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Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

The candlestick represents the light of God's word and Spirit, in and through Christ Jesus, afforded in this dark world to his believing people, to direct their worship and obedience, and to afford them consolations. The church is still dark, as the tabernacle was, in comparison with what it will be in heaven; but the word of God is a light shining in a dark place, 2Pe 1:19, and a dark place indeed the world would be without it. In ver. 40 is an express caution to Moses. Nothing was left to his own fancy, or to that of the workmen, or the people; but the will of God must be observed in every particular. Christ's instruction to his disciples, Mt 28:20, is like this, Observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. Let us remember that we are the temples of the Holy Ghost, that we have the law of God in our hearts, that we are to live a life of communion with God, feast on his ordinances, and are the light of the world, if indeed we are followers of Christ. May the Lord help us to try ourselves by this view of religion, and to walk according thereto.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

39. A talent of pure gold. Equivalent in weight to 75.38 lb. avoir. (34.19 kg.). Thus would be 108.16 cu. in. (1772.4 cu. cm.) and would make a cube a little more than 43/4 in. (1756.52 cu. cm.) on a side. In one sense the “candlestick” represented the people of God as the moral and spiritual light of the world, individually (Matt. 5:14-16; Phil. 2:15) and as a church (Rev. 1:12, 20). It represented also the power of the Holy Spirit to illumine the church (Zech. 4:2-6; Rev. 4:5). In the highest sense, however, as previously stated, it points to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (John 9:5), who is the light of the world (John 1:4; 8:12; 12:46), and imparts to the soul “every good gift and every perfect gift” which comes from the “Father of lights” (James 1:17).

1. The tabernacle. From mishkan, a “dwelling,” a word derived from shakan, “to dwell.” It is related Shekinah, the glorious presence of God (see on Ex. 25:8 and Gen. 3:24) in the holy of holies (Ex. 25:22). The word “tabernacle” might be more accurately rendered today as “tent” or “dwelling.”

The sacred furniture of the “tabernacle” has been described, with the exception of the altar of incense. That is considered in ch. 30:1-10. Chapter 26 is concerned with directions for making the sacred “tabernacle” itself. This had two main parts:

a.A quadrangular enclosure 30 cubits long by 10 cubits wide and 10 high (43 ft. 9 in. by 14 ft. 7 in. (13.34 by 4.45 by 4.45 m.; see on ch. 25:10) open at one end. The three sides were made of acacia boards covered with gold.

b.A tent of goats’ hair, probably flat on top, was stretched over the tabernacle. The word “tent” is wrongly translated as “covering” in v. 7, but appears correctly elsewhere in the chapter (vs. 11-14, 36). An outer covering of “rams’ skins dyed red,” or tanned rams’ skins, and “badgers’ skins” (see on ch. 25:5), over the tent of goats’ hair.

There were secondary parts to the structure, such as:

a.The “sockets,” or bases, which were to hold and support the upright boards that enclosed the tabernacle.

b.The “bars” to be used to hold these boards together.

c.The “vail,” or curtain, stretched on pillars from one side of the tabernacle to the other, thus separating it into two apartments. The front apartment, the “holy place,” or “first tabernacle,” was twice as long as the “most holy place” (Ex. 26:15-25, 33; see 1 Kings 6:16-20; Heb. 9:2-7), or 20 cubits long and 10 cubits wide (29 ft. 2 in. by 14 ft. 7 in., or 8.89 by 4.46 m.). The “most holy place,” or “the holiest of all” (Heb. 9:3), was 10 cubits in length and 10 in width (14 ft. 7 in., or 4.45 m. square).

d.A “hanging,” or curtain, covered the front, open end of the tabernacle where there were no boards.

Ten curtains. Fastened together as “breadths,” these formed the innermost of the four “coverings” (Ex. 26:7, 14), and thus the ceiling of the two apartments. These curtains were two cubits shorter than the outer curtains (v. 7), making the inner covering one cubit shorter on each covering than the outer covering.

Cherubims. Since the materials Aholiab used in his embroidery were identical with those here named, it is reasonable to think that these “cherubim” were embroidered in the “curtains” (chs. 35:35; 38:23). These cherubim represented the host of angels that attend the Lord and do His bidding (Ps. 103:20, 21; see on Gen. 3:24).

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Ellen G. White
The Story of Redemption, 155

The priest in the holy place, directing his prayer by faith to the mercy seat, which he could not see, represents the people of God directing their prayers to Christ before the mercy seat in the heavenly sanctuary. They cannot behold their Mediator with the natural eye, but with the eye of faith they see Christ before the mercy seat and direct their prayers to Him, and with assurance claim the benefits of His mediation. SR 155.1

These sacred apartments had no windows to admit light. The candlestick was made of purest gold and was kept burning night and day, and gave light to both apartments. The light of the lamps upon the candlestick reflected upon the boards plated with gold, at the sides of the building, and upon the sacred furniture and upon the curtains of beautiful colors with cherubim wrought with threads of gold and silver, which appearance was glorious beyond description. No language can describe the beauty and loveliness and sacred glory which these apartments presented. The gold in the sanctuary reflected the colors of the curtains, which appeared like the different colors of the rainbow. SR 155.2

Only once a year could the high priest enter into the most holy place, after the most careful and solemn preparation. No mortal eye but that of the high priest could look upon the sacred grandeur of that apartment, because it was the especial dwelling place of God's visible glory. The high priest always entered it with trembling, while the people waited his return with solemn silence. Their earnest desires were to God for His blessing. Before the mercy seat God conversed with the high priest. If he remained an unusual time in the most holy, the people were often terrified, fearing that because of their sins or some sin of the priest, the glory of the Lord had slain him. But when the sound of the tinkling of the bells upon his garments was heard, they were greatly relieved. He then came forth and blessed the people. SR 155.3

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