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The Lighting of the Sanctuary Lamps
v. 1. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
v. 2. Speak unto Aaron and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, apparently the chief daily function of the high priest in those days, and a very important part of the officiating priest's work at a later period, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick. Cf Exo_25:37. The lamps were to be placed in their sockets on the candlestick in such a manner as to throw their light toward the front, thereby illuminating the Holy Place. This custom has a very definite significance in this connection, for Israel was at all times to be such a people before the Lord as to let its light shine in the darkness of this world.
v. 3. And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, so that they shone forward or toward the east from the veil which screened the Most Holy Place, as the Lord commanded Moses.
v. 4. And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold, of fine chased work, unto the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work, Exo_25:31-39; according unto the pattern which the Lord had showed Moses, so he made the candlestick. Stress is again laid upon the fact that the candlestick conformed exactly to the pattern which Moses saw on the mountain.