The Meaning of Exodus 25:31 Explained

Exodus 25:31

KJV: And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.

YLT: 'And thou hast made a candlestick of pure gold, of beaten work is the candlestick made; its base, and its branch, its calyxes, its knops, and its flowers are of the same;

Darby: And thou shalt make a lamp-stand of pure gold; of beaten work shall the lamp-stand be made: its base and its shaft, its cups, its knobs, and its flowers shall be of the same.

ASV: And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made, even its base, and its shaft; its cups, its knops, and its flowers, shall be of one piece with it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And thou shalt make  a candlestick  [of] pure  gold:  [of] beaten work  shall the candlestick  be made:  his shaft,  and his branches,  his bowls,  his knops,  and his flowers,  shall be of the same. 

What does Exodus 25:31 Mean?

Study Notes

candlestick
Candlestick, type of Christ our Light, shining in the fullness of the power of the sevenfold Spirit Isaiah 11:2 ; Hebrews 1:9 ; Revelation 1:4 . Natural light was excluded from the tabernacle. (Cf) 1 Corinthians 2:14 ; 1 Corinthians 2:15 .
John 1:4 .
greater light
The "greater light" is a type of Christ, the "Sun of righteousness" Malachi 4:2 . He will take this character at His second advent. Morally the world is now in the state between; Genesis 1:3-16 ; Ephesians 6:12 ; Acts 26:18 ; 1 Peter 2:9 . The sun is not seen, but there is light. Christ is that light John 1:4 ; John 1:5 ; John 1:9 but "shineth in darkness," comprehended only by faith. As "Son of righteousness" He will dispel all darkness. Dispensationally the Church is in place as the "lesser light," the moon, reflecting the light of the unseen sun. The stars Genesis 1:16 are individual believers who are "lights"; Philippians 2:15 ; Philippians 2:16 ; John 1:5 .
A type is a divinely purposed illustration of some truth. It may be:
(1) a person Romans 5:14
(2) an event 1 Corinthians 10:11
(3) a thing Hebrews 10:20
(4) an institution Hebrews 9:11
(5) a ceremonial 1 Corinthians 5:7
Types occur most frequently in the Pentateuch, but are found, more sparingly, elsewhere. The antitype, or fulfilment of the type, is found, usually, in the New Testament.
made The word does not imply a creative act; vs. Genesis 1:14-18 are declarative of function merely.

Context Summary

Exodus 25:23-40 - The Table Of Showbread And The Lampstand
The Table of the Showbread, or Presence-bread, held the twelve loaves, which represented the tribes of Israel. It was three feet long, one foot, six inches broad, and two feet, three inches high. The border or edging of gold around the top kept its contents from falling off. The loaves were changed each week, and when removed, were eaten only by the priests. See Mark 2:26. Surely the suggestion of this table, standing, as it did, immediately before the veil on the outer side, was intended to teach that the purity and devotion of Israel were as bread to God. He taketh pleasure in them that fear Him. We also feed with God on the beauty and glory of our Savior's obedience unto death.
The candlestick, with its seven branches, cost $35,000, and is a type of Christ, the Light of the World, and of the people of God when illuminated by the Divine Fire and shining amid the darkness around. See Zechariah 4:2; John 8:12; Revelation 1:13. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 25

1  What the Israelites were to offer for the building of the tabernacle
10  The dimensions of the ark
17  The mercy seat, with the cherubim
23  The table of show bread, with the furniture thereof
31  The golden candlestick, with the instruments thereof

What do the individual words in Exodus 25:31 mean?

And You shall make a lampstand of gold pure of hammered work Shall be the lampstand Its shaft and its branches its bowls its [ornamental] knobs and flowers [of one piece] shall be
וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ מְנֹרַ֖ת זָהָ֣ב טָה֑וֹר מִקְשָׁ֞ה תֵּעָשֶׂ֤ה הַמְּנוֹרָה֙ יְרֵכָ֣הּ וְקָנָ֔הּ גְּבִיעֶ֛יהָ כַּפְתֹּרֶ֥יהָ וּפְרָחֶ֖יהָ מִמֶּ֥נָּה יִהְיֽוּ

וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ  And  You  shall  make 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
מְנֹרַ֖ת  a  lampstand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מְנׄורָה  
Sense: lamp stand.
זָהָ֣ב  of  gold 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָהָב  
Sense: gold.
טָה֑וֹר  pure 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָהֹור  
Sense: pure, clean.
מִקְשָׁ֞ה  of  hammered  work 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִקְשָׁה  
Sense: hammered work, finely decorated cultic objects of gold or silver.
תֵּעָשֶׂ֤ה  Shall  be 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
הַמְּנוֹרָה֙  the  lampstand 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְנׄורָה  
Sense: lamp stand.
יְרֵכָ֣הּ  Its  shaft 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: יָרֵךְ  
Sense: thigh, side, loin, base.
וְקָנָ֔הּ  and  its  branches 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: קָנֶה  
Sense: reed, stalk, bone, balances.
גְּבִיעֶ֛יהָ  its  bowls 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: גָּבִיעַ  
Sense: cup, bowl.
כַּפְתֹּרֶ֥יהָ  its  [ornamental]  knobs 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: כַּפְתֹּור  
Sense: bulb, knob, capital, capital of a pillar.
וּפְרָחֶ֖יהָ  and  flowers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: פֶּרַח  
Sense: bud, sprout.
מִמֶּ֥נָּה  [of  one  piece] 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
יִהְיֽוּ  shall  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.