the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Dictionaries
Candlestick
Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary
or The instrument so rendered by our translators was more properly a stand for lamps. One of beaten gold was made by Moses, Exodus 25:31-32 , and put into the tabernacle in the holy place, over against the table of shew bread. The basis of this candlestick was also of pure gold; it had seven branches, three on each side, and one in the middle. When Solomon had built the temple, he was not satisfied with placing one golden candlestick there, but had ten put up, of the same form and metal with that described by Moses, five on the north, and five on the south side of the holy place, 1 Kings 7:49 . After the Jews returned from their captivity, the golden candlestick was again placed in the temple, as it had been before in the tabernacle by Moses. The lamps were kept burning perpetually; and were supplied morning and evening with pure olive oil. Josephus says, that after the Romans had destroyed the temple, the several things which were found within it, were carried in triumph to Rome, namely, the golden table, and the golden candlestick with seven branches. These were lodged in the temple built by Vespasian, and consecrated to Peace; and at the foot of Mount Palatine, there is a triumphal arch still visible, upon which Vespasian's triumph is represented, and the several monuments which were carried publicly in the procession are engraved, and among the rest the candlestick with the seven branches, which are still discernible upon it. In Revelation 1:12; Revelation 1:20 , mention is made of seven golden candlesticks, which are said to be emblems of the seven Christian churches.
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Watson, Richard. Entry for 'Candlestick'. Richard Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/wtd/c/candlestick.html. 1831-2.
