Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 8:2
Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick.
2. When thou settest up ] So R.V. marg. correctly. The lamps were small bowls of oil with wicks. They stood on the top of the central stem and of the three branching arms or shafts on either side. The verb describes Aaron as reaching up to put them in their place after the wicks have been lighted.
in front of the lampstand ] i.e. towards the opposite (north) side, where the table of the Presence-bread stood.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 2. The seven lamps shall give light] The whole seven shall be lighted at one time, that seven may be ever burning.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
i.e. Either,
1. On every side of the candlestick. So the candlestick is here put for the bulk or shaft of the candlestick, as Exo 25:31,35, and the lamps, when they were lighted, were put into the branches of the candlestick, and take it out upon occasion. Thus the meaning is, that all the lamps were to be lighted on that part which was towards the middle, looking that way whence they had their light; for the middle lamp was lighted with the fire of the altar, and from that the other lamps received light. But against this sense it is objected, that the lamps could not be otherwise ordered, but that they must give light round about the candlestick, and therefore that sense seems to make this direction idle and frivolous. Or,
2. On that part which is before the candlestick, Heb. over against the face of the candlestick, i.e. in that place towards which the candlestick looked, or where the candlestick stood in full view, i.e. upon the north side, where the table of shewbread stood, as appears from hence, because the candlestick stood close to the boards of the sanctuary on the south side, Exo 26:35. And thus the lights were on both sides of the sanctuary, which was fit and necessary, because it was wholly dark in itself, and had no window in it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. Speak unto Aaron, c.Thecandlestick, which was made of one solid, massive piece of pure gold,with six lamps supported on as many branches, a seventh in the centersurmounting the shaft itself (Exo 25:31Exo 37:17), and completedaccording to the pattern shown in the mount, was now to be lighted,when the other things in the sanctuary began to be applied toreligious service. It was Aaron’s personal duty, as the servant ofGod, to light His house, which, being without windows, required theaid of lights (2Pe 1:19). Andthe course he was ordered to follow was first to light the middlelamp from the altar-fire, and then the other lamps from each otheracourse symbolical of all the light of heavenly truth being derivedfrom Christ, and diffused by His ministers throughout the world (Re4:5).
the seven lamps shall givelight over against the candlestickThe candlestick stood closeto the boards of the sanctuary, on the south side, in full view ofthe table of showbread on the north (Ex26:35), having one set of its lamps turned towards the east, andanother towards the west; so that all parts of the tabernacle werethus lighted up.
Nu8:5-22. THECONSECRATION OF THELEVITES.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him,…. It being his work to light the lamps, though, as Ben Gersom observes, it was not incumbent on an high priest alone to do this, for it also belonged to the sons of Aaron, who were common priests, Ex 27:21; though it is probable that as this was the first time of lighting them, it might be done by Aaron himself, his sons attending and assisting him; in which he was an eminent type of Christ, the great High Priest, who lights the lamps in all his golden candlesticks, the churches, Re 1:20, and from whom they have all their light and all the supplies of it:
when thou lightest the lamps; which was done at evening, Ex 30:8; pointing at the great light set up by Christ, the light of the world, in the evening of it, in the last days:
the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick; the Targum of Jonathan is,
“at the same time of thy lighting the lamps over against the candlestick, there shall be seven lamps giving light: three on the west side and three on the east side, and the seventh in the middle:”
and in the like order Jarchi places them, who observes, that the three eastward looked over against the middlemost, the wicks that were in them; and so the three westward, the tops of the wicks were over against the middlemost: and he also observes, that the middlemost lamp was no other than the body of the candlestick, and so all the rest of the lamps were over against and looked to that; and this is the sense of Maimonides m, and other Jewish writers; but the truer meaning of the phrase is, that the seven lamps gave light, as they were to do, to that part of the holy place that was opposite to the candlestick, the north part of it, where stood the shewbread table, the candlestick being in the south, Ex 40:22; that the table of the Lord might have light, as it was proper it should; and the priests might see to set on and take off the bread, which otherwise they could not, there being no window in the place; [See comments on Ex 25:37].
m Hilchot Beth Hacbehirah, c. 3. sect. 8.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
2 When thou lightest the lamps. This precept, like many others, is not inserted in its proper place. Moses again declares what was the use of the candlestick, and how the lamps should be arranged, so that their light might be spread through the sanctuary, and that the brightness of the gold might shine over against them; for this was the reason why God would have the lamps lighted against the face of, or opposite to, the candlestick, that the very stand of the light might retain its beauty. Moreover, it is expressly stated that Aaron obeyed God’s command, as if in no despicable matter, as he had received it from Moses. To this also refers what immediately follows, that it was made “according unto the pattern” which Moses had seen in the mount; and this was, as I have before explained it, that God is the Father of lights, who illuminates His Church by His Spirit, that it may not wander in darkness; and so, whilst darkness covers the whole earth, He is as an everlasting light to believers instead of the sun and moon, as says Isa 60:19
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
VIII.
(2) When thou lightest the lamps.Better, When thou settest up the lamps. (Comp. Exo. 25:37.) The golden candlestick was placed against the south wall of the Tabernacle, opposite to the table of shewbread, so that its seven branches were parallel to that wall, with its branches east and west, and consequently the seven lamps, one of which rested upon each of the seven branches, threw their light in front of the candlestick, i.e., towards the north wall, by which arrangement the furniture of the holy place was more effectually lighted than it would have been had the candlestick been placed facing the entrance, with its branches north and south.
Over against.Or, in front of.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
THE LAMPS, Num 8:1-4.
2. The seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick R.V., “in front of.” The Hebrew here is very explicit, yet it is difficult to imagine how the lamps on the candlestick are to give light over against its face or front. This face was the front shown by the seven arms, as they formed a straight line. Since the chandelier stood on the south side of the holy place, the face or front would be northward toward the table of show-bread, and not eastward toward the door of the tabernacle, so that more light was cast northward than eastward, inasmuch as a priest entering in would see the lamps all in a line as one light. The south side of the chandelier could not be called the front, because the lamps were not symmetrically constructed, the wick not being in the middle, but at the edge, so that the light was thrown upon one side, illumining this front space more than that behind. Throughout the Scriptures oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit by which believers are filled with light and life. Zec 4:2-12; Mat 25:1-13; Act 10:38; Heb 1:9; 1Jn 2:20; 1Jn 2:27. The show-bread typifies Christ, the Bread of life. The chandelier pouring its full blaze northward upon the showbread beautifully sets forth the great office of the Spirit in the “holy place” of the sanctified heart. “He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine and show it unto you.” Joh 16:14, note.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Num 8:2. When thou lightest the lamps, &c. Houbigant thinks that the stress here is to be laid upon the word seven; and that the meaning is, “when thou lightest the lamps of the candlestick, take care that all the seven lamps be lighted, and that none of them be omitted.” Others, however, instead of over against the candlestick in this and the following verse, would read, on all sides of the candlestick. But the Hebrew el mul peni, seems to refer to the lights (the lights at the extremity of the candlestick,) and so to confirm Houbigant’s opinion.
REFLECTIONS.The candlestick being prepared, the lamps are ordered to be lighted. Aaron first is employed, though afterwards the priest in waiting performed the service. The fire was taken from the altar, and the lamps were lighted therewith; nor had the tabernacle any other light, but from this candlestick. Note; Christ is the only Light of the world; and if ever we shine, it must be by the sacred fire which his Spirit kindles in us. The use of the lamp was, that they might see to do the work of the tabernacle. Ministers must first have their own spirits lighted up, as the lamp of the Lord, before they can minister acceptably to God, or profitably to men. How shall they who are in darkness themselves, lead others to the light?
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
the = the face of the.
candlestick = light-holder (as in Gen 1:14), or lampstand. Compare Exo 25:31-39; Exo 37:17-24.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Exo 25:37, Exo 37:18, Exo 37:19, Exo 37:23, Exo 40:25, Lev 24:1, Lev 24:2, Psa 119:105, Psa 119:130, Isa 8:20, Mat 5:14, Joh 1:9, 2Pe 1:19, Rev 1:12, Rev 1:20, Rev 2:1, Rev 4:5
Reciprocal: Num 18:5 – And ye Mat 5:15 – it giveth
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 8:2. When thou lightest the lamps The priests lighted the middle lamp from the fire of the altar, and the rest one from another. Thus, all light and knowledge comes from Christ, who has the seven spirits of God, signified by these seven lamps of fire. Shall give light over against the candlestick On that part which is before the candlestick. Hebrew, over against the face; or, before the face of the candlestick. That is, in that place toward which the candlestick looked, or where it stood in full view. Or rather, the meaning of the order is, that the whole seven lamps should be lighted, which branched out from all sides of the shaft, called the candlestick, (Exo 25:35,) in order that the sanctuary might be all enlightened, there being no windows in it, so that all the light it had came from the candlestick.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
8:2 Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light {a} over against the candlestick.
(a) To that part which is in the forefront of the candlestick, Exo 25:37.