English Standard Version
Exodus 27:20
20"You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn.
Exodus 27:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.
- New International Version (NIV)“Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to cause the lamp to burn continually.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to keep the lamps burning continually.
Context of Exodus 27:20
18The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, the breadth fifty, and the height five cubits, with hangings of fine twined linen and bases of bronze. 19All the utensils of the tabernacle for every use, and all its pegs and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze. "You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn. 21In the tent of meeting, outside the veil that is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the Lord. It shall be a statute forever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel.
Read all of Exodus 27Exodus 27:20 word by word
וְאַתָּ֞ה תְּצַוֶּ֣ה׀ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְיִקְח֨וּ אֵלֶ֜יךָ שֶׁ֣מֶן זַ֥יִת זָ֛ךְ כָּתִ֖ית לַמָּא֑וֹר לְהַעֲלֹ֥ת נֵ֖ר תָּמִֽיד׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And thou shalt commandצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
- the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- that they bringלָקַחlâqach · to take: bringH3947
- thee pureזַךְzak · pureH2134
- oilשֶׁ֫מֶןshemen · oilH8081
- oliveזַ֫יִתzayith · oliveH2132
- beatenכָּתִיתkâthîyth · beatenH3795
- for the lightמָאוֹרmâ'ôr mâ'ôr me'ôrâh me'ôrâh · lightH3974
- to cause the lampנֵרnîyr nir nêyr nêr nêrâh · lampH5216
- to burnעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: offer upH5927
- alwaysתָּמִידtâmîyd · continuallyH8548
Cross-references for Exodus 27:20
- Exodus 39:37the lampstand of pure gold and its lamps with the lamps set and all its utensils, and the oil for the light;
- Leviticus 24:2"Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil from beaten olives for the lamp, that a light may be kept burning regularly.
- Judges 9:9But the olive tree said to them, 'Shall I leave my abundance, by which gods and men are honored, and go hold sway over the trees?'
- Psalms 23:5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
- Zechariah 4:11Then I said to him, "What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?"
- Revelation 11:4These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
- Exodus 25:31"You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand shall be made of hammered work: its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it.
- Exodus 30:8and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations.
- 1 Samuel 3:3The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.
Commentaries on Exodus 27:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Pure oil olive beaten - That is, such oil as could easily be expressed from the olives after they had been bruised in a mortar; the mother drop, as it is called, which drops out of itself as soon as the olives are a little broken, and which is much purer than that which is obtained after the olives are put under the press. Columella, who is a legitimate evidence in all such matters, says that the oil which flowed out of the fruit either spontaneously, or…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Pure oil olive beaten - The oil was to be of the best kind. It is called beaten, because it was obtained by merely bruising the olives in a mortar or mill, without the application of heat. The finest oil is now thus obtained from young fruit freshly gathered. The inferior kind is pressed from unselected fruit under stronger pressure, and with the application of heat. The lamp - i. e. the lamps of the golden candlestick. (See Exodus 25:37.) To burn - See…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-21Verses 20-21 The pure oil signified the gifts and graces of the Spirit, which all believers receive from Christ, the good Olive, and without which our light cannot shine before men. The priests were to light the lamps, and tend them. It is the work of ministers, by preaching and expounding the Scriptures, which are as a lamp, to enlighten the church, God's tabernacle upon earth. Blessed be God, this light is not now confined to the Jewish tabernacle, but…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-21The first thing said about the function of the priests, Aaron and his sons, is that they were to keep the lamps burning continually through the night (see 30:8). As the lamps burned before the Lord, they showed that God was still present with his people. The light reminded them that his presence continued among them.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2120-21. pure oil olive beaten--that is, such as runs from the olives when bruised and without the application of fire. for the light ... Aaron and his sons--were to take charge of lighting it in all time coming.Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 27:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 27
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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