Exodus 27:20

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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"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.
• 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.

Context of Exodus 27:20

18The courtyard should be 150 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 7½ feet high, with ⌞curtains⌟ made of fine linen yarn and with bronze bases. 19“All the things for the tent, no matter how they’re used, including all the pegs for the tent and the courtyard, must be made of bronze. “For the lighting, you must command the Israelites to bring you pure, virgin olive oil so that the lamps won’t go out. 21In the tent of meeting outside the canopy where the words of my promise are, Aaron and his descendants must keep the lamps lit in the Lord’s presence from evening until morning. This is a permanent law among the Israelites for generations to come.”

Exodus 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 pure ⌞gold⌟ lamp stand with its lamps in a row and all its utensils, the olive oil for the lamps,
• Leviticus 24:2“Command the Israelites to bring you pure, virgin olive oil for the lamp stand so that the lamps won’t go out.
• Judges 9:9But the olive tree responded, ‘Should I stop producing oil, which people use to honor gods and humans, in order to rule the trees?’
• Psalms 23:5You prepare a banquet for me while my enemies watch. You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows.
• Zechariah 4:11I asked the angel, “What do these two olive trees at the right and the left of the lamp stand mean?”
• Revelation 11:4These witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands standing in the presence of the Lord of the earth.
• Exodus 25:31“Make a lamp stand out of pure gold. The lamp stand, its base, and its shaft, as well as the flower cups, buds, and petals must be hammered out of one piece of gold.
• Exodus 30:8Also, when Aaron lights the lamps at dusk, he must burn incense. For generations to come an incense offering must burn constantly in the Lord’s presence.
• 1 Samuel 3:3The lamp in God’s temple hadn’t gone out yet, and Samuel was asleep in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was kept.

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

• Candlestick
• Lamp
• Oil
• Priest

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Children of Israel
• Oil, Olive
• Beaten oil
• Festivals, Religious
• Hollow
• Lamp
• Oil

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