New King James Version
Exodus 27:20
20“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.
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 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 one hundred cubits, the width fifty throughout, and the height five cubits, made of fine woven linen, and its sockets of bronze. 19All the utensils of the tabernacle for all its service, all its pegs, and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze. “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. 21In the tabernacle of meeting, outside the veil which is before the Testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening until morning before the Lord. It shall be a statute forever to their generations on behalf of the children 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 pure gold lampstand with its lamps (the lamps set in order), all its utensils, and the oil for light;
- Leviticus 24:2“Command the children of Israel that they bring to you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to make the lamps burn continually.
- Judges 9:9But the olive tree said to them, ‘Should I cease giving my oil, With which they honor God and men, And go to sway over trees?’
- Psalms 23:5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
- Zechariah 4:11Then I answered and said to him, “What are these two olive trees—at the right of the lampstand and at its left?”
- Revelation 11:4These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.
- Exodus 25:31“You shall also make a lampstand of pure gold; the lampstand shall be of hammered work. Its shaft, its branches, its bowls, its ornamental knobs, and flowers shall be of one piece.
- Exodus 30:8And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations.
- 1 Samuel 3:3and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the Lord where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down,
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries