Objects & worship
Lampstand
A support for oil lamps that give light in the sanctuary.
Also called · menorah · golden lampstand
What it means
Exodus 25 prescribes a lampstand hammered from pure gold, with three branches on each side of its central shaft and seven lamps on top.
Leviticus 24 requires the people to bring pure olive oil. Aaron tends the lamps outside the sanctuary veil from evening to morning.
How it appears in the Bible
Zechariah 4 describes a golden lampstand with seven lamps and two olive trees. The vision includes God’s message to Zerubbabel about completing the temple: the work will be accomplished by his Spirit, rather than might or power. Revelation 1 describes seven golden lampstands and identifies them as seven assemblies.
Translation note
Menorah is a transliteration of the Hebrew name. The tabernacle has one stand with seven lamps; Revelation’s vision has seven lampstands.