Exodus 40:25 kjv
And he lighted the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exodus 40:25 nkjv
and he lit the lamps before the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
Exodus 40:25 niv
and set up the lamps before the LORD, as the LORD commanded him.
Exodus 40:25 esv
and set up the lamps before the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
Exodus 40:25 nlt
Then he lit the lamps in the LORD's presence, just as the LORD had commanded him.
Exodus 40 25 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 25:37 | You shall make its seven lamps... | Design of the lamps for the Menorah. |
| Exo 27:20-21 | Command the people... pure oil for the light... to make a lamp burn continually... | The purpose and maintenance of the lamp. |
| Exo 30:7-8 | Aaron shall burn fragrant incense... when he lights the lamps in the evening... | Priestly duty to light and trim the lamps daily. |
| Exo 39:32, 42-43 | Thus all the work... was finished. And the sons of Israel had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses; so they did. Moses examined all the work and behold, they had done it; just as the Lord had commanded, so they had done it. And Moses blessed them. | Repeated emphasis on completing the Tabernacle work exactly as commanded, setting context for Exo 40:25. |
| Exo 40:16 | Thus Moses did; according to all that the Lord had commanded him, so he did. | Broader statement of Moses' overall obedience in setting up the Tabernacle. |
| Lev 24:1-4 | Then the Lord spoke to Moses... You shall order the sons of Israel... to make a lamp burn continually before the Lord. On the pure gold lampstand he shall arrange the lamps before the Lord continually. | Reiteration of the command for perpetual lamp-burning by Aaron. |
| Num 4:16 | Eleazar... shall have charge of... the oil for the light. | Responsibility for the upkeep of the lamp. |
| Num 8:1-4 | The Lord spoke to Moses, "Speak to Aaron... when you light the lamps, the seven lamps will throw light forward... And Aaron did so... he lit its lamps... just as the Lord had commanded Moses." | Explicit account of Aaron lighting the lamps exactly as instructed. |
| Deut 4:5-6 | See, I have taught you statutes... just as the Lord my God commanded me... for this will be your wisdom and your understanding... | Broader principle of obeying God's specific commands. |
| Josh 1:7 | Only be strong... and observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you. | Emphasizes faithfulness to Mosaic commands as key to success. |
| Ps 119:105 | Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. | God's word as spiritual guidance, parallel to the physical light. |
| Prov 6:23 | For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light. | Divine instruction likened to illuminating light. |
| Isa 2:5 | Come, house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light of the Lord. | Encouragement to walk according to God's light. |
| Matt 5:14-16 | You are the light of the world... Let your light shine before men. | Believers called to display spiritual light, echoing the physical light of God's dwelling. |
| John 1:4-5, 9 | In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness... There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. | Jesus as the true, spiritual light, foreshadowed by the lamp. |
| John 8:12 | Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world." | Jesus identifies Himself as the ultimate fulfillment of the lamp's symbolism. |
| John 9:5 | While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world. | Further declaration of Christ's role as ultimate spiritual illumination. |
| Heb 8:5 | Who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God... "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain." | The earthly Tabernacle (including the Menorah) was a type of heavenly reality. |
| Heb 9:2 | For there was a tabernacle prepared, the first, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the Holy Place. | Describes the presence of the lampstand in the Holy Place. |
| Rev 1:12-13, 20 | I saw seven golden lampstands; and in the middle of the lampstands one like a son of man... The seven lampstands are the seven churches. | The symbolism of lampstands shifts to represent the churches. |
| Rev 21:23 | And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. | Ultimate divine light in the new creation, with God and the Lamb as the source. |
| Eph 5:8-9 | For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light... | Christians are to reflect God's light in their conduct. |
Exodus 40 verses
Exodus 40 25 Meaning
Exodus 40:25 describes Moses' faithful execution of a specific command from the Lord: the lighting of the seven-branched lampstand (Menorah) within the Tabernacle's Holy Place. This act of setting the lamps alight ensured the continuous presence of light within God's dwelling, a symbolic action directly tied to the precise divine instructions previously given. The verse underscores meticulous obedience as foundational to proper worship and service to the Lord.
Exodus 40 25 Context
Exodus chapter 40 marks the triumphant conclusion of the book, detailing the final assembly and dedication of the Tabernacle—the dwelling place of God among His people. After meticulous instructions for its construction (Exo 25-31) and the disruption of the golden calf incident, the people, by God's grace and Moses' mediation, resumed and completed the work. Chapters 36-39 recorded the Israelites’ diligent work in constructing each element of the Tabernacle and its furnishings. Chapter 40 then presents the grand culmination: Moses setting up each component in its appointed place. Verses 18-30 describe Moses erecting the structure, setting in the Ark, table, lampstand, and altar of incense. Verse 25 specifically focuses on the lamps of the Menorah. This chapter consistently uses the phrase "as the Lord commanded Moses," underscoring that every action and placement adhered strictly to divine blueprints. Historically, this moment marked the official beginning of organized, prescribed worship for the Israelite nation in their nomadic journey, a visible manifestation of God's presence at the heart of their camp. Culturally, this was their central religious artifact, distinctly setting their worship apart from the polytheistic and often syncretistic practices of surrounding nations by virtue of its singular divine origin and explicit design.
Exodus 40 25 Word analysis
And he lit: (וַיַּדְלֵק - vayyadleq). From the Hebrew verb דָּלַק (dalaq), meaning "to burn, kindle, light." This denotes an intentional and active initiation of the lamp's function. The subject, "he," is Moses, signifying his personal involvement in executing God's commands for the Tabernacle's operation. This was a critical step in making the Holy Place functional for worship.
the lamps: (אֶת־הַנֵּרוֹת - et-hannêrōṯ). Refers specifically to the seven lamps attached to the branches of the Menorah. The definite article 'ha-' indicates these specific, already constructed lamps. They were designed to hold pure olive oil, providing continuous illumination within the Holy Place, which had no natural light source.
before the Lord: (לִפְנֵי יְהוָה - lifnê Yahweh). "In the presence of Yahweh." This phrase emphasizes that the act was not merely functional illumination but an integral part of sacred service directly performed in God's immediate presence. The Tabernacle, and especially the Holy Place, was considered the earthly dwelling of God, making all actions within it consecrated. It highlights the divine recipient and ultimate purpose of the ritual.
as the Lord commanded Moses: (כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה - ka'asher tziwwah Yahweh et-Mosheh). This recurring liturgical formula (appearing dozens of times, especially in Tabernacle instructions and fulfillment accounts) signifies perfect obedience to divine decree. It stresses divine authority, meticulously observed instructions, and validation of the entire process. It ensures that the actions were not human inventions but divinely prescribed, affirming the sanctity and efficacy of the worship.
Words-group analysis:
- "And he lit the lamps": This concise phrase encapsulates a specific priestly action. It implies not just the physical lighting but the beginning of a sustained function – the perpetual light symbolizing God's watchful presence and guidance within the Tabernacle. It wasn't an ad-hoc action but the inaugural execution of a sacred ritual.
- "before the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses": This entire phrase is central. "Before the Lord" defines the setting and purpose – direct service to God in His sanctuary. "As the Lord commanded Moses" explains how the action was to be done – in perfect conformity to revealed divine will. The conjunction of these phrases emphasizes that legitimate worship must be both directed to God and performed according to His specific instructions, highlighting that acceptable worship is God-initiated and God-defined. This phrase authenticates the Tabernacle's operations, showing every detail was by God's direct design.
Exodus 40 25 Bonus section
- Polemics against Paganism: The meticulously defined rituals and materials for the Tabernacle, including the Menorah, served as an implicit polemic against the arbitrary, often depraved, and idolatrous cultic practices of the surrounding nations. While some cultures had lights in their temples, Israel's was unique in its divine origin and symbolic meaning, and its internal light stood in stark contrast to practices like sun worship where natural light sources were deified. The source of light within the Holy Place was confined, man-made according to God's design, emphasizing God as the unique Giver of light, not dependent on natural celestial bodies that pagans might worship.
- Symbolic Continuity of Light: The physical light of the Menorah anticipated the ultimate spiritual Light of the world, Jesus Christ, who dispels spiritual darkness. As the lampstand perpetually shone in the Tabernacle, so Christ perpetually illuminates His church and guides believers. This light then extends to believers, who are called to be "lights in the world" (Phil 2:15), reflecting Christ's radiance through their obedient lives and testimonies, thereby connecting the Tabernacle's physical illumination to its New Testament spiritual fulfillment.
Exodus 40 25 Commentary
Exodus 40:25 is a vital verse in the climax of the book of Exodus, showcasing Moses' scrupulous obedience in the setting up of the Tabernacle. The lighting of the lamps in the Holy Place was not a mere detail of interior decoration, but a divinely ordained ritual act central to the daily service and symbolic of God's illuminating presence. Within a Tent that had no windows, the Menorah was the sole source of light, pointing to the spiritual reality that God Himself is the source of all light, guidance, and truth for His people. The repeated phrase "as the Lord commanded Moses" is theologically significant, underscoring that the efficacy and legitimacy of the Tabernacle's functions—and indeed all worship—depended entirely on precise adherence to God's revealed instructions. It affirms that true worship is not borne out of human innovation or convenience, but out of reverent submission to divine decree. This verse thus stands as a testament to the importance of obeying God's Word in all matters of faith and practice, especially in approaching His presence.