THE TEN GOLDEN CANDLESTICKS, THE TEN TABLES, THE HUNDRED GOLDEN BOWLS, AND THE COURTS (2Chronicles 4:7-9).

This section is peculiar to Chronicles.

(7) And he made ten candlesticks of gold according to their form.—And he made the golden lampstands ten, according to their rule, or, prescribed manner. (Comp. 1Kings 7:49; and Exodus 25:31-40, where their type is described.) So the Vulg., “secundum speciem quâ jussa erant fieri.” Syriac and Arabic, “according to their laws.” Others explain “as their use required,” which is less likely.

In the temple.—And before the chancel (1Kings 7:49; 2Chronicles 4:20, infra).

4:1-22 The furniture of the temple. - Here is a further account of the furniture of God's house. Both without doors and within, there was that which typified the grace of the gospel, and shadowed out good things to come, of which the substance is Christ. There was the brazen altar. The making of this was not mentioned in the book of Kings. On this all the sacrifices were offered, and it sanctified the gift. The people who worshipped in the courts might see the sacrifices burned. They might thus be led to consider the great Sacrifice, to be offered in the fulness of time, to take away sin, and put an end to death, which the blood of bulls and goats could not possibly do. And, with the smoke of the sacrifices, their hearts might ascend to heaven, in holy desires towards God and his favour. In all our devotions we must keep the eye of faith fixed upon Christ. The furniture of the temple, compared with that of the tabernacle, showed that God's church would be enlarged, and his worshippers multiplied. Blessed be God, there is enough in Christ for all.According to their form - Rather, "after their manner" (compare 2 Chronicles 4:20). There is no allusion to the shape of the candlesticks, which were made, no doubt, after the pattern of the original candlestick of Moses. 7. ten candlesticks—(See on [416]1Ki 7:49). The increased number was not only in conformity with the characteristic splendor of the edifice, but also a standing emblem to the Hebrews, that the growing light of the word was necessary to counteract the growing darkness in the world [Lightfoot]. According to their form; either,

1. the form which was appointed for them by God, who signified it to David. Or rather,

2. The old form which God prescribed to Moses, Exodus 25:31, &c., for so these were made. And this clause seems to be added here, because in many things there was a great variation from the old form, as in the posture of the cherubims, the height of the altar, and divers other things.

See Introduction to Chapter 4 And he made ten candlesticks of gold according to {e} their form, and set them in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left.

(e) Even as they should be made.