The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

SECT. IV. The Candlestick.

THERE were three remarkable and renowned things in the room of the Holy place, which next come to our observing, and those were the Candlestick, the Table of Shew-bread, and the Altar of Incense: The first of Gold, and the other two gilded, so that here in this room could nothing be seen but Gold. a 1.1 Josephus sets out these three things with this Encomium. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 That they were three most wondrous work∣manships, and to be renowned amongst all men: And that the seven Lamps in the Candlestick resembled the seven Planets: And the twelve Loaves upon the Shew-bread Table, the twelve Signs in the Zodiack or the Year: And the Incense Altar, whereon Incense was offered, which came partly out of the Sea, and partly from Land, denoted that all things are of God and to him.

b 1.2 The Candlestick was eighteen hand breadth high, which according to the cubit of six hand breadth, was a yard and an half: It had three feet, which almost lay flat upon the ground: As three hand breadth height, there was a flowring of a Coronet work curi∣ously spreading out, then went the shaft up, two hand breadth high; and there was a dish, a boss, and a flowring above the boss, and all in a hand breadth compass: thence the shaft went up again, plain for two hand breadths, and then was there a boss of a hand breadth, and there went out two branches, which were carried out, bowed on either side, till they were to be brought up straight to an equal height to the top of this middle shaft out of which they proceeded. Then was there an hand breadth of the shaft plain, and a boss of an hand breadth, and then came out two branches more on either side: And again, one hand breadth of the shaft plain, and a boss again of an hand breadth, and then came out two branches more: Above them was two hand breadth of the shaft plain: And for the three hand breadths above, there were three cups, and three bosses, and three flowrings in that space, and so the Lamp stood in a flowring.

In every branch that came out of this middle shaft, there were three Cups at a handsom distance one from another, and above the highest a boss, and above that a flowring, and in that flowring the Lamp stood: And before the Candlestick there was a Stone with three steps cut in it, on which he that mended the Lamps stood, and on which he set down his dishes whilst he was about that work.

This Candlestick of seven branches (to which allusion is made, Apoc. I. Zechar. IV. 2. Apoc. XI. 4.) was set on the South-side of the House, but so as that the arms or branches of it spread North and South: All the Lamps or Lights that were set in the six branches that came out of the shaft, were turned bending, and looking towards the Lamp which was in the middle in the shaft it self, and the Lamp in that, was turned bending towards the most Holy place, and therefore it was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Western Lamps: These seven Lamps (which denoted the seven Spirits of God, Rev. IV. 5. & V. 6. which the Jews call, the Seven Spirits of Messias from Esay▪ XI. 1, 2, 3.) did burn continually or if any of them were gone out, every Morning and Evening they were lighted again, and their perpetual Light resembled the Word and Doctrine of Salvation, the Light of the Lord, in which we see Light.

These Lamps were called the Candle of the Lord, 1 Sam. III. 3. where it is said, before the Candle of the Lord went out, the Lord called to Samuel, &c. upon which words, Da∣vid Kimchi giveth this Gloss, * 1.3 If this be spoken concerning the Lamps in the Candlestick, this was somewhat before day: for the Lamps burnt from Even till Morning; yet did they sometimes some of them go out in the Night. They put Oil into them by such a measure as should keep them burning from Even till Morning, and many times they did burn till Morning; and they always found the Western Lamp burning. Now it is said, that this Prophesie came to Samuel, before the Lamps went out▪ while it was yet Night, about the time of Cocks crowing▪ for it is said afterward, that Samuel lay till Morning: Or allegorically it speaks of the Candle of Prophesie; as they say the Sun ariseth, and the Sun sets: Before the holy blessed God cause▪ the Sun of one righteous Man to set, he causeth the Sun of another righteous Man to rise. Before Moses his Sun set, Joshua's Sun arose; before Elie's Sun set, Samuel's Sun arose: And this is that which is said, Before the Candle of God went out.

The Lord needed no light of Candles (no more than he needed Bread which was set upon the Shew-bread Table) nor the Priests needed no Candles in this room neither, for the Windows though they were high, yet did they give light into the Room abundantly, but God by these Candles did as it were enlighten the People to teach them Spiritual things by these Corporal, and to acquaint them with the necessity of the light of his Word, and the Bread of Salvation which came down from Heaven. And therefore when Solomon did make d 1.4 ten Candlesticks, and ten Tables, and set them intermixedly by five and five on either side the House, he added nothing to God, but he added only more splendor to the service, and more lustre to the Doctrine of the necessity of the light of the Word, and of the Bread of Life, e 1.5 Our wise Men say (saith Baal Hatturim) that the Western Lamp (which never went out) was a testimony that the Divine glory dwelt amongst Israel.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Ioseph. ubi sup.
• b 1.2

  Maym. in neth habbech. per. 3.
• * 1.3

  Kimch. in 1 Sam. III. Vid. Lev. Gers. ibid.
• d 1.4

  2 Chron. IV.
• e 1.5

  Baal Hattu∣rim in Lev. XXIV.