מְנוֹרָה
a chandelier
Definition
The מְנוֹרָה (menorah) is a sacred, multi-branched lampstand, most famously the seven-branched golden lampstand God commanded Moses to craft for the Tabernacle (Exodus 25:31-40). It was designed to hold seven lamps that would burn continually, providing light within the Holy Place (Exodus 27:20-21). While its primary reference is to this specific cultic object, the term can also refer to other lampstands, such as the single lampstand in Zechariah's vision (Zechariah 4:2). In later contexts, it can symbolize the nation of Israel or God's guiding light.
Biblical Usage
The word is used almost exclusively in cultic or visionary contexts related to Israel's worship. The vast majority of its occurrences describe the construction and placement of the Tabernacle's golden lampstand in Exodus (e.g., Exodus 25:31-40, 26:35, 37:17-24) and later the Temple lampstands in 1 Kings 7:49 and 2 Chronicles 4:7, 20-21. It appears in prophetic visions in Jeremiah 52:19 and Zechariah 4:2, 4:11. The term is never used for a common household lampstand.
Etymology
Derived from the root נוּר (nûr, H5216), meaning 'to shine' or 'to be luminous.' It is the feminine form of the noun מָנוֹר (mānôr, H4500), meaning 'a light' or 'lamp.' The construction indicates an instrument or place of shining, hence a 'lampstand.'
Semantic Range
The menorah is a profound theological symbol. As the sole source of light in the Holy Place, it represents God's perpetual presence, guidance, and revelation to His people (Psalm 119:105). Its design, with branches stemming from a central shaft, may symbolize Israel's calling to be a 'light to the nations' (Isaiah 42:6) rooted in God. In Zechariah 4, the menorah symbolizes God's Spirit empowering His work. For Christians, it prefigures Christ as the true light of the world (John 8:12) and the church as a lampstand (Revelation 1:20).
In the ancient Near East, lampstands were common household items, but Israel's seven-branched golden menorah was unique and sacred. Its design—crafted from a single talent of pure gold—emphasized its holiness and unity. Unlike pagan lampstands often shaped like trees or deities, the Tabernacle menorah's almond-blossom design (Exodus 25:33-34) likely recalled Aaron's rod that budded (Numbers 17:8), symbolizing God's chosen priesthood and life-giving power.
נֵר (nēr, H5216) — a lamp or light source itself, placed on the מְנוֹרָה. | מָגוּר (māgûr, H4035) — a niche or ledge for a lamp, not a stand.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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