(39)
Of a talent of pure gold.--There are various estimates of the value and weight of the Hebrew gold talent, but none of them places it much below 4,000 of our money. Some carry the estimate as high as 10,000 or 11,000.
Shall he make it.--"He" refers to the artificer by whom the candlestick would be constructed.
Verse 39. -
Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it. The candlestick, with all its appurtenances, was to weigh exactly a talent of gold. The value of the Hebrew gold talent is supposed to have been between 10,000
l. and 11,000
l. of our money.
25:31-40 The candlestick represents the light of God's word and Spirit, in and through Christ Jesus, afforded in this dark world to his believing people, to direct their worship and obedience, and to afford them consolations. The church is still dark, as the tabernacle was, in comparison with what it will be in heaven; but the word of God is a light shining in a dark place,
Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels. The common talent weighed sixty pounds, but the sacred talent was double, and weighed one hundred and twenty pounds, as says Jarchi, and so Ben Melech: a talent of gold amounted to 5067 pounds, three shillings and ten pence of our money, according to Bishop Cumberland (d). (Assuming a troy weight of 12 ounces to a pound, and an ounce of gold worth 400 U.S., than a talent would be worth about 600,000. Editor.)
(d) Of Scripture Weights and Measures, p. 121.
