John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 2. Command the children of Israel , etc.] Moses was the chief magistrate under God, and being clothed with authority from him, had power to command the children of Israel to do what the Lord required of them: that they bring unto thee pure oil olive, beaten, for the light ; this was to be at the public expense, and it belonged to the community to supply the priests with oil for the light of the candlestick in the temple, ( Exodus 25:6); and this oil was not to be any sort of oil, as train oil, or oil of nuts, almonds, etc. but oil of olives, and not any sort of that, but the purest, which was the first that was taken from them; it seems there were three sorts, the first of which was pure, and this beaten in a mortar, and not ground in a mill; (see Gill on “ Exodus 27:20”); to cause the lamps to burn continually ; the lamps in the golden candlestick, which were seven, ( Exodus 25:37); or “the lamp”, in the singular number, as it is in the original text; the western lamp, which is said to be always kept lighted, from which the rest were lighted when out; though the oil was undoubtedly for the supply of the lamps, that they might burn always, night and day; or from night tonight, as Jarchi; and both on sabbath days and working days, as the Targum of Jonathan.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-9 - The loaves of bread typify Christ as the Bread of life, and the food of the souls of his people. He is the Light of his church, the Light of the world; in and through his word this light shines. By this light we discern the food prepared for our souls; and we should daily, but especially from sabbath to sabbath, feed thereon in our hearts with thanksgiving. And as the loaves were left in the sanctuary, so shoul we abide with God till he dismiss us.
Original Hebrew צו6680 את853 בני1121 ישׂראל3478 ויקחו3947 אליך413 שׁמן8081 זית2132 זך2134 כתית3795 למאור3974 להעלת5927 נר5216 תמיד׃8548
