2我们对灯台有了一个概念,会帮助我们更详细地来看灯台。出埃及记二十五章三十一至三十二节说:“要用精金作一个灯台;灯台的座,和干,与杯、球、花,都要接连一块锤出来。灯台两旁要杈出六个枝子,这旁三个,那旁三个。”灯台包含一个座、一根干,和三对枝子。灯台的每一旁有三个枝子。在每一对枝子下面有一个球,托着干上的两个枝子。然后在每一个枝子上有三个杯,形状像杏花,有球,有花。我们已经看见,每一个杯是由两层组成的:底层叫作球,或花萼,就是花朵青绿的底部,还有顶层的花瓣,实际上构成了一朵花。底层叫作球,而顶层叫作花苞。整个花朵,包含花萼与花,乃是一个杯,形状像杏花。
2Before we consider more detailed points concerning the lampstand, it will be helpful to have a general view of the lampstand. Exodus 25:31 says, “And you shall make a lampstand of pure gold; of beaten work shall the lampstand be made: its base and its shaft; its cups, its knobs, and its blossoming buds shall be from it. And there shall be six branches going out from its sides, three branches of the lampstand from its one side, and three branches of the lampstand from its other side.” The lampstand consists of a base, a stalk, and three pairs of branches. There were three branches on each side of the lampstand. Underneath each pair of branches there was a knob holding the two branches at the stalk. Then on each branch there were three cups shaped like almond blossoms with knobs and blossoming buds. We have seen that each cup was composed of two layers: a bottom layer, called the knob, or the calyx, the leafy green bottom of the blossom, and a top layer of petals, which actually made up the blossom, the flower. The bottom layer is called the knob, and the top layer is called the blossoming bud. The whole flower, including calyx and blossom, is a cup shaped like an almond blossom.