Snuffers are tools mentioned in the Bible, primarily used in the context of the tabernacle and temple services. These instruments were employed to trim the wicks of lamps, ensuring that the light burned brightly and steadily. The use of snuffers highlights the importance of maintaining the sacred light, which symbolized God's presence and guidance among His people.

Biblical References:

1. Exodus 25:38 : "Its wick trimmers and their trays must be of pure gold." This verse is part of the instructions given to Moses regarding the construction of the tabernacle and its furnishings. The snuffers, or wick trimmers, were to be made of pure gold, signifying their sacred purpose and the holiness of the tabernacle.

2. Exodus 37:23 : "He also made its seven lamps, its wick trimmers, and trays of pure gold." This passage describes the craftsmanship of Bezalel, who was filled with the Spirit of God to construct the tabernacle's furnishings. The inclusion of snuffers in this list underscores their role in the daily maintenance of the lampstand, ensuring that the light remained pure and undiminished.

3. Numbers 4:9 : "They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand for the light, along with its lamps, wick trimmers, trays, and all its oil jars, and they are to place it with all its utensils inside a covering of fine leather and put it on the carrying frame." This verse is part of the instructions for the Kohathites, who were responsible for transporting the sacred objects of the tabernacle. The careful handling and covering of the snuffers, along with other items, reflect their sanctity and the reverence due to objects used in worship.

4. 1 Kings 7:50 : "the bowls, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, ladles, and censers of pure gold; and the gold hinges for the doors of the inner temple (that is, the Most Holy Place) and for the doors of the main hall of the temple." In the construction of Solomon's Temple, snuffers were again crafted from pure gold, indicating their continued importance in the worship practices of Israel. The use of gold for these items highlights the wealth and splendor of the temple, as well as the dedication to maintaining the purity of worship.

Symbolic Significance:

In the biblical context, light often symbolizes God's presence, truth, and guidance. The maintenance of this light through the use of snuffers can be seen as a metaphor for the spiritual vigilance required of believers. Just as the priests were tasked with ensuring the lamps burned brightly, Christians are called to nurture their faith and keep their spiritual light shining in a world often shrouded in darkness.

The meticulous care given to the snuffers and other temple implements reflects the broader biblical theme of holiness and the need for purity in worship. The snuffers, though simple tools, played a crucial role in the daily rituals that connected the Israelites to their God, reminding them of His constant presence and the light of His truth.(n. pl.) An instrument for cropping and holding the snuff of a candle.SNUFFERS; SNUFFDISHES

snuf'-erz, snuf'-dish-ez (melqachayim, machtoth): These two utensils are thrice mentioned in connection with the wilderness tabernacle (Exodus 25:38; Exodus 37:23 Numbers 4:9). the American Standard Revised Version prefers to read "snuffers and snuffdishes" in place of "tongs and snuffdishes" (compare 2 Chronicles 4:22), the connection between the two utensils being indicated by the fact that both are said to belong to the seven lamps, and were to be made out of the talent of gold which was specified as the weight of the whole (Exodus 25:37-39).

The seven-branched candlestick which stood in the holy place of both tabernacle and temple was surmounted, in each of its arms, by a removable lamp in which olive oil was burnt. From the requirement of keeping these lights brilliantly burning throughout each night of the year, arose the need for snuffers and snuffdishes. By the former, the burnt portions of the wick were removed; in the latter they were deposited previous to removal. The lamps may have required to be trimmed as often as every half-hour. For this purpose a priest would enter the outer chamber "accomplishing the services" (Hebrews 9:6).

In the time of Solomon's Temple another word than melqachayim was used to describe this utensil. It is mezammeroth, from a verb meaning "to prune" or "trim," and is found in 1 Kings 7:50 2 Kings 12:13; 2 Kings 25:14; 2 Chronicles 4:22 Jeremiah 52:18. In 4 of these passages, the English text reads, "the snuffers and the basins"; the 5th is merely a summary of things taken to Babylon (2 Kings 25:14). In this constant later association of "basins" and "snuffers" it is seen that the basins referred to were used for the reception of the cast-off portions of the wicks of the seven lamps, and took the place of the snuffdishes of an earlier age.

See TONGS.

W. Shaw Caldecott

4457. melqach -- tongs, snuffers
... 4456, 4457. melqach or malqach. 4458 . tongs, snuffers. Transliteration: melqach
or malqach Phonetic Spelling: (mel-kawkh') Short Definition: snuffers. ...
/hebrew/4457.htm - 6k

4212. mezammereth -- snuffers
... 4211, 4212. mezammereth. 4213 . snuffers. Transliteration: mezammereth Phonetic
Spelling: (mez-am-mer-aw') Short Definition: snuffers. ...
/hebrew/4212.htm - 6k

Degrees of Sin
... The snuffers of the tabernacle were of pure gold: they who reprove and snuff the
vices of others, had need themselves be free from those sins. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/the ten commandments/3 2 degrees of sin.htm

Consecration and Dedication
... In the tabernacle and temple service every vessel and article of furniture, even
the smallest spoon, the tongs, and snuffers, together with the building itself ...
/.../byers/sanctification/chapter iii consecration and dedication.htm

Love's Complaining
... With him is the oil to feed the living flame, and he knows how to pour it in according
to due measure; with him are those golden snuffers with which to remove ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 32 1886/loves complaining.htm

Methodical Liberality
... Howbeit there were not made for the house of the Lord bowls of silver, snuffers,
basons, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/methodical liberality.htm

The Sad Fate of a Guilty Nation
... Also the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the bowls, and all the vessels of brass,
with which sacrifices were offered in the temple, they took away. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/the sad fate of a.htm

Of the Building of this Temple
... He also made all its vessels of brass, the pots, and the shovels, and the basons;
and besides these, the snuffers and the tongs, and all its other vessels, he ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 3 of the building.htm

Our Stronghold
... When I preached last Thursday night about the snuffers of the temple and the golden
snuffer trays, and the necessity there was for the lamps in the sanctuary ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/our stronghold.htm

The Church of Christ
... You know there were snuffers and snuffer-trays provided in the temple for all the
candles, but no extinguishers; and if there should be a poor candle here this ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/the church of christ.htm

Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3. <. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/solomons temple spiritualized.htm

The Immaculate Conception
... the altar. He then took a pair of scissors which, like our snuffers, had
a little box at the end to hold what was cut off. With ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/ii the immaculate conception.htm

Snuffers (8 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n. pl.) An instrument for cropping and holding the snuff
of a candle. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. SNUFFERS; SNUFFDISHES. ...
/s/snuffers.htm - 11k

Trimmers (8 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Trimmers (8 Occurrences). Exodus 25:38 Its snuffers
and its snuff dishes shall be of pure gold. (See NIV). ...
/t/trimmers.htm - 8k

Wick (10 Occurrences)
... victory. (WEY NAS RSV NIV). Exodus 37:23 He made its seven lamps, and its
snuffers, and its snuff dishes, of pure gold. (See NIV). ...
/w/wick.htm - 9k

Dishes (18 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Exodus 25:38 Its snuffers and its
snuff dishes shall be of pure gold. (WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT). ...
/d/dishes.htm - 12k

Snuffdishes (3 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia SNUFFERS; SNUFFDISHES. snuf'-erz,
snuf'-dish-ez (melqachayim, machtoth): These two utensils are ...
/s/snuffdishes.htm - 9k

Spoons (11 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 7:50 and the cups, and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and
the fire pans, of pure gold; and the hinges, both for the doors of the inner ...
/s/spoons.htm - 10k

Pans (19 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 7:50 and the cups, and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and
the fire pans, of pure gold; and the hinges, both for the doors of the inner ...
/p/pans.htm - 12k

Basins (33 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 7:50 and the cups, and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and
the fire pans, of pure gold; and the hinges, both for the doors of the inner ...
/b/basins.htm - 16k

Tongs (6 Occurrences)
... in the King James Version and the English Revised Version, with two exceptions,
changed in the American Standard Revised Version into "snuffers" (Exodus 25:38 ...
/t/tongs.htm - 9k

Snuff-trays (3 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Snuff-trays (3 Occurrences). Exodus 25:38 and the snuffers
thereof, and the snuff-trays thereof, of pure gold. (DBY). ...
/s/snuff-trays.htm - 7k

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