The lamps of the ancients, sometimes called "candles" in our Bible, were cups and vessels of many convenient and graceful shapes; and might be carried in the hand, or set upon a stand. See Job 18:5,6 Proverbs 13:9 20:20 Jeremiah 25:10,11; while a constant light was significant of prosperity and perpetuity, 2 Samuel 21:17 1 Kings 11:36 Psalm 132:17 . Lamps to be carried in the streets presented a large surface of wicking to the air, and needed to be frequently replenished from a vessel of oil borne in the other hand, Matthew 25:3,4 . Torches and lanterns, John 18:3 , were very necessary in ancient cities, the streets of which were never lighted.
Although written in 1859 by William Rand, this dictionary of the Bible from the American Tract Society is still relevant today.Wikipedia
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