Lamp

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

(shine). The temple candlestick (Ex. 25:31-4031And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. 32And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side: 33Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick. 34And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers. 35And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick. 36Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold. 37And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it. 38And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold. 39Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels. 40And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was showed thee in the mount. (Exodus 25:31‑40); 1 Kings 7:4949And the candlesticks of pure gold, five on the right side, and five on the left, before the oracle, with the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs of gold, (1 Kings 7:49)). Torches (Judg. 7:1616And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. (Judges 7:16)). Oriental lamps of many shapes and ornamental. Fed with oil, tallow, wax (Matt. 25:11Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. (Matthew 25:1)).

Concise Bible Dictionary:

 
1St Century Oil Lamp
The lamp was commonly used to furnish artificial light, and numbers of them have been found in the ruins of Jerusalem and other cities, some being made of terra cotta and others of glass. In the “golden candlestick” the light was obtained from lamps, and wherever the word “candle” occurs a lamp is signified. The lamp is used symbolically for the light that is obtained from it; thus “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet” (Psalm 119:105105NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psalm 119:105); Prov. 6:2323For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: (Proverbs 6:23)). The ten virgins, when they went forth to meet the bridegroom, each took a lamp (more correctly a torch); but the issue made it manifest that the lamp without oil could give no light: a striking symbol of mere profession without the Holy Spirit (Matt. 25:1-81Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. (Matthew 25:1‑8)). Oil for the light is further exemplified in the candlestick in Zechariah 4, where the seven lamps are furnished with oil by pipes from two olive trees: to these God’s two witnesses in a future day are compared (Rev. 11:44These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. (Revelation 11:4)). See LIGHT.
 
8th Century Oil Lamp

“514. Lamp Wicks” From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

Lamp-wicks were made of linen, and the allusion is to a wick that is burning with feeble flame from absence of oil, and just ready to expire. The readiness with which the light of such a wick can be put out is referred to in Isaiah 43:1717Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow. (Isaiah 43:17), “They are quenched as tow”; where pishtah, “tow,” is the same word that is rendered “flax” in the text.

“708. Torches” From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

Matthew 25:3- 43They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. (Matthew 25:3‑4). They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them; but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
It is difficult to tell whether lamps proper or torches are here meant. The rabbins speak of a staff used on such occasions, on top of which was a brazen dish containing rags, oil, and pitch. Chardin says that, in many places of the East, instead of torches they carry a pot of oil in one hand and a lamp full of oily rags in the other. The account given by Forbes is similar. He says: “The massaul or torch in India is composed of coarse rags rolled up to the size of an English flambeau, eighteen or twenty inches long, fixed in a brass handle. This is carried in the left hand; in the right the massaulchee (or torch-bearer) holds a brass vessel containing the oil, with which he feeds the flame as occasion requires” (Oriental Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 417).
Whether these virgins carried torches, or merely lamps, as some commentators suppose, they needed a supply of oil to replenish their light, and hence were obliged to carry “vessels” to contain the supplies of oil. Great efforts are made to have an abundance of light at Oriental weddings, which always take place at night. Reference is made to this custom of night-weddings, not only in these two verses, but also in the first verse, and in the fifth and sixth verses. Lamps, torches, and lanterns are freely used in the marriage procession, and also at the house of the bridegroom, where the ceremony is performed. Only vegetable oil, chiefly olive, is used for illuminating purposes.

Related Books and Articles:

708. Torches
514. Lamp Wicks