Original Word: מְזַמְּרָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: mzammrah
Pronunciation: meh-zam-meh-reth
Phonetic Spelling: (mez-am-mer-aw')
KJV: snuffers
NASB: snuffers
Word Origin: [from H2168 (זָמַר - prune)]

1. a tweezer (only in the plural)

snuffers

From zamar; a tweezer (only in the plural) -- snuffers.

see HEBREW zamar

Word Origin
from zamar
Definition
snuffers
NASB Translation
snuffers (5).

[מְזַמֶּרֶת] noun feminine snuffers, as utensil of Solomon's temple, only plural absolute מְזַמְּרוֺת 2 Kings 12:14, הַמְזַמְּרוֺת 1 Kings 7:50 2Chronicles 4:22; 2 Kings 25:14 = Jeremiah 52:18.

III. זמר (√ of following; meaning dubious; DHM in MV^{10, 983} compare Arabic thing to be protected, thing sacred, inviolable, Lane⁹⁷⁸, Sabean דֿמר protect; Aramaic wonder at, admire, mirus, admirabilis, etc.; hence זמרת Genesis 43:11 'die Merkwürdigkeiten des Landes'). **Arabic is urge with chiding, reproof, thing involving blame (if not protected, defended); this hardly supports meaning choice products for III. זִמְרָה.

Definition and imagery

מְזַמְּרָה designates the “wick-trimmer” or “snuffer” used to prune the burnt ends of lamp wicks. The noun derives from the verb “to prune,” so the imagery of removal for the sake of healthy, steady light is built into the term itself. Like a gardener’s hook that cuts away dead wood, the mezammerah removes charred wick, allowing the flame in the sanctuary to burn cleanly and brightly.

Presence in the biblical narrative

1 Kings 7:50 and 2 Chronicles 4:22 list mezammeroth among the pure-gold furnishings supplied for Solomon’s temple. Centuries later, the same implement appears in Joash’s renovation budget (2 Kings 12:13) and in the inventories of temple articles carried off by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25:14; Jeremiah 52:18). These five references trace a continuous line from the temple’s inauguration through its maintenance to its tragic plunder, confirming the enduring place of the wick-trimmer in official worship.

Role in temple service

Exodus 27:20–21 requires the lamps to burn continually before the LORD. Daily trimming was essential for that mandate:

“Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light, to keep the lamps burning continually.” (Exodus 27:20)

By excising charred portions, priests ensured that the menorah’s light neither flickered nor smoked, preserving both illumination and the purity of the inner sanctuary’s atmosphere. The mezammerah, therefore, functioned as a tool of vigilance—quiet, routine, yet indispensable to covenant worship.

From gold to bronze: historical trajectory

• Solomon’s era: fashioned of “pure gold” (1 Kings 7:50).
• Joash’s repairs: silver implements contemplated, but financial integrity took priority, so no new snuffers were commissioned (2 Kings 12:13).
• Babylonian exile: bronze versions seized (2 Kings 25:14; Jeremiah 52:18).

The material shift from gold to bronze mirrors Israel’s spiritual and political fortunes—from the zenith of united-kingdom glory to the decline preceding exile—while still emphasizing the object’s constant liturgical necessity.

Spiritual symbolism

1. Purification. Just as the trimmer removes spent wick, so the Lord removes what hinders holy fire: “Every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful” (John 15:2).
2. Persevering witness. A well-trimmed lamp evokes the believer’s call to shine without mixture or smoke (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:15).
3. Divine presence. The continual light sustained by the mezammerah speaks of God’s unfailing guidance: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

Echoes in prophetic and New Testament imagery

The pruning motif surfaces in Isaiah 2:4 (“They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks”) and culminates in the Savior who “treads the winepress” (Revelation 19:15), separating what is righteous from what is judged. Revelation’s lampstands (chapters 1–2) further recall the priestly task: Christ walks among His churches, trimming and, if necessary, removing lampstands to preserve pure light.

Pastoral insights

• Regular self-examination, confession, and discipline keep the believer’s testimony bright.
• Leaders serve as spiritual “trimmers,” applying Scripture to cut away doctrinal error and moral compromise.
• Congregational worship requires humble servants who, though often unseen like the mezammerah, quietly labor so that the light of Christ remains clear before a watching world.

Summary

The mezammerah, though mentioned only five times, embodies perseverance in worship, the necessity of continual purification, and the faithfulness of God who provides the means for His light to shine. From Solomon’s splendor to exile’s sorrow, its quiet presence reminds every generation that holy fire must be tended, trimmed, and kept burning for the glory of the Lord.

הַֽמְזַמְּר֜וֹת הַֽמְזַמְּר֣וֹת המזמרות וְהַֽמְזַמְּר֧וֹת והמזמרות מְזַמְּר֤וֹת מזמרות ham·zam·mə·rō·wṯ hamzammeRot hamzammərōwṯ mə·zam·mə·rō·wṯ mezammeRot məzammərōwṯ vehamzammeRot wə·ham·zam·mə·rō·wṯ wəhamzammərōwṯInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts