"Make a lampstand of pure gold and hammer it out, base and shaft; its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms shall be of one piece with it. Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand--three on one side and three on the other. Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. And on the lampstand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. One bud shall be under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair--six branches in all. The buds and branches shall all be of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.

Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it. Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of pure gold. A talent of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories. See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."
(Exodus 25:31-40 NIV)

(cups: Heb. gheb-ee’-ah , from an unused root meaning to be convex, a goblet or cup, the bell of a flower; knobs: Heb. kaf-tore’ , from root to encircle, the capital of a column or a disk; blossoms: Heb. prakh-ee’-ah , bud of flower or blossom, from the verb paw-rakh’ , to break forth as a bud or blossom).

• The menorah was beaten from one talent (58 to 80 lbs.) of solid gold.
• It featured a center upright stick, which had three branches extending from each side.
• Each branch contained 3 almond shaped cups (gheb-ee’-im), a disk (kaf-tore’), a blossom (prakh-ee’-ah).
• The center shaft had 4 almond shaped cups, along with their own knobs and blossoms (apparently four of each).
• On top there were seven lamps (six on branches and one in the center) that were filled with oil and lit with wicks. The lamps were filled with a special olive oil (beaten not pressed) and burned continuously.
• A set of tongs and pans were fashioned from gold, and used each morning and evening to service the lamps.
• The menorah was set in front of the veil, on the south wall