Noah Webster's Dictionary (n. pl.) An instrument for cropping and holding the snuff of a candle. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia 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

Multi-Version Concordance Snuffers (8 Occurrences) Exodus 25:38 Its snuffers and its snuff dishes shall be of pure gold. (WEB ASV DBY YLT NAS RSV) Exodus 37:23 He made its seven lamps, and its snuffers, and its snuff dishes, of pure gold. (WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) Numbers 4:9 "They shall take a blue cloth, and cover the lampstand of the light, and its lamps, and its snuffers, and its snuff dishes, and all its oil vessels, with which they minister to it. (WEB ASV DBY YLT NAS RSV) 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 house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, to wit, of the temple, of gold. (WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT NAS RSV) 2 Kings 12:13 But there were not made for the house of Yahweh cups of silver, snuffers, basins, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into the house of Yahweh; (WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT NAS RSV) 2 Kings 25:14 The pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass with which they ministered, took they away. (WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT NAS RSV) 2 Chronicles 4:22 and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the fire pans, of pure gold: and as for the entry of the house, the inner doors of it for the most holy place, and the doors of the main hall of the temple were of gold. (WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT NAS RSV) Jeremiah 52:18 The pots also, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass with which they ministered, took they away. (WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT NAS RSV)