Why did David prepare for a silver lampstand when the tabernacle had a gold lampstand?
Question:
It says David prepared silver for the lampstand of silver, but in the tabernacle it was gold. Why does it say silver in Chronicles?
Answer:
"The weight for the lampstands of gold, and their lamps of gold, by weight for each lampstand and its lamps; for the lampstands of silver by weight, for the lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand" (I Chronicles 28:15).
The original lampstand with seven lamps in the Tabernacle was made of pure gold (Exodus 25:31-39). But it would incorrect to assume that this was the only lampstand in Solomon's temple. The verse says they had multiple lampstands, some of gold and some of silver. I would assume the original lampstand, along with the original Ark of the Covenant, were in the temple, but being a larger space more lamps would be needed to light the interior of the temple.