Exodus 25:10-22

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 25:19

And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end ,.... The situation of the cherubim is particularly explained, lest, as Jarchi observes, it should be thought that there were two at both ends of the mercy seat; whereas there were only one at one end, and another at the other, opposite to each other, and both pointing to the mercy seat; which may express the situation and office of the ministers of the word under each dispensation, who are so placed as to derive all... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 25:20

And the cherubim shall stretch forth their wings on high ,.... From whence it appears they were in the form of winged creatures, as the seraphim in Isaiah's vision, and the living creatures in those of Ezekiel and John; and their wings did not hang down by them, or on the side of them, but were stretched out upwards towards the heaven above their heads; denoting the readiness, agility, and swiftness of the ministers of the word to do the work and will of Christ, as well as their expectation... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 25:21

And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark ,.... Over it, as a covering for it: this situation of the mercy seat above the ark, where the law was, signifies, that there is no mercy but in a way of righteousness, or of satisfaction to the law of God, and in a consistence with the honour of it; and the cherubim over the mercy seat making a throne for the majesty of God, in which he sat, and the ark below a kind of footstool for him, shows that Christ, the mercy seat and propitiatory,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 25:22

And there I will meet with thee ,.... With Moses, and so with the high priest in later times, when he should enter into the holy of holies, and with the people of God as represented by him, when he should go in and inquire for them of the Lord: and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim ; converse with him and them about whatsoever they should apply unto him for, these being the symbols of the divine presence: hence the Lord is frequently... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 25:10

They shall make an ark - ארון aron signifies an ark, chest, coffer, or coffin. It is used particularly to designate that chest or coffer in which the testimony or two tables of the covenant was laid up, on the top of which was the propitiatory or mercy-seat, (see on Exodus 25:17 ;), and at the end of which were the cherubim of gold, ( Exodus 25:18-20 ;), between whom the visible sign of the presence of the supreme God appeared as seated upon his throne. The ark was the most excellent... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 25:11

A crown of gold round about - A border, or, as the Septuagint have it, κυματια χρυσα στεπτα κυκλω , waves of gold wreathed round about. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 25:15

The staves - shall not be taken from it - Because it should ever be considered as in readiness to be removed, God not having told them at what hour he should command them to strike their tents. If the staves were never to be taken out, how can it be said, as in Numbers 4:6 , that when the camp should set forward, they should put in the staves thereof, which intimates that when they encamped, they took out the staves, which appears to be contrary to what is here said? To reconcile these two... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 25:16

The testimony - The two tables of stone which were not yet given; these tables were called עדת eduth , from עד forward, onward, to bear witness to or of a person or thing. Not only the tables of stone, but all the contents of the ark, Aaron's rod, the pot of manna, the holy anointing oil, etc., bore testimony to the Messiah in his prophetic, sacerdotal, and regal offices. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 25:17

A mercy-seat - כפרת capporeth , from כפר caphar , to cover or overspread; because by an act of pardon sins are represented as being covered, so that they no longer appear in the eye of Divine justice to displease, irritate, and call for punishment; and the person of the offender is covered or protected from the stroke of the broken law. In the Greek version of the Septuagint the word ιλαστηριον , hilasterion , is used, which signifies a propitiatory, and is the name used by the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 25:18

Thou shalt make two cherubims - What these were we cannot distinctly say. It is generally supposed that a cherub was a creature with four heads and one body: and the animals, of which these emblematical forms consisted, were the noblest of their kinds; the lion among the wild beasts, the bull among the tame ones, the eagle among the birds, and man at the head of all; so that they might be, says Dr. Priestley, the representatives of all nature. Concerning their forms and design there is much... read more

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