Exodus 25:18-20

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 25:10-22

The first thing which is here ordered to be made is the ark with its appurtenances, the furniture of the most holy place, and the special token of God's presence, for which the tabernacle was erected to be the receptacle. I. The ark itself was a chest, or coffer, in which the two tables of the law, written with the finger of God, were to be honourably deposited, and carefully kept. The dimensions of it are exactly ordered; if the Jewish cubit was, as some learned men compute, three inches... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 25:18

And thou shalt make two cherubim of gold ,.... Which some take to be in the form of birds, and others of winged animals, such as the like were never seen, so Josephus; the Jews commonly suppose they were in the form of young men, which they observe the word signifies in the Chaldee language; others, that they were in the form of an ox, the face of an ox and a cherub being the same, Ezekiel 1:10 and indeed their form is best discerned from account of them in Ezekiel, and in the Revelation,... read more

John Gill

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

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

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 25:18

Verse 18 18And thou shalt make two cherubims. I have stated in my commentary on Genesis and elsewhere, (130) that there are various opinions respecting the word cherub; but that those approach most nearly to the truth who make the כ, caph, not a servile, but a radical letter, and take it generally for any image; for those who suppose the כ to be a note of similitude, render it “like a boy;” which in itself is forced, and besides it is refuted by the words of Ezekiel, (Ezekiel 1:10, and Ezekiel... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 25:10-22

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 25:10-22

The symbolism of the ark of the covenant. The symbolical meaning of the ark of the covenant may be considered, either I. SEPARATELY , AS TO ITS PARTS . These were II. COLLECTIVELY , AS TO THE BEARING OF THE SEVERAL PARTS ONE UPON ANOTHER . The teaching of the ark in this respect was, primarily, that of David in the eighty-fifth psalm: "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other." Mercy without justice is a weak... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 25:10-40

What must be found with every soul that is God's dwelling-place I. THE ARK ( Exodus 25:10-22 ). The place where the Lord meets and communes with us. 1 . It contained the testimony. The light of the meeting-place with God is the word concerning righteousness and sin. There is no communion with God if that be left out. The law which searches and condemns us must be honoured as God's testimony. 2 . Between God and the law we have broken is the mercy seat, sin's glorious... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 25:10-40

The ark, the table, and the candlestick. The instructions for the making of these essential parts of the tabernacle furniture occupy the remainder of the chapter. The directions for making the altar of incense are postponed to Exodus 30:1-10 . The reason seems to be that the uses of this altar could not be described without reference to commands which were to be given respecting the altar of burnt-offering—to which the altar of incense stood in a certain relation of dependence—and to the... read more

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