Exodus 25:20 NIV

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 25:20

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

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 25:18-21

He maketh the winds his messengers, and his ministers a flame of fire. The cherubim were to be of one piece with the mercy seat, the whole a lid, or guard above the lid, to the ark or chest which contained the tables of the law. I. THE CHERUBIM AND THEIR MEANING . 1 . The symbol . They are not described here; but by comparing the various passages in which they are re[erred to we may get a general notion as to their appearance. Ezekiel, who must have been familiar with... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 25:20

The cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high . Compare Exodus 37:9 . It would seem that the two wings of both cherubs were advanced in front of them, and elevated, so as to overshadow the mercy seat. This was a departure from the patterns furnished by the figures of Ma (see the comment on Exodus 37:18 ), since in them one wing only was elevated, and the other depressed. It is clear that in no case was any part of the Hebrew sacred furniture a mere reproduction of Egyptian... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Exodus 25:17-22

A mercy seat of pure gold - (Compare Exodus 37:6-9.) In external form, the mercy-seat was a plate of gold with the cherubim standing on it, the whole beaten out of one solid piece of metal Exodus 37:7; it was placed upon the ark and so took the place of a cover. “mercy” seat expresses well the distinct significance and recognized designation of the Hebrew name.Exodus 25:18-20The cherubim of the mercy-seat were human figures, each having two wings. They must have been of small size, proportioned... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Exodus 25:18-22

Exodus 25:18-22. The cherubim ( cherubim is the plural of cherub, not cherubims) were fixed to the mercy-seat, and of a piece with it, and spread their wings over it. It is supposed these were designed to represent the holy angels, (who always attend the Shechinah, or divine majesty,) not by any effigies of an angel, but some emblem of the angelical nature, probably one or more of those four faces spoken of Ezekiel 1:10. Whatever the faces were, they looked one toward another, ... read more

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

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

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 25:10-22

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 25:10-22

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 25:10-40

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 25:10-40

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 25:18-21

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 25:20

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Exodus 25:17-22

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Exodus 25:18-22

Group of Brands