Shemot 25:20

20 And the keruvim shall stretch forth their wings upward, covering the kapporet with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the kapporet shall the faces of the keruvim be.

Shemot 25:20 Meaning and 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 of all the supplies of gifts and grace from him to enable them to do it:

covering the mercy seat with their wings;
which reached each other; though, as Jarchi F17 says, between them and the mercy seat there was a hollow of ten hands' breadth; so high were they stretched upwards, though they met each other:

and their faces shall look one to another;
and which is expressive of the harmony, concord, and agreement of the true and faithful ministers of Christ one with another; who all agree in preaching Christ, and him crucified, and in the several momentous and important doctrines of the Gospel:

towards the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be;
as before observed, it may denote their directing souls to Christ as the only way of salvation, keeping always in all their ministrations this great truth in view, atonement and satisfaction by the blood and sacrifice of Christ, and salvation alone by him; which they make the rule of their ministry, and from which they never swerve, taking care not to deliver anything contrary to it, or which may serve to cast a veil over it.


FOOTNOTES:

F17 T. Bab. Succah, fol. 5. 2. Vid. Gloss. in ib.

Shemot 25:20 In-Context

18 And thou shalt make two keruvim of zahav, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the kapporet.
19 And make one keruv on the one end, and the other keruv on the other end, with the kapporet (atonement cover) shall ye make the keruvim on the two ends thereof.
20 And the keruvim shall stretch forth their wings upward, covering the kapporet with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the kapporet shall the faces of the keruvim be.
21 And thou shalt place the kapporet on the Aron from above; and into the Aron thou shalt place the Edut that I shall give thee.
22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the kapporet, from between the two keruvim which are upon the Aron HaEdut, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the Bnei Yisroel.
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.