Exodus 25:19

19 They shall be made, one cherub on this side, and another cherub on the other side of the propitiatory; and thou shalt make the two cherubs on the two sides.

Exodus 25:19 Meaning and 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 their gifts and graces from Christ, and to point him out unto the sons of men as the only way of salvation, the only propitiation for sin, and through whom alone grace and mercy are to be had:

even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubim on the two ends
thereof;
this is not so much intended the more to inculcate and confirm the situation of the cherubim, as more fully to explain the matter of which they were made; for it was "of" or out of the mercy seat that they were made, at the two ends of it; that is, they were made not only of the same kind of metal with that, but out of the same mass or lump of gold that was; a lid of gold being made commensurate to the ark, what remained above that measure, at the ends of it, were beaten and formed into two cherubim.

Exodus 25:19 In-Context

17 And thou shalt make a propitiatory, a lid of pure gold; the length of two cubits and a half, and the breadth of a cubit and a half.

18 And thou shalt make two cherubs graven in gold, and thou shalt put them on both sides of the propitiatory.

19 They shall be made, one cherub on this side, and another cherub on the other side of the propitiatory; and thou shalt make the two cherubs on the two sides.

20 The cherubs shall stretch forth their wings above, overshadowing the propitiatory with their wings; and their faces shall be toward each other, the faces of the cherubs shall be toward the propitiatory.

21 And thou shalt set the propitiatory on the ark above, and thou shalt put into the ark the testimonies which I shall give thee.