Exodus 25:10-22

Instructions for Making the Ark of the Covenant

10 "And they will make an ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits its length and a cubit and a half its width and a cubit and a half its height.
11 And you will overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside you will overlay it, and you will make on it a gold molding all around.
12 And you will cast for it four gold rings, and you will put [them] on its four feet, with two rings on its one side and two rings on its second side.
13 And you will make poles of acacia wood, and you will overlay them [with] gold.
14 And you will put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark with them.
15 In the rings of the ark will be the poles; they will not be removed from it.
16 And you will put into the ark the testimony that I will give to you.
17 "And you will make an atonement cover of pure gold, two and a half cubits its length and a cubit and a half its width.
18 And you will make two cherubim of gold; you will make them of hammered work at the two ends of the atonement cover.
19 And make one cherub {at one end} and one cherub {at the other end} of the atonement cover; you will make the cherubim on its two ends.
20 And the cherubim will be [with] outspread wings above, covering with their wings over the atonement cover {and facing each other}; the faces of the cherubim will be toward the atonement cover.
21 And you will put the atonement cover above onto the ark, and into the ark you will put the testimony that I will give you.
22 And I will meet you there, and I will speak with you from over the atonement cover, from between the two cherubim that [are to be] on the ark of the testimony--all that I will command you to the {Israelites}.

Exodus 25:10-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 25

In this chapter an order is given for a freewill offering towards various things for the worship and service of God, and the materials to be offered, which would be useful and acceptable, are mentioned particularly, Ex 25:1-7, as also another order to build a sanctuary for God, after a model that he would give, Ex 25:8,9, and, an ark to put in the law on tables of stone, the fashion of which, and the various things belonging to it, are described, Ex 25:10-16, and a mercy seat with cherubim on it to be set over the ark, where the Lord promises to meet Moses and commune with him, Ex 25:17-22 and a table with various appurtenances to it to place the shewbread on, Ex 25:23-30 and a candlestick of gold, whose parts are described, and all the instruments relative to it, Ex 25:31-40.

Footnotes 5

  • [a]. Literally "they will not turn aside from it"
  • [b]. Literally "from end from this"
  • [c]. Literally "from end from this"
  • [d]. Literally "and their faces a man to his brother"
  • [e]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.