Exodus 25:20

Exodus 25:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.
• New International Version (NIV)The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the cherubim shall stretch out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and they shall face one another; the faces of the cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat.

Context of Exodus 25:20

18You shall make two cherubim (winged angelic figures) of [solid] hammered gold at the two ends of the mercy seat. 19Make one cherub at each end, making the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at its two ends. The cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings and facing each other. The faces of the cherubim are to be looking downward toward the mercy seat. 21You shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony which I will give you. 22There I will meet with you; from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, I will speak [intimately] with you regarding every commandment that I will give you for the Israelites.

Exodus 25:20 word by word

וְהָי֣וּ הַכְּרֻבִים֩ פֹּרְשֵׂ֨י כְנָפַ֜יִם לְמַ֗עְלָה סֹכְכִ֤ים בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם֙ עַל־הַכַּפֹּ֔רֶת וּפְנֵיהֶ֖ם אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֑יו אֶל־הַכַּפֹּ֔רֶת יִהְי֖וּ פְּנֵ֥י הַכְּרֻבִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the cherubimsכְּרוּבkerûb · cherubH3742
• shall stretchפָּרַשׂpâraώ · to spreadH6566
• wingsכָּנָףkânâph · wingH3671
• on highמַ֫עַלma‛al · aboveH4605
• coveringסָכַךְsâkak ώâkak · to coverH5526
• the mercy seatכַּפֹּרֶתkappôreth · mercy seatH3727
• and their facesפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• to anotherאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251

Cross-references for Exodus 25:20

• Exodus 25:18You shall make two cherubim (winged angelic figures) of [solid] hammered gold at the two ends of the mercy seat.
• 1 Kings 8:7For the cherubim spread their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and its [carrying] poles from above.
• 1 Chronicles 28:18and for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the model of the chariot of the cherubim that spread their wings and covered the ark of the Lord’s covenant.
• 2 Chronicles 3:10And in the Holy of Holies he made two sculptured cherubim, and overlaid them with gold.
• Ezekiel 28:14You were the anointed cherub who covers and protects, And I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked in the midst of the stones of fire [sparkling jewels].
• Genesis 28:12He dreamed that there was a ladder (stairway) placed on the earth, and the top of it reached [out of sight] toward heaven; and [he saw] the angels of God ascending and descending on it [going to and from heaven].
• Isaiah 6:1In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw [in a vision] the Lord sitting on a throne, high and exalted, with the train of His royal robe filling the [most holy part of the] temple.
• Ezekiel 1:20Wherever the spirit went, the beings went in that direction. And the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit or life of the living beings was in the wheels.
• Matthew 24:31And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet and they will gather together His elect (God’s chosen ones) from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
• John 1:51Then He said to him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man [the bridge between heaven and earth].”
• 1 Corinthians 4:9For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles at the end of the line, like men sentenced to death [and paraded as prisoners in a procession], because we have become a spectacle to the world [a show in the world’s amphitheater], both to angels and to men.
• 1 Corinthians 11:10Therefore the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head, for the sake of the angels [so as not to offend them].
• Ephesians 3:10So now through the church the multifaceted wisdom of God [in all its countless aspects] might now be made known [revealing the mystery] to the [angelic] rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
• Colossians 2:10And in Him you have been made complete [achieving spiritual stature through Christ], and He is the head over all rule and authority [of every angelic and earthly power].
• Hebrews 1:14Are not all the angels ministering spirits sent out [by God] to serve (accompany, protect) those who will inherit salvation? [Of course they are!]
• 1 Peter 1:12It was revealed to them that their services [their prophecies regarding grace] were not [meant] for themselves and their time, but for you, in these things [the death, resurrection, and glorification of Jesus Christ] which have now been told to you by those who preached the gospel to you by the [power of the] Holy Spirit [who was] sent from heaven. Into these things even the angels long to look.

Commentaries on Exodus 25:20

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17-22Verses 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 25:18-20 The cherubim of the mercy-seat were human figures, each having two…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-22Verses 10-22 The ark was a chest, overlaid with gold, in which the two tables of the law were to be kept. These tables are called the testimony; God in them testified his will. This law was a testimony to the Israelites, to direct them in their duty, and would be a testimony against them, if they transgressed. This ark was placed in the holy of holies; the blood of the sacrifices was sprinkled, and the incense burned, before it, by the high priest; and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10-22an ark of acacia wood: Ark is an old English word meaning "box." The ark was Israel's "covenant box." It was the most important item in the entire Tent of Meeting (the tabernacle) because God made his presence available there (25:22). The stone tablets of the covenant were inside the box (25:16, 21). This emphasized that God reveals himself through a mutual commitment between himself and his people.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-401. the Lord spake unto Moses, &c.--The business that chiefly occupied Moses on the mount, whatever other disclosures were made to him there, was in receiving directions about the tabernacle, and they are here recorded as given to him.Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 25:20

• Cherubim
• Gold
• Mercy-Seat
• Tabernacle
• Types

In the dictionaries

• Ark
• Cast
• Cherub
• Commune
• Handbreadth
• Ring
• Testimony
• Angel
• Badger
• Beauty

Commentaries on Exodus 25

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings