God’s Word Translation
Exodus 25:22
22I will be above the throne of mercy between the angels whenever I meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.
Exodus 25:22 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
- New International Version (NIV)There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.
- English Standard Version (ESV)There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel.
Context of Exodus 25:22
20The angels should have their wings spread above the throne of mercy, overshadowing it. They should face each other, looking at the throne of mercy. 21After you put into the ark the words of my promise which I will give you, place the throne of mercy on top. I will be above the throne of mercy between the angels whenever I meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites. 23“Make a table of acacia wood 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high. 24Cover it with pure gold, and put a gold molding around it.
Read all of Exodus 25Exodus 25:22 word by word
וְנוֹעַדְתִּ֣י לְךָ֮ שָׁם֒ וְדִבַּרְתִּ֨י אִתְּךָ֜ מֵעַ֣ל הַכַּפֹּ֗רֶת מִבֵּין֙ שְׁנֵ֣י הַכְּרֻבִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־אֲרֹ֣ן הָעֵדֻ֑ת אֵ֣ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֧ר אֲצַוֶּ֛ה אוֹתְךָ֖ אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And there I will meetיָעַדyâ‛ad · to appointH3259
- with thee, and I will communeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- with thee from above the mercy seatכַּפֹּרֶתkappôreth · mercy seatH3727
- from betweenבַּ֫יִןbêyn · betweenH996
- the twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- cherubimsכְּרוּבkerûb · cherubH3742
- uponעַל‛al · uponH5921
- the arkאֲרוֹן'ârôn 'ârôn · arkH727
- of the testimonyעֵדוּת‛êdûth · testimonyH5715
- which I will give thee in commandmentצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
- unto the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
Cross-references for Exodus 25:22
- Exodus 20:24“You must build an altar for me made out of dirt. Sacrifice your burnt offerings and your fellowship offerings, your sheep, goats, and cattle on it. Wherever I choose to have my name remembered, I will come to you and bless you.
- Exodus 30:6Put the altar in front of the canopy which ⌞hangs⌟ over the ark containing the words of my promise. I will meet with you there in front of the throne of mercy that is on the ark.
- Exodus 31:18The Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai. Then he gave him the two tablets with his words on them, stone tablets inscribed by God himself.
- Genesis 18:33When the Lord finished speaking to Abraham, he left. Abraham returned home.
- Leviticus 1:1The Lord called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting. He said,
- Leviticus 16:2The Lord said, “Tell your brother Aaron that he cannot go into the holy place whenever he wants to. If he goes up to the canopy and stands in front of the throne of mercy on the ark, he will die, because I appear in the smoke above the throne of mercy.
- Numbers 7:89Whenever Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the throne of mercy on the ark containing the words of God’s promise, from between the two angels. This is how the Lord spoke with Moses.
- Numbers 17:4Put them in the tent of meeting where I meet with you, in front of the words of my promise.
- Deuteronomy 5:26Who has ever heard the voice of the living God speak from a fire, as we did, and lived?
- Judges 20:27In those days the ark of God’s promise was at Bethel.
- Exodus 29:42“For generations to come this will be the daily burnt offering ⌞made⌟ in the Lord’s presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting. There I will meet with you to speak to you.
- Exodus 31:6Also, I have appointed Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, from the tribe of Dan, to help him. I have given every craftsman the skill necessary to make everything I have commanded you:
- 1 Samuel 4:4The troops sent some men who brought back the ark of the promise of the Lord of Armies—who is enthroned over the angels. Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, came along with God’s ark.
- 2 Samuel 6:2He and all the people with him left Baalah in Judah to bring God’s ark ⌞to Jerusalem⌟. (The ark is called by the name of the Lord of Armies, who is enthroned over the angels.)
- 2 Kings 19:15and prayed to the Lord, “Lord of Armies, God of Israel, you are enthroned over the angels. You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the world. You made heaven and earth.
- Psalms 80:1Open your ears, O Shepherd of Israel, the one who leads ⌞the descendants of⌟ Joseph like sheep, the one who is enthroned over the angels.
Commentaries on Exodus 25:22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22And there I will meet with thee - That is, over the mercy-seat, between the cherubim. In this place God chose to give the most especial manifestations of himself; here the Divine glory was to be seen; and here Moses was to come in order to consult Jehovah, relative to the management of the people. Ainsworth has remarked that the rabbins say, "The heart of man may be likened to God's sanctuary; for as, in the sanctuary, the shechinah or Divine glory dwelt…Read the comment
- 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. 22I will meet with you there: The ark was in the innermost part of the Holy Place (26:33). This inner room was like God's throne room (see study note on Leviticus 16:2). In many pagan (non-Israelite) temples, an idol stood in that place. An idol is a physical image that people worship as a god. But the tabernacle had no idol. It had only the ark, a sacred box that showed God’s covenant faithfulness and grace (his loyal love and undeserved kindness). God met…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2222. there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat--The Shekinah, or symbol of the Divine Presence, rested on the mercy seat, and was indicated by a cloud, from the midst of which responses were audibly given when God was consulted on behalf of His people. Hence God is described as "dwelling" or "sitting" between the cherubim.Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 25:22
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries