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Exodus 25:16-18
New Catholic Bible
Exodus 25:16-18
New Catholic Bible
16 “You will place the Testimony that I will give you in the Ark.
17 “You shall make a seat[a] of atonement of pure gold. It shall be two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. 18 You will make two cherubim[b] out of gold. Make them as hammered works, placing them on the two sides of the seat of atonement.
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- Exodus 25:17 Seat: Hebrew, kapporet, from the root kaphar, “to cover” but also “to make expiation, wipe away.” The rites of the great “day of expiation” were performed on this seat of the Ark (see Lev 16:11-16; Heb 9:5).
- Exodus 25:18 The cherubim correspond to the Babylonian karibu, half animals, half human beings, who guarded the gates of temples and palaces. The two at the ends of the atonement cover on the Ark of the Covenant have been regarded as representations of supernatural beings that are ministers of God. Yahweh sits between the cherubim (1 Sam 4:4; 2 Sam 6:2; 2 Ki 19:15; Pss 80:2; 99:1). Solomon will place two cherubim in the holiest room of the temple, beside the Ark (1 Ki 6:23-28). The chariot of God is drawn by four cherubim (Ezek 1; 10). See also Gen 3:24; Ps 18:11.
