Exodus 25:10-22
Evangelical Heritage Version
The Ark of the Covenant
10 They shall make an ark[a] of acacia wood. It is to be forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high.[b] 11 Overlay it with pure gold. Overlay it on the inside and the outside, and make a gold border around it. 12 Cast four gold rings for it and place them next to its four feet. Two rings are for one side of it, and two rings for the other side. 13 Make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 14 Put the poles which are used to carry the ark into the rings on the sides of the ark. 15 The poles are to be placed into the rings on the ark. They are not to be removed from the rings.
16 Put the Testimony, which I am about to give to you, into the ark. 17 Make an atonement seat[c] of pure gold, forty-five inches long and twenty-seven inches wide. 18 Make two cherubim[d] of hammered gold. You are to make them for the two ends of the atonement seat. 19 Make one cherub for one end and one cherub for the other end. The cherubim on its two ends are to form one piece with the atonement seat.[e] 20 The cherubim will spread their wings upward so that they cover the atonement seat with their wings, and they will face each other. The faces of the cherubim are to be looking inward toward the atonement seat. 21 Put the atonement seat on top of the ark, and put the Testimony, which I will give to you, into the ark. 22 There I will meet with you, and from above the atonement seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the Ark of the Testimony, I will communicate to you all the commands that I will give to you for the people of Israel.
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- Exodus 25:10 An aron is a box or chest or even a coffin. The translation retains the traditional rendering ark. It is not the same Hebrew word that refers to Noah’s ark, which also was a box.
- Exodus 25:10 Measurements are based on a cubit of 18 inches.
- Exodus 25:17 The Hebrew word kapporet refers to an object that pertains to atonement. It can be translated atonement cover or place of atonement. The traditional rendering mercy seat is based on the translation of Luther, Gnadenstuhl, throne of grace. Luther recognized that the chief function of the kapporet was not to cover the ark, but to serve as the footstool of the Lord. The atoning blood was being presented at the foot of God’s throne.
- Exodus 25:18 For a description of cherubim, the angels who are God’s attendants, see Ezekiel 1.
- Exodus 25:19 That is, the angels were to be permanently fastened to the lid.
Exodus 25:10-22
Lexham English Bible
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.[a] 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[b] and one cherub at the other end[c] 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;[d] 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.[e]
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- Exodus 25:15 Literally “they will not turn aside from it”
- Exodus 25:19 Literally “from end from this”
- Exodus 25:19 Literally “from end from this”
- Exodus 25:20 Literally “and their faces a man to his brother”
- Exodus 25:22 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
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