Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 25:12
And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put [them] in the four corners thereof; and two rings [shall be] in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it.
12. in ] on, i.e. fasten them on to.
feet ] short supports for the ark. Not the word used in v. 26.
on the one side, &c.] It is not stated whether the longer or the shorter sides are meant. The former are commonly thought of: but if the writer thought that the Divine throne should always face in the direction in which it was borne ( v. 14), the latter will have been intended ( DB. iv. 665 b ; cf. 1Ki 8:8). ‘Rib’(marg.) fig. for side occurs also v. 14, Exo 26:20; Exo 26:26-27; Exo 26:35, Exo 27:7, 2Sa 16:13 al.
In the four corners; in the middle of each corner, for conveniency of carriage. See 1Ki 7:30. 12. ringsstaples for thepoles, with which it was to be carried from place to place. And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it,…. For which a mould was to be made, and the gold being melted was poured into it, and so the rings were fashioned:
and put them in the corners thereof; or, “in its feet”, as Aben Ezra, though Jarchi says it had no feet; but as the word used so signifies always, it is more probable it had feet; and the rather, that it might not stand upon the ground, but on feet, as chests and coffers usually do:
and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it; Jarchi says, at the upper corners, near the mercy seat were they placed, two on one side and two on the other, at the breadth of the ark; but it is more likely they were fixed in the lower part of it, as Ramban, at the feet of it; and in the length of the ark, as Josephus writes m.
m Antiqu. l. 3. c. 6. sect. 5
(12) Four rings of gold.Though the ark was not to be carried in procession, like Egyptian arks, yet it would have to be carried when the Israelites resumed their journeyings. The four rings were made to receive the two staves or poles by which the ark was to be borne at such times on the shoulders of the priests (Exo. 25:13-14).
In the four corners thereof.Literally, at the four feet thereof. The rings were to be affixed, not at the four upper corners of the chest, but at the four bottom corners, in order that the ark, when carried on mens shoulders, might be elevated above them, and so be in no danger of coming in contact with the bearers persons. The arrangement might seem to endanger the equilibrium of the ark when carried; but as Kalisch observes, the smallness of the dimensions of the ark rendered its safe transportation, even with the rings at its feet, not impossible.
12-15. Rings staves The position of these is seen in the cut, and the whole, as wont to be carried by the priests, is shown in the following cut .
Exo 25:12 And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put [them] in the four corners thereof; and two rings [shall be] in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it.
Ver. 12, 13. And thou shalt cast four rings, &c. ] These staff rings were to continue upon the ark; the Kohathites’ shoulders felt wherefore. But “God helped them to bear the ark”; 1Ch 15:26 and so he doth still his gospel ministers.
side. Hebrew. zel’a, rib. See note on Exo 25:32.
Exo 25:15, Exo 25:26, Exo 26:29, Exo 27:7, Exo 37:5, Exo 38:7
Reciprocal: Exo 27:4 – rings in the four corners thereof Exo 30:4 – rings Exo 39:16 – gold rings 1Ch 15:15 – bare the ark 2Ch 5:8 – the staves
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge