Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 25:20
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.
20. shall spread out ] Heb. shall be spreading out, describing their permanent condition: the idiom, as Gen 1:6, and frequently.
with their faces, &c.] These cherubim, unlike those of Ezek. (see above), are pictured therefore as having only one face each. The cherubim in Solomon’s Temple (1Ki 6:23-28), it is to be noted, differed materially from those here described. Solomon’s cherubim were colossal figures, each ten cubits (15 ft.) high; they were not of gold, but of olive wood, overlaid with gold; they were not upon the ark, nor did they face each other; they stood, one on each side of the ark, facing the entrance to the Holy of holies, and their four outstretched wings, each 5 cubits (7 ft.) long, extended across from one wall of the Holy of holies to the other.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Towards God, who is supposed to sit there, whose face the angels in heaven always behold, and upon whom their eyes are fixed to observe and receive his commands; and towards Christ, the true propitiatory, which mystery they desire to look into, 1Pe 1:12; not envying mankind their near and happy relation to him, but taking pleasure in the contemplation of it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the cherubim shall stretch forth their wings on high,…. From whence it appears they were in the form of winged creatures, as the seraphim in Isaiah’s vision, and the living creatures in those of Ezekiel and John; and their wings did not hang down by them, or on the side of them, but were stretched out upwards towards the heaven above their heads; denoting the readiness, agility, and swiftness of the ministers of the word to do the work and will of Christ, as well as their expectation of all the supplies of gifts and grace from him to enable them to do it:
covering the mercy seat with their wings; which reached each other; though, as Jarchi q says, between them and the mercy seat there was a hollow of ten hands’ breadth; so high were they stretched upwards, though they met each other:
and their faces shall look one to another; and which is expressive of the harmony, concord, and agreement of the true and faithful ministers of Christ one with another; who all agree in preaching Christ, and him crucified, and in the several momentous and important doctrines of the Gospel:
towards the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be; as before observed, it may denote their directing souls to Christ as the only way of salvation, keeping always in all their ministrations this great truth in view, atonement and satisfaction by the blood and sacrifice of Christ, and salvation alone by him; which they make the rule of their ministry, and from which they never swerve, taking care not to deliver anything contrary to it, or which may serve to cast a veil over it.
q T. Bab. Succah, fol. 5. 2. Vid. Gloss. in ib.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
“ And let the cherubs be stretching out wings on high, screening ( , ) with their wings above the capporeth, and their faces (turned) one to the other; towards the capporeth let the faces of the cherubs be.” That is to say, the cherubs were to spread out their wings in such a manner as to form a screen over the capporeth, with their faces turned towards one another, but inclining or stooping towards the capporeth. The reason for this is given in Exo 25:22. There – viz., above the capporeth that was placed upon the ark containing the testimony – Jehovah would present Himself to Moses ( , from to appoint, to present one’s self to a person at an appointed place, to meet with him), and talk with him “ from above the capporeth, out from between the two cherubs upon the ark of testimony, all that I shall command thee for the sons of Israel ” (cf. Exo 29:42). Through this divine promise and the fulfilment of it (Exo 40:35; Lev 1:1; Num 1:1; Num 16:19), the ark of the covenant together with the capporeth became the throne of Jehovah in the midst of His chosen people, the footstool of the God of Israel (1Ch 28:2, cf. Psa 132:7; Psa 99:5; Lam 2:1). The ark, with the tables of the covenant as the self-attestation of God, formed the foundation of this throne, to show that the kingdom of grace which was established in Israel through the medium of the covenant, was founded in justice and righteousness (Psa 89:15; Psa 97:2). The gold plate upon the ark formed the footstool of the throne for Him, who caused His name, i.e., the real presence of His being, to dwell in a cloud between the two cherubim above their outspread wings; and there He not only made known His will to His people in laws and commandments, but revealed Himself as the jealous God who visited sin and showed mercy (Exo 20:5-6; Exo 34:6-7), – the latter more especially on the great day of atonement, when, through the medium of the blood of the sin-offering sprinkled upon and in front of the capporeth, He granted reconciliation to His people for all their transgressions in all their sin (Lev 16:14.). Thus the footstool of God became a throne of grace (Heb 4:16, cf. Exo 9:5), which received its name capporeth or from the fact that the highest and most perfect act of atonement under the Old Testament was performed upon it. Jehovah, who betrothed His people to Himself in grace and mercy for an everlasting covenant (Hos 2:2), was enthroned upon it, above the wings of the two cherubim, which stood on either side of His throne; and hence He is represented as “dwelling (between) the cherubim” (1Sa 4:4; 2Sa 6:2; Psa 80:2, etc.). The cherubs were not combinations of animal forms, taken from man, the lion, the ox, and the eagle, as many have inferred from Ezek 1 and 10, for even the composite beings which Ezekiel saw with four faces had a human figure (Eze 1:5); but they are to be regarded as figures made in a human form, and not in a kneeling posture, but, according to the analogy of 2Ch 3:13, standing upright. Consequently, as the union of four faces in one cherub is peculiar to Ezekiel, and the cherubs of the ark of the covenant, like those of Solomon’s temple, had but one face each, not only did the human type form the general basis of these figures, but in every respect, with the exception of the wings, they were made in the likeness of men. And this is the only form which would answer the purpose for which they were intended, viz., to represent the cherubim, or heavenly spirits, who were stationed to prevent the return of the first man to the garden of Eden after his expulsion thence, and keep the way to the tree of life. Standing upon the capporeth of the ark of the covenant, the typical foundation of the throne of Jehovah, which Ezekiel saw in the vision as “the likeness of a firmament” (Eze 1:22, Eze 1:25), with their wings outspread and faces lowered, they represented the spirits of heaven, who surround Jehovah, the heavenly King, when seated upon His throne, as His most exalted servants and the witnesses of His sovereign and saving glory; so that Jehovah enthroned above the wings of the cherubim was set forth as the God of Hosts who is exalted above all the angels, surrounded by the assembly or council of the holy ones (Psa 89:6-9), who bow their faces towards the capporeth, studying the secrets of the divine counsels of love (1Pe 1:12), and worshipping Him that liveth for ever and ever (Rev 4:10).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(20) The cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high.The two wings of both cherubs were to be elevated and advanced so as to overshadow the mercy seat, and, as it were, protect it. In the Egyptian figures of Ma, one wing only has this position, the other being depressed and falling behind the figure.
Towards the mercy seat.Bent downwards, i.e., as though gazing on the mercy seat. (Compare Exo. 37:9).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 25:20 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.
Ver. 20. Toward the mercy seat shall the faces, &c. ] Angels in the Syriac are called , of the face; because they look ever on the face of God, waiting his commands.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
toward. Looking toward the blood of propitiation. Compare Exo 12:13 and Jos 2:18-21. See especially Exo 37:9.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
cherubims shall: Exo 25:18, 1Ki 8:7, 1Ch 28:18, 2Ch 3:10
covering: Eze 28:14
toward: Gen 28:12, Isa 6:1-5, Eze 1:20, Mat 24:31, Joh 1:51, 1Co 4:9, 1Co 11:10, Eph 3:10, Col 2:10, Heb 1:14, 1Pe 1:12, 1Pe 3:22, Rev 5:11, Rev 5:12
Reciprocal: Gen 3:24 – Cherubims Exo 37:9 – to the mercy seatward 1Ki 6:27 – they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims 1Ki 8:6 – under the wings 2Ch 3:13 – inward Psa 80:1 – dwellest Psa 97:7 – worship Isa 6:2 – wings Eze 1:6 – every one had four wings