The Meaning of Exodus 25:18 Explained

Exodus 25:18

KJV: And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.

YLT: and thou hast made two cherubs of gold, beaten work dost thou make them, at the two ends of the mercy-seat;

Darby: And thou shalt make two cherubim of gold; of beaten work shalt thou make them, at the two ends of the mercy-seat.

ASV: And thou shalt make two cherubim of gold; of beaten work shalt thou make them, at the two ends of the mercy-seat.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And thou shalt make  two  cherubims  [of] gold,  [of] beaten work  shalt thou make  them, in the two  ends  of the mercy seat. 

What does Exodus 25:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 25:10-22 - The Ark And The Mercy-Seat
The Tabernacle was full of symbolical teaching of which the full meaning is unfolded in the Epistle to the Hebrews, where we are distinctly told that the Holy Spirit inspired the plan of the various parts. See Hebrews 9:8. Well would it be for us, if we built our lives as Moses the Tabernacle, only on the divine plan. Note Exodus 25:9; Exodus 25:40; Exodus 26:30; Exodus 27:8; Hebrews 8:5. The Ark was the symbol of the Covenant between Jehovah and His people.
The golden slab, known as the mercy-seat, supplied the meeting-place between God and man. It was there that the high priest sprinkled the blood of atonement once a year. It is alluded to by the apostles, Paul and John, as the "propitiation." We might insert Mercy-Seat in each passage. See Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2. Angel forms bent on either side, with their faces downward. See 1 Peter 1:12. The tables of the Law lay written beneath, because the divine righteousness underlies all God's dealings with men. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 25

1  What the Israelites were to offer for the building of the tabernacle
10  The dimensions of the ark
17  The mercy seat, with the cherubim
23  The table of show bread, with the furniture thereof
31  The golden candlestick, with the instruments thereof

What do the individual words in Exodus 25:18 mean?

And you shall make two cherubim of gold of hammered work you shall make them at two the ends of the mercy seat
וְעָשִׂ֛יתָ שְׁנַ֥יִם כְּרֻבִ֖ים זָהָ֑ב מִקְשָׁה֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֹתָ֔ם מִשְּׁנֵ֖י קְצ֥וֹת הַכַּפֹּֽרֶת

וְעָשִׂ֛יתָ  And  you  shall  make 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
שְׁנַ֥יִם  two 
Parse: Number, md
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
כְּרֻבִ֖ים  cherubim 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: כְּרוּב  
Sense: cherub, cherubim (pl).
זָהָ֑ב  of  gold 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָהָב  
Sense: gold.
מִקְשָׁה֙  of  hammered  work 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִקְשָׁה  
Sense: hammered work, finely decorated cultic objects of gold or silver.
תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה  you  shall  make 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
מִשְּׁנֵ֖י  at  two 
Parse: Preposition-m, Number, mdc
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
קְצ֥וֹת  the  ends 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: קָצָה 
Sense: end, extremity.
הַכַּפֹּֽרֶת  of  the  mercy  seat 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: כַּפֹּרֶת  
Sense: mercy-seat, place of atonement.