Albert Barnes Commentary Exodus 25:17-22

"And thou shalt make a mercy-seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half [shall be] the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. And thou shalt make two cherubim of gold; of beaten work shalt thou make them, at the two ends of the mercy-seat. And make one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end: of one piece with the mercy-seat shall ye make the cherubim on the two ends thereof. And the cherubim shall spread out their wings on high, covering the mercy-seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy-seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. And thou shalt put the mercy-seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel." — Exodus 25:17-22 (ASV)

A mercy seat of pure gold – (Exodus 25:18–20). In external form, the mercy seat was a plate of gold with the cherubim standing on it, the whole beaten out of one solid piece of metal (Exodus 37:7). It was placed upon the ark and so took the place of a cover. The term mercy seat expresses well the distinct significance and recognized designation of the Hebrew name.

The cherubim of the mercy seat were human figures, each having two wings. They must have been of small size, proportioned to the area of the mercy seat. Comparing the different references to form in this place (2 Samuel 22:11; Psalms 18:10; Ezekiel 1; Ezekiel 10), it would appear that the name cherub was applied to various combinations of animal forms.

Among the Egyptians, the Assyrians, and the Greeks, as well as the Hebrews, the creatures by far most frequently introduced into these composite figures were man, the ox, the lion, and the eagle, as being types of the most important and familiarly known classes of living material beings.

Hence, the cherubim described by Ezekiel have been regarded as representing the whole creation engaged in the worship and service of God (Revelation 5:13). It would be in harmony with this view to suppose that the more strictly human shape of the cherubim of the mercy seat represented the highest form of created intelligence engaged in the devout contemplation of the divine law of love and justice (compare to 1 Peter 1:12).

It is worthy of notice that the golden cherubim from between which Yahweh spoke (Exodus 25:22) to His people bore witness, by their place on the mercy seat, to His redeeming mercy; while the cherubim that took their stand at the gate of Eden (Genesis 3:24), to keep the way to the tree of life, witnessed to His condemnation of sin in man (Exodus 25:18).

Of beaten work (Exodus 25:18) – that is, elaborately worked with the hammer.

Even of the mercy seat (Exodus 25:19) – The sense appears to be that the cherubim and the mercy seat were to be worked out of one mass of gold .

The testimony (Exodus 25:21) – See the note on Exodus 25:16. Compare to Exodus 40:20.