Exodus 25:18
ESV
And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat.
NIV
And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover.
NASB
You shall make two cherubim of gold; make them of hammered work at the two ends of the atoning cover.
CSB
Make two cherubim of gold; make them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat.
NLT
Then make two cherubim from hammered gold, and place them on the two ends of the atonement cover.
KJV
And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
NKJV
And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work you shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat.
What does Exodus 25:18 mean?
These cherubim are part of the "mercy seat" (Exodus 25:17) used as the cover of the ark of the covenant (Exodus 25:10–11). God instructs Israel to craft these by hammering. These are not wooden carvings covered in a thin layer of gold, nor are they made by pouring molten gold into a form. Instead, they are formed by a difficult process requiring great skill (Exodus 31:1–11). The designs which God provides require two of these, one on each side of the ark. They are a permanent part of the ark's lid, which is a single piece (Exodus 25:19)."Cherubim" and "cherub" are transliterations of the Hebrew words kerubim and kerub. These have origins in ideas such as "mixture" and "mount," as in an animal used for transportation. biblical descriptions of cherubim consider them angelic, but distinct from other angels. Genesis 3:24, cherubim are placed at the east of the garden of Eden along with "a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life." In Ezekiel cherubim are described as having four wings and four faces (Ezekiel 1:5–6, 15; 10:2–3). Some scholars believe that the Hebrew word became associated with a similar Aramaic term referring to children, which is why medieval art so often represents angels as chubby infants with wings.
These two cherubim are posed facing each other with their wings stretched out over the mercy seat (Exodus 25:20; Hebrews 9:5). God's presence will appear between the wings and the top of the ark (Exodus 25:22).
