Exodus 25:19
ESV
Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends.
NIV
Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends.
NASB
Make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end; you shall make the cherubim of one piece with the atoning cover at its two ends.
CSB
Make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end. At its two ends, make the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat.
NLT
Mold the cherubim on each end of the atonement cover, making it all of one piece of gold.
KJV
And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
NKJV
Make one cherub at one end, and the other cherub at the other end; you shall make the cherubim at the two ends of it of one piece with the mercy seat.
What does Exodus 25:19 mean?
A "cherub" is an angel-like being sometimes described with four faces and four wings (Ezekiel 1:5–6, 15; 10:2–3). God instructed Israel to include two of these on the ark (Exodus 25:10–11). These figures will be made of solid metal (Exodus 25:18) and a permanent part of the "mercy seat" lid (Exodus 25:17). Two cherubim will face each other, one on either side of the mercy seat, with their wings stretched out over it. This will form a kind of throne for God, where He will speak to Moses about the law (Exodus 25:22).God's instruction to make the cherubim and lid of a single piece does not mean the entire object had to be formed from a single chunk of gold. As do goldsmiths today, ancient people could braze sections together. The resulting pieces must be cut apart: they are "of one piece" once joined.
According to some researchers, the Hebrew word for these angelic beings resembled an Aramaic word referring to children. This influenced the traditional imagery of a "cherub" as a baby with wings. These sculptures are not being worshipped or associated with spiritual power; they are not the sort of images forbidden by the second commandment (Exodus 20:4–6).
