Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover. New Living Translation He molded the cherubim on each end of the atonement cover, making it all of one piece of gold. English Standard Version one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat he made the cherubim on its two ends. Berean Standard Bible one cherub on one end and one on the other, all made from one piece of gold. King James Bible One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub on the other end on that side: out of the mercy seat made he the cherubims on the two ends thereof. New King James Version one cherub at one end on this side, and the other cherub at the other end on that side. He made the cherubim at the two ends of one piece with the mercy seat. New American Standard Bible one cherub at the one end and one cherub at the other end; he made the cherubim of one piece with the atoning cover at the two ends. NASB 1995 one cherub at the one end and one cherub at the other end; he made the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at the two ends. NASB 1977 one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end; he made the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at the two ends. Legacy Standard Bible one cherub at the one end and one cherub at the other end; from one piece he made the mercy seat with the cherubim at its two ends. Amplified Bible one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end; he made the cherubim [of one piece] with the mercy seat at the two ends. Christian Standard Bible one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end. At each end, he made a cherub of one piece with the mercy seat. Holman Christian Standard Bible one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end. At each end, he made a cherub of one piece with the mercy seat. American Standard Version one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end: of one piece with the mercy-seat made he the cherubim at the two ends thereof. English Revised Version one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end: of one piece with the mercy-seat made he the cherubim at the two ends thereof. GOD'S WORD® Translation one on each end. He formed the angels and the throne of mercy out of one piece [of gold]. Good News Translation one for each end of the lid. He made them so that they formed one piece with the lid. International Standard Version One cherub was at one end and one cherub at the other end. He made the cherubim at the two ends of the Mercy Seat and of one piece with it. NET Bible one cherub on one end and one cherub on the other end. He made the cherubim from the atonement lid on its two ends. New Heart English Bible one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end. He made the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at its two ends. Webster's Bible Translation One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub on the other end on that side: out of the mercy-seat made he the cherubim on the two ends of it. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard Bibleone cherub on one end and one on the other, all made from one piece of gold. World English Bible one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end. He made the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at its two ends. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionone cherub at the end on this [side] and one cherub at the end on that [side]; he has made the cherubim from [above] the propitiatory covering, at its two ends; Young's Literal Translation one cherub at the end on this side, and one cherub at the end on that, out of the mercy-seat he hath made the cherubs, at its two ends; Smith's Literal Translation One cherub from the end from this, and one cherub from the end from this: out of the cover he made the cherubs out of its two ends. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleOne cherub in the top of one side, and the other cherub in the top of the other side: two cherubims at the two ends of the propitiatory, Catholic Public Domain Version one Cherub at the top of one side, and the other Cherub at the top of the other side. The two Cherubim were at each end of the propitiatory, New American Bible one cherub was at one end, the other at the other end, made of one piece with the cover, at each end. New Revised Standard Version one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end; of one piece with the mercy seat he made the cherubim at its two ends. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleOne cherub on one side and the other cherub on the other side; above the mercy seat made he the cherubim on its two ends. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated One Cherub at the side here and the other Cherub at the other side over the Mercy Seat; he made the Cherubim at its two ends. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end; of one piece with the ark-cover made he the cherubim at the two ends thereof. Brenton Septuagint Translation one cherub on the one end of the propitiatory, and another cherub on the other end of the propitiatory, Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Constructing the Ark…7He made two cherubim of hammered gold at the ends of the mercy seat, 8one cherub on one end and one on the other, all made from one piece of gold. 9And the cherubim had wings that spread upward, overshadowing the mercy seat. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the mercy seat.… Cross References Exodus 25:18-20 Make two cherubim of hammered gold at the ends of the mercy seat, / one cherub on one end and one on the other, all made from one piece of gold. / And the cherubim are to have wings that spread upward, overshadowing the mercy seat. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the mercy seat. 1 Kings 6:23-28 In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim, each ten cubits high, out of olive wood. / One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long, and the other wing was five cubits long as well. So the full wingspan was ten cubits. / The second cherub also measured ten cubits; both cherubim had the same size and shape, ... Hebrews 9:5 Above the ark were the cherubim of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. 2 Chronicles 3:10-13 In the Most Holy Place he made two cherubim of sculptured work, and he overlaid them with gold. / The total wingspan of the cherubim was twenty cubits. One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long and touched the wall of the temple, and its other wing was five cubits long and touched the wing of the other cherub. / The wing of the second cherub also measured five cubits and touched the wall of the temple, while its other wing measured five cubits and touched the wing of the first cherub. ... Numbers 7:89 When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the mercy seat on the ark of the Testimony. Thus the LORD spoke to him. 1 Samuel 4:4 So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. Psalm 80:1 For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm of Asaph. Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock; You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth Psalm 99:1 The LORD reigns; let the nations tremble! He is enthroned above the cherubim; let the earth quake! Isaiah 37:16 “O LORD of Hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth. Ezekiel 10:1-2 And I looked and saw above the expanse, above the heads of the cherubim, the likeness of a throne of sapphire. / And the LORD said to the man clothed in linen, “Go inside the wheelwork beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And as I watched, he went in. Revelation 11:19 Then the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple. And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm. 1 Chronicles 28:18 the weight of the refined gold for the altar of incense; and the plans for the chariot of the gold cherubim that spread their wings and overshadowed the ark of the covenant of the LORD. 2 Samuel 6:2 And he and all his troops set out for Baale of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name—the name of the LORD of Hosts, who is enthroned between the cherubim that are on it. Leviticus 16:2 And the LORD said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron not to enter freely into the Most Holy Place behind the veil in front of the mercy seat on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud above the mercy seat. 1 Kings 8:6-7 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, beneath the wings of the cherubim. / For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its poles. Treasury of Scripture One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub on the other end on that side: out of the mercy seat made he the cherubim on the two ends thereof. on the end. Jump to Previous Ark-Cover Cherub Cherubim Cherubs Cover End Ends Mercy Mercy-Seat Ones Part Piece Placing Seat Second Side Thereof WingedJump to Next Ark-Cover Cherub Cherubim Cherubs Cover End Ends Mercy Mercy-Seat Ones Part Piece Placing Seat Second Side Thereof WingedExodus 37 1. The ark and mercy seat with cherubim made10. The table of showbread with its vessels 17. The candlestick with its lamps and instruments 25. The altar of incense 29. The anointing oil and sweet incense one cherub on one end The cherubim are angelic beings often associated with the presence and glory of God. In the context of the Ark of the Covenant, they symbolize the divine presence and serve as guardians of the sacred space. The placement of one cherub on each end of the mercy seat signifies the completeness and balance of God's protection and holiness. Cherubim are also mentioned in Genesis 3:24, where they guard the way to the Tree of Life, emphasizing their role as protectors of divine mysteries. and one on the other all made from one piece of gold Persons / Places / Events 1. BezalelThe skilled craftsman chosen by God to construct the Tabernacle and its furnishings, including the Ark of the Covenant and the cherubim. 2. Cherubim Angelic beings depicted as part of the mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant, symbolizing the presence and holiness of God. 3. Mercy Seat The cover of the Ark of the Covenant, where the cherubim were placed. It represents God's throne and His presence among His people. 4. Ark of the Covenant A sacred chest that held the tablets of the Ten Commandments, symbolizing God's covenant with Israel. 5. Tabernacle The portable sanctuary where God dwelled among the Israelites during their journey through the wilderness. Teaching Points Symbolism of the CherubimThe cherubim represent the holiness and majesty of God. Their presence on the mercy seat signifies that God is both transcendent and immanent, dwelling among His people. The Mercy Seat as a Foreshadowing of Christ The mercy seat is a powerful symbol of atonement and reconciliation. In the New Testament, Christ is seen as the ultimate fulfillment of the mercy seat, offering His blood for the forgiveness of sins. God's Presence Among His People The construction of the cherubim and the mercy seat illustrates God's desire to be present with His people. This presence is now fully realized through the Holy Spirit dwelling within believers. Craftsmanship and Obedience Bezalel's work on the cherubim demonstrates the importance of using our God-given talents in obedience to His commands. Our skills and abilities should be dedicated to His glory. Reverence for God's Holiness The detailed instructions for the cherubim and the mercy seat remind us of the need to approach God with reverence and awe, recognizing His holiness and our need for His grace. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Exodus 37:8?2. How does Exodus 37:8 demonstrate God's attention to detail in craftsmanship? 3. What can we learn about obedience from Bezalel's work in Exodus 37:8? 4. How does the cherubim design in Exodus 37:8 connect to God's holiness? 5. How can we apply the precision seen in Exodus 37:8 to our work? 6. What does Exodus 37:8 teach about using our skills for God's glory? 7. What is the significance of cherubim in Exodus 37:8 for understanding God's presence? 8. How does Exodus 37:8 reflect the craftsmanship and artistry valued in biblical times? 9. Why are cherubim placed on the Ark of the Covenant in Exodus 37:8? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Exodus 37? 11. Exodus 37:10-16: Where did they obtain enough high-quality timber and gold to construct a table so precisely, and is there archaeological evidence of such abundance? 12. Psalm 105:37 describes the Israelites leaving Egypt with silver and gold, yet Egyptian records of a mass exodus are scarce. How do we account for this discrepancy? 13. Exodus 37:1-9: How could ancient desert nomads craft such detailed cherubim from pure gold with the tools and resources supposedly available? 14. Exodus 25:2 - How could a nomadic people realistically possess or acquire so much gold and other precious materials in the wilderness? What Does Exodus 37:8 Mean Setting the SceneExodus 37:8 says, “one cherub on one end and one on the other, all made from one piece of gold.” This verse records Bezalel’s faithful construction of the atonement cover according to the pattern God had already given (Exodus 25:18-20). It reminds us that what was once a blueprint is now a tangible reality inside the tabernacle. The Two Cherubim—Guardians on Either Side • The placement “one on one end and one on the other” echoes Genesis 3:24, where cherubim guard the way to the tree of life. • Here, instead of blocking access, they flank the mercy seat, signifying that God’s holiness still guards His presence yet makes atonement possible. • Psalm 99:1 and 1 Samuel 4:4 picture the LORD “enthroned between the cherubim,” reinforcing that the ark is His earthly throne room. • Hebrews 9:5 later calls them “the cherubim of glory,” showing that this design foreshadows heavenly realities. All of One Piece—Unity and Perfection • “All made from one piece of gold” underlines the unity of the structure; there are no joints or separations. • Exodus 25:31-36 uses the same language for the lampstand, portraying divine craftsmanship without human patchwork. • The single piece signals perfection and permanence—attributes of God’s plan of redemption (James 1:17). Gold—The Worth of God’s Presence • Pure gold signals incorruptibility and unmatched worth (Revelation 21:18, 21). • The mercy seat and cherubim are not plated but solid, teaching that atonement rests on something fully precious, never cheapened or partial. The Mercy Seat—Meeting Place of Atonement • Leviticus 16:14-15 shows the high priest sprinkling blood on this cover, turning a golden throne into a place of mercy. • Romans 3:25 reveals Christ as the “propitiation,” the true mercy seat. The cherubim’s unified gaze at the cover anticipates angels looking with wonder at the gospel (1 Peter 1:12). Echoes in the Resurrection • John 20:12 records “two angels in white, sitting where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the feet.” The empty tomb mirrors the mercy seat: divine messengers marking the place where atonement has been accomplished once for all. Living Lessons • Worship the God who perfectly blends holiness and mercy; the cherubim show His majesty, the blood shows His grace. • Trust the finished work—just as the cover and cherubim were one piece, Christ’s sacrifice is complete and cannot be added to. • Guard your own “mercy seat” moments: approach God with reverence and gratitude, knowing access is costly yet freely granted (Hebrews 4:16). summary Exodus 37:8 records two cherubim, one on each end of the mercy seat, fashioned from a single piece of pure gold. Their positioning proclaims God’s holiness; their oneness proclaims the perfection of His redemptive plan. The golden throne where blood was sprinkled previews Christ, the true mercy seat, and even the scene in the empty tomb. Together the verse invites us to marvel at a God whose glory is inseparable from His grace, offering secure, unified, and priceless atonement for His people. Hebrew oneאֶחָ֤ד (’e·ḥāḏ) Number - masculine singular Strong's 259: United, one, first cherub כְּרוּב־ (kə·rūḇ-) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3742: Probably an order of angelic beings on מִן־ (min-) Preposition Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of one מִזֶּ֔ה (miz·zeh) Preposition-m | Pronoun - masculine singular Strong's 2088: This, that end מִקָּצָה֙ (miq·qā·ṣāh) Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 7098: A termination of the mercy seat הַכַּפֹּ֛רֶת (hak·kap·pō·reṯ) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 3727: Propitiatory and one אֶחָ֥ד (’e·ḥāḏ) Number - masculine singular Strong's 259: United, one, first on the other, מִזֶּ֑ה (miz·zeh) Preposition-m | Pronoun - masculine singular Strong's 2088: This, that [all] made עָשָׂ֥ה (‘ā·śāh) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 6213: To do, make from one piece. קְצוֹתָֽיו׃ (qə·ṣō·w·ṯāw) Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 7118: A termination, a portion, after Links Exodus 37:8 NIVExodus 37:8 NLT Exodus 37:8 ESV Exodus 37:8 NASB Exodus 37:8 KJV Exodus 37:8 BibleApps.com Exodus 37:8 Biblia Paralela Exodus 37:8 Chinese Bible Exodus 37:8 French Bible Exodus 37:8 Catholic Bible OT Law: Exodus 37:8 One cherub at the one end (Exo. Ex) |