Exodus 25:17 kjv

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.

Exodus 25:17 nkjv

"You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold; two and a half cubits shall be its length and a cubit and a half its width.

Exodus 25:17 niv

"Make an atonement cover of pure gold?two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.

Exodus 25:17 esv

"You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth.

Exodus 25:17 nlt

"Then make the Ark's cover ? the place of atonement ? from pure gold. It must be 45 inches long and 27 inches wide.

Exodus 25 verses

Exodus 25 17 Meaning

Exodus 25:17 introduces the divine instruction for constructing the "mercy seat," which was to be made of pure gold, specifying its precise dimensions of two and a half cubits in length and one and a half cubits in width. This object served as the cover for the Ark of the Covenant, centrally located in the Holy of Holies within the Tabernacle, marking the place where God would meet with His people through the High Priest and where atonement for sins would occur.

Exodus 25 17 Context

Exodus chapter 25 initiates God's detailed instructions to Moses for constructing the Tabernacle, a portable sanctuary that would serve as His dwelling place among the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings. These instructions follow the covenant established at Mount Sinai, providing a concrete means for a holy God to dwell with an unholy people. Verses 10-22 specifically deal with the Ark of the Covenant, its primary content being the tablets of the Law, symbolizing God's covenant with Israel. Verse 17 then precisely describes the kapporet, the "mercy seat" or "atonement cover," which sits atop this Ark. Historically and culturally, this sacred furniture stood in stark contrast to pagan altars and idols of the time, which were often human-conceived and demanded appeasement. The divinely prescribed Tabernacle, with the mercy seat at its core, emphasized God's sovereignty, holiness, and His pre-established way of dealing with sin, setting the Israelites apart through a covenant of grace and atonement rather than unpredictable deities.

Exodus 25 17 Word analysis

• You shall make: The phrase signifies a direct, imperative divine command. This is not a human invention but a precise divine blueprint, highlighting God's initiation in establishing the terms of His presence and worship.
• a mercy seat: Hebrew: kapporet (כַּפֹּרֶת). Derived from the verb kaphar (כָּפַר), meaning "to cover," "to purge," "to make atonement." Thus, it is literally an "atonement cover" or "propitiatory cover." This word intrinsically links the object to the concept of atonement and forgiveness, revealing its profound theological function as the place where God's just wrath against sin would be "covered" or "propitiated" by sacrificial blood, allowing mercy to flow. It's more than just a lid; it's the specific site of divine-human encounter facilitated by atonement.
• of pure gold: Hebrew: zahav tahor (זָהָב טָהוֹר). Gold signifies purity, royalty, divinity, glory, and supreme value in ancient Near Eastern and biblical contexts. Its use emphasizes the immense sacredness and unblemished perfection required for an object associated with God's dwelling place. The "pure" aspect means it was without alloy, underscoring its holiness and separation from common use.
• two cubits and a half: Hebrew: 'amayim vachEtzi 'ammah (אַמָּתַיִם וָחֵצִי אַמָּה). A cubit (ammah) was an ancient measurement, roughly the length from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger (approx. 18-21 inches or 45-53 cm). The exactness of these fractional dimensions indicates the precision of God's instructions, emphasizing divine order and absolute control over sacred space and objects.
• shall be its length: Refers to the longer dimension of the rectangular cover. This precision is part of God's meticulously ordered design.
• and a cubit and a half: Hebrew: wa'ammah vahetzi 'ammah (וָחֵצִי אַמָּה). Continues the specific, fractional measurements, demonstrating divine authority and detailed guidance.
• its width: Refers to the shorter dimension of the rectangular cover. Together, these measurements define the physical space above the Ark of the Covenant where the cherubim would stand and where God would meet Moses.

Words-Group analysis:

• "You shall make a mercy seat": This phrase immediately establishes divine initiative and human obligation. The kapporet is central to Israel's understanding of atonement and God's mercy. The making of it is a fundamental act of covenant worship.
• "of pure gold; two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its width": This specifies the material and dimensions. The "pure gold" symbolizes the absolute holiness and glory of the God who is to be approached here, reflecting His nature. The precise measurements convey God's meticulousness, ensuring conformity to His divine standard, leaving no room for human interpretation or deviation in constructing this sacred item, thereby countering any arbitrary pagan practices. It also shows its complementary nature to the Ark, fitting exactly upon it.

Exodus 25 17 Bonus section

• The cherubim mentioned in subsequent verses (Exo 25:18-20) were to be hammered out of the same pure gold as the mercy seat itself, standing on its ends and overshadowing it with their wings. This reinforces the imagery of God's heavenly throne, guarded by angelic beings, with the mercy seat being the earthly representation of His throne room.
• The precise fitting of the mercy seat atop the Ark, containing the tablets of the Law (Ten Commandments), symbolized God's holy law meeting God's atoning grace. The blood on the mercy seat was sprinkled over the very place where the Law condemned sin, signifying that God's demand for righteousness was met through propitiation, thus enabling forgiveness.
• While physically made, the kapporet fundamentally represented a theological concept: the place where God’s attributes of justice and mercy converged to allow fellowship with His covenant people despite their sin.

Exodus 25 17 Commentary

Exodus 25:17 sets forth the initial specifications for the mercy seat, the most holy piece of furniture in the Tabernacle's Holy of Holies, save for the Ark itself, which it covered. It was not merely a lid, but "the atonement cover" (kapporet), signifying its purpose as the divine meeting place where God’s justice against sin would be met with His mercy through propitiatory sacrifice. Crafted of pure gold and fashioned to precise divine measurements, its inherent glory and perfection reflected the character of the God who would dwell above it.

This particular object prefigured the ultimate act of propitiation. In the Old Testament, the High Priest, once a year on the Day of Atonement, would sprinkle the blood of a sin offering on and before this very mercy seat (Lev 16). This act provided temporary covering for the sins of the nation, allowing God’s holy presence to remain among them without consuming them in their sinfulness. However, this was a shadow of greater realities to come. The New Testament, particularly in Hebrews and Romans, reveals Jesus Christ as the true and eternal hilastērion, the ultimate mercy seat. His single, perfect sacrifice on the cross, the shedding of His own blood, fulfilled the temporal ritual by providing complete and permanent atonement for sins (Rom 3:25, Heb 9:11-14). Through Christ, we no longer need a physical High Priest or a tangible golden cover; we have direct, confident access to God's "throne of grace" (Heb 4:16), finding mercy and grace because Christ Himself became our propitiation, effectively covering our sins by taking God's judgment upon Himself. This transformation signifies that God's mercy now freely flows not just from above a golden lid, but through the finished work of His Son.