Exodus 37:6

And he made the mercy seat [of] pure gold: two cubits and a half [was] the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof.

And he made {H6213} the mercy seat {H3727} of pure {H2889} gold {H2091}: two cubits {H520} and a half {H2677} was the length {H753} thereof, and one cubit {H520} and a half {H2677} the breadth {H7341} thereof.

He made a cover for the ark of pure gold, three-and-three-quarters feet long and two-and-a-quarter feet wide.

He constructed a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.

And he made a mercy-seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.

Commentary

Exodus 37:6 describes the precise construction of the mercy seat by Bezalel, the chief craftsman, following the divine blueprint given to Moses. This piece was not just an ordinary lid but the most sacred component of the Ark of the Covenant, signifying its immense importance in Israel's worship and relationship with God.

Context

This verse is part of a detailed section in Exodus (chapters 35-40) that recounts the actual building of the Tabernacle and its furnishings, meticulously adhering to the instructions God provided earlier in chapters 25-31. The mercy seat, made of "pure gold" and precisely two and a half cubits long by one and a half cubits wide (approximately 45 x 27 inches), was the lid that rested on top of the Ark of the Covenant, which contained the tablets of the Law. It was placed in the Most Holy Place, the innermost sanctuary of the Tabernacle, God's dwelling place among His people.

Key Themes

  • The Place of Atonement: The "mercy seat" was the central point for Israel's atonement. On the annual Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the high priest would sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice upon the mercy seat, symbolizing the covering of the nation's sins before God.
  • Divine Presence and Communication: God promised to meet with Moses and speak from above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that were sculpted as part of it (Exodus 25:22). This made it the focal point of God's manifest presence among His people.
  • Purity and Holiness: The instruction for it to be made of "pure gold" underscored its supreme holiness and value. Only the purest materials were fitting for an object so intimately connected with God's presence and the covering of sin.
  • God's Precise Design: The specific dimensions given highlight God's meticulous attention to detail in His commands, emphasizing that every aspect of the Tabernacle was divinely ordained and held symbolic significance.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word translated as "mercy seat" is kapporeth (ื›ึทึผืคึนึผืจึถืช). This term is derived from the verb kaphar (ื›ึธึผืคึทืจ), which means "to cover," "to purge," or "to atone." Therefore, the "mercy seat" can be understood literally as an "atonement cover" or "place of covering." This linguistic connection profoundly emphasizes its function as the focal point for expiation and reconciliation between God and humanity.

Practical Application

The mercy seat serves as a powerful Old Testament type, beautifully foreshadowing the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Just as the blood on the mercy seat provided a temporary covering for sins, Christ Himself is our ultimate propitiation (the fulfillment of the mercy seat), through whose blood our sins are truly and eternally covered. He is the meeting place where God's justice and mercy perfectly converge. Through faith in Him, we now have direct access to God's grace, no longer needing an earthly high priest or ritualistic sacrifice for atonement.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Hebrews 9:5

    And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

  • 1 John 2:2

    And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.

  • Romans 3:25

    Whom God hath set forth [to be] a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

  • Galatians 4:4

    But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

  • Leviticus 16:12

    And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring [it] within the vail:

  • Leviticus 16:15

    ยถ Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that [is] for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:

  • 1 Chronicles 28:11

    ยถ Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat,
โ† Back