Exodus 25:17

“And thou shall make a mercy seat of pure gold, etc.] Or “covering” f761; so Jarchi and Aben Ezra; for so the word properly signifies; and what is meant was no more than a cover of the ark, which was open at the top, and this was the lid of it, and exactly answered to it, as appears by the dimensions afterwards given of it; and because the root of this word in one form signifies to propitiate or make atonement, some render it the “propitiatory” or “propitiation” f762; which is favoured by the apostle in (<580905>Hebrews 9:5) and to which he seems to refer, ( <450325>Romans 3:25) and the rather since God is represented sitting on this, as showing himself propitious and well pleased with men,…”

“thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold--to serve as a lid, covering it exactly. It was "the propitiatory cover," as the term may be rendered, denoting that Christ, our great propitiation [Jo1 2:2; Jo1 4:10], has fully answered all the demands of the law, covers our transgressions, and comes between us and the curse of a violated law.”

“A mercy seat of pure gold - (Compare Exodus 37:6-9.) In external form, the mercy-seat was a plate of gold with the cherubim standing on it, the whole beaten out of one solid piece of metal Exodus 37:7; it was placed upon the ark and so took the place of a cover. “mercy” seat expresses well the distinct significance and recognized designation of the Hebrew name. Exodus 25:18-20 The cherubim of the mercy-seat were human figures, each having two wings. They must have been of small size, proportioned to the area of the mercy-seat. Comparing the different references to form in this place, in 2 Samuel 22:11 Psalms 18:10, in Ezekiel 1:0; Ezekiel 10:0 and in Revelation 4:1-11, it would appear that…”

“The mercy - seat was the covering of the ark, made exactly to fit the dimensions of it. This propitiatory covering, as it might well be translated, was a type of Christ the great propitiation, whose satisfaction covers our transgressions, and comes between us and the curse we deserve. Exodus 25:18”

“25:17 The word translated atonement means “to cover over.” The cover of the covenant box was the place of “covering over” sin (see Lev 16:14-16).”

“mercy seat: Exo 26:34, Exo 37:6, Exo 40:20; Lev 16:12-15; Ch1 28:11; Rom 3:25; Heb 4:16, Heb 9:5; Jo1 2:2 Exodus 25:18”

“In addition to this, Moses was to make a capporeth (ἱλαστήριον ἐπίθεμα, lxx; propitiatorium, Vulg.), an atoning covering. The meaning operculum, lid (Ges.), cannot be sustained, notwithstanding the fact that the capporeth was placed upon the ark ( Exo 25:21) and covered the tables laid within it; for the verb כפר has not the literal signification of covering or covering up either in Kal or Piel. In Kal it only occurs in Gen 6:14, where it means to pitch or tar; in Piel it is only used in the figurative sense of covering up sin or guilt, i.e., of making atonement. Ch1 28:11 is decisive on this point, where the holy of holies, in which the capporeth was, is called הכּפּרת בּית, which…”