10 'And they have made an ark of shittim wood; two cubits and a half its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height; 11 and thou hast overlaid it 'with' pure gold, within and without thou dost overlay it, and thou hast made on it a ring of gold round about. 12 'And thou hast cast for it four rings of gold, and hast put 'them' on its four feet, even two rings on its one side, and two rings on its second side; 13 and thou hast made staves of shittim wood, and hast overlaid them 'with' gold, 14 and hast brought the staves into the rings on the sides of the ark, to bear the ark by them, 15 in the rings of the ark are the staves, they are not turned aside from it; 16 and thou hast put unto the ark the testimony which I give unto thee.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 25:10-16
Commentary on Exodus 25:10-22
(Read Exodus 25:10-22)
The ark was a chest, overlaid with gold, in which the two tables of the law were to be kept. These tables are called the testimony; God in them testified his will. This law was a testimony to the Israelites, to direct them in their duty, and would be a testimony against them, if they transgressed. This ark was placed in the holy of holies; the blood of the sacrifices was sprinkled, and the incense burned, before it, by the high priest; and above it appeared the visible glory, which was the symbol of the Divine presence. This was a type of Christ in his sinless nature, which saw no corruption, in personal union with his Divine nature, atoning for our sins against it, by his death. The cherubim of gold looked one towards another, and both looked downward toward the ark. It denotes the angels' attendance on the Redeemer, their readiness to do his will, their presence in the assemblies of saints, and their desire to look into the mysteries of the gospel. It was covered with a covering of gold, called the mercy-seat. God is said to dwell, or sit between the cherubim, on the mercy-seat. There he would give his law, and hear supplicants, as a prince on his throne.