¹⁷ “Make an atonement cover^(A) of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. ¹⁸ And make two cherubim^(B) out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. ¹⁹ Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. ²⁰ The cherubim^(C) are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing^(D) the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. ²¹ Place the cover on top of the ark^(E) and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law^(F) that I will give you. ²² There, above the cover between the two cherubim^(G) that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet^(H) with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.^(I)

²³ For the inner sanctuary he made a pair of cherubim^(A) out of olive wood, each ten cubits high. ²⁴ One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long, and the other wing five cubits—ten cubits from wing tip to wing tip. ²⁵ The second cherub also measured ten cubits, for the two cherubim were identical in size and shape. ²⁶ The height of each cherub was ten cubits. ²⁷ He placed the cherubim^(B) inside the innermost room of the temple, with their wings spread out. The wing of one cherub touched one wall, while the wing of the other touched the other wall, and their wings touched each other in the middle of the room. ²⁸ He overlaid the cherubim with gold.

⁶ The priests then brought the ark of the Lord’s covenant^(A) to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place,^(B) and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim.^{(C) 7} The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed^(D) the ark and its carrying poles.