Mercy Seat

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

1: Ἱλαστήριον (Strong'S #2435 — Noun Neuter — hilasterion — hil-as-tay'-ree-on )

"the lid or cover of the ark of the covenant," signifies the Propitiatory, so called on account of the expiation made once a year on the great Day of Atonement,  Hebrews 9:5 . For the formation see  Exodus 25:17-21 . The Heb. word is kapporeth, "the cover," a meaning connected with the covering or removal of sin ( Psalm 32:1 ) by means of expiatory sacrifice. This mercy seat, together with the ark, is spoken of as the footstool of God,  1—Chronicles 28:2; cp.  Psalm 99:5;  132:7 . The Lord promised to be present upon it and to commune with Moses "from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim,"  Exodus 25:22 (see Cherubim In the Sept. the word epithema, which itself means "a cover," is added to hilasterion; epithema was simply a translation of kapporeth; accordingly, hilasterion, not having this meaning, and being essentially connected with propitiation, was added. Eventually hilasterion stood for both. In   1—Chronicles 28:11 the Holy of Holies is called "the House of the Kapporeth" (see Rv , marg.). Through His voluntary expiatory sacrifice in the shedding of His blood, under Divine judgment upon sin, and through His resurrection, Christ has become the Mercy Seat for His people. See  Romans 3:25 , and see Propitiation , B, No. 1.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Kaporeth Hebrew; Hilasteerion , Epitheema , Septuagint. The propitiatory, the golden cover of the ark. From the piel conjugation of Kaapar , "to cover up," "forgive," or "reconcile," "atone" for offenses. Having a distinct significance and designation of its own; not a mere part of the ark. Placed "above upon the ark" ( Exodus 25:17-22;  Exodus 26:34;  Exodus 30:6;  Exodus 31:7;  Exodus 35:12;  Exodus 37:6). Never called "the cover" ( Kaporeth ) merely of the ark, but made a distinct thing.

The holy of belies is called "the place of the mercy-seat" ( 1 Chronicles 28:11;  Leviticus 16:2), marking that it was not a mere subordinate part of the ark. The Kippurim , "atonements," on the day of atonement are inseparably connected with the Kaporeth , which was sprinkled with the blood ( Leviticus 16:13-15). The same Hilasteerion occurs  Hebrews 9:5 "mercy-seat,"  Romans 3:25 "propitiation." (See Ark .) The atonement was for the breach of the covenant. Appropriately, therefore the mercy-seat covered that covenant written on the two tables of stone inside the ark. God, thus reconciled through the blood sprinkled on the mercy-seat, could speak to His people "from off the mercy-seat that was upon the ark of the testimony" ( Numbers 7:89;  Psalms 80:1).

Morrish Bible Dictionary

This was made of pure gold and covered the ark. Two cherubim were also made of pure gold and were of one piece with the mercy seat. The faces were inwards, towards the covenant that was contained in the ark. God said to Moses, "I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony." The place for the mediator to receive divine communications from God, and for the high priest to approach with the blood of atonement, was the mercy seat. It is typical of Christ, the same word being used in the N.T. for the mercy seat in the tabernacle and for the Lord Himself, "whom God hath set forth to be a mercy seat," ἱλαστήριον.  Romans 3:25;  Hebrews 9:5 .

Blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat once a year on the day of atonement. This Aaron "offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:" typical of Christ entering into heaven, having obtained eternal redemption for us.  Hebrews 9:7,12 . The veil of the temple being rent, God has come out in grace, and man in the person of Christ has gone in, and the Christian is exhorted to come at all times boldly to the throne of grace that he may find grace to help in time of need.  Exodus 25:17-22;  Exodus 26:34;  Exodus 30:6;  Exodus 31:7;  Exodus 35:12;  Exodus 37:6-9;  Exodus 39:35;  Exodus 40:20;  Leviticus 16:2-15;  Numbers 7:89;  1 Chronicles 28:11 .

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

ιλαστηριον , propitiatory. This word is properly an adjective, agreeing with επιθεμα , a lid, understood, which is expressed by the LXX,   Exodus 25:17 . In that version, ιλαστηριον generally answers to the Hebrew כפרת , from the verb כפר , to cover, expiate, and was the lid or covering of the ark of the covenant, made of pure gold, on and before which the high priest was to sprinkle the blood of the expiatory sacrifices on the great day of atonement, and where God promised to meet his people,   Exodus 25:17;  Exodus 25:22;  Exodus 29:42;  Exodus 30:36;  Leviticus 16:2;  Leviticus 16:14 . St. Paul, by applying this name to Christ,  Romans 3:25 , assures us that he is the true mercy seat, the reality of what the כפרת represented to the ancient believers; by him our sins are covered or expiated, and through him God communes with us in mercy. The mercy seat also represents our approach to God through Christ; we come to the "throne of grace;" which is only a variation of the term "mercy seat."

Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types

 Exodus 25:17 (a) Here we see a type of the Lord Jesus Christ in Whom centers all the mercy of GOD and through Whom we receive mercy from GOD. He is called the "propitiation" in  Romans 3:25 which is understood to be the same as the mercy seat. The expression "mercy seat" means "propitiatory." We come to the Lord Jesus both as our High Priest, and also as our Mercy Seat, that we may confess our failures and receive again the cleansing of the precious Blood. Mercy abounds there. Mercy meets the needs and requirements of justice.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Exodus 25:17-19 25:21 Leviticus 16:2 Numbers 7:89 Leviticus 16:15 Hebrews 9:1

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Mercy Seat See Tabernacle, § 7 b .