And the cherubim were spreading their wings over the place of the Ark in the place where the Ark was standing Therefore -

and the cherubim covered over the Ark and over its staves from above above the Ark. So were the staves standing, and they extended so far out toward the east, that the Ark could stand exactly beneath the cherubim without the hindrance of the staves. Therefore, "and the cherubim covered over the Ark.⁠" And they also covered part of the staves adjacent to the Ark, but not all of them, because they reached until the east. But you cannot explain that the cherubim covered the entire staves. And also, because of this—And they extended the staves so that the ends of the staves were seen from the Ark before the Debir For if it were not so, but [if they were] the same; i.e., if they were extended with one measure one from the other, [i.e., the part of the staves extending eastward equaled the part extending westward]. The staves that Moses made were still there, and they stood in the Holy of Holies of the Tent of Meeting, which was only ten [cubits], whereas this was twenty [cubits], and it reached from wall to wall. With the cherubim of Moses, about which it is also written, "spreading and covering,⁠" they did not have to move any part of the staves from their place, because the cherubim of Moses were standing over the Ark on the Ark cover, but as for the cherubim mentioned here-Solomon made them standing on their feet on the ground, but nevertheless, those of Moses were still attached to the Ark cover. This is how Rabbi Nathan explained it, (but our Rabbi explained) that the priests wished to bring the Ark into the Debir with its staves, but they were unable to do so, because the Cloud filled the House of the Lord, and they could not bring the cherubim up to the western wall. Therefore, they [the staves] protruded into the dividing curtain. To me, this poses a difficulty, however, because it is written (I Kings 8:10f.): "And it came to pass when the priests came out, etc.,⁠" and afterwards, "the glory of the Lord filled the House of God (sic).⁠" (Rabbi Joseph of blessed memory, however, explained) that it does not say וַיִּתְאָרְכוּ [in the reflexive conjugation], which would mean that they became elongated by themselves, but וַיַּאֲרִיכוּ [in the causative conjugation], which means that others elongated them, and he explained that the craftsmen elongated them to twenty cubits, and their two ends touched the eastern wall and their [other] two ends touched the western wall. It is, however, puzzling how they could spread out their wings and cover the Ark, which was ten cubits from them.