Who are the angels on the ark of the covenant?

Answer 1

The angels on the Ark of the Covenant are known as the cherubim. In The Bible, they are described as winged creatures with human-like faces, often depicted as guardians of sacred spaces. The Ark of the Covenant, as described in the book of Exodus, had two cherubim on its cover, facing each other with their wings outstretched.

Answer 2

Exodus 25:18-20 "And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be."

There is no mention of angels, here or elsewhere, in relation to the ark of the covenant. In fact, there is no actual mention of angels in any book written before the Babylonian Exile. This passage talks of cherubim (sing: cherub), sphinx-like creatures with human heads, the bodies of lions, and wings, and makes it clear that they were man-made forms. The great guardians of the Assyrian Ninevah were probably quite like the cherubim in form.

If indeed there was an ark of the covenant, it held two man-made cherubim, not representative of any individual person or creature.