1. (n.) Plural of Cherub.

2. (n.) The Hebrew plural of Cherub.. Cf. Seraphim.

CHERUBIM (1)

cher'-u-bim, cher'-oo-bim (kerubhim, plural of cherub, kerubh): Through the influence of the Septuagint, "cherubim" was used in the earlier English versions, also as a singular, hence, the plural was made to sound "cherubims." The etymology of the word cannot be ascertained.

1. As Guardians of Paradise:

In Genesis 3:24 the cherubim are placed by God, after the expulsion of Adam from the garden of Eden, at the east thereof, together with the flaming sword "to keep the way of the tree of life." In their function as guardians of Paradise the cherubim bear an analogy to the winged bulls and lions of Babylonia and Assyria, colossal figures with human faces standing guard at the entrance of temples (and palaces), just as in Egypt the approaches to the sanctuaries are guarded by sphinxes. But the Babylonian colossi go by the name of lamassu, or shedu; no designation at all approaching the Hebrew kerubh has so far been found in the Assyrian language. Nor are thus named the winged figures, half human and half animal, which in Babylonian and Persian art are found on both sides of the "sacred tree." Thus, a Babylonian origin of the Hebrew cherubim is neither proved nor disproved. If we look for further analogies which, of course, do not indicate a borrowing on the part of the Hebrews, we may mention the fabulous griffins (grupes), usually represented as having the heads and wings of an eagle and the body and hind quarters of a lion; they were believed by the Greeks to inhabit Scythia, and to keep jealous watch over the gold of that country.

2. The Garden as the Abode of the Gods:

If we read between the lines of the Paradise account in Genesis (compare Genesis 3:8), the garden of Eden, the primeval abode of man, reveals itself as more than that: it was apparently the dwelling-place of God. In the polytheistic story of the creation of the world and early life of man, which, while in several respects analogous (compare Genesis 3:22), is devoid of the more spiritual notions of Hebraism, the garden was the abode of the gods who alone had access to the tree of life from the fruit of which they derived their immortality. Adam, before the fall, is conceived as a superhuman being; for while he is forbidden to taste of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, the way to immortality is open to him; for it is only after transgressing the Divine command that he merits death and becomes mortal. The choice of immortal innocence and mortal knowledge lay before him; he elected death with knowledge.

3. The Cherubim as Attendants of the Deity:

The mythical elements of the Paradise story are still more patent in Ezekiel 28:13, where the fall of the king of Tyre is likened to that of primeval man. The garden is situated on a holy mountain of Elohim(= God to Ezekiel, but gods in the primitive source), the `mountain of assembly' of Isaiah 14:13, high above the stars in the recesses of the North. It is a wonderful place, adorned with all manner of precious stones. There man, perfect from the day he was created, resplendent with beauty, excelling in wisdom, walks among the fiery stones, like a cherub with outstretched wings. The cherubs are apparently the attendants of the Deity, beauteous angels, of whom man was to be one: but he fell from glory and was hurled from the sanctuary which he had polluted. Some of the angelic attendants of the Deity within are placed in Genesis without, to do service as guardians of the unapproachable holy garden.

4. As Bearers of the Throne:

As attendants of God, they bear the throne upon which He descends from His high abode. Thus in the description of a theophany in Psalm 18, we read: "He bowed the heavens also, and came down; And thick darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub and did fly; Yea, he soared upon the wings of the wind." (Psalm 18:9, 10) Hence, the Lord, or, as the fuller title goes, the Lord of Hosts, is repeatedly styled "He that sitteth (throned) above the cherubim" (Psalm 80:1; Psalm 99:1 1 Samuel 4:4, and elsewhere). There is certainly no trace here of bull figures: bulls do not fly. The underlying conception is, it seems, rather that of the storm cloud. Compare Psalm 104:3: "Who maketh the clouds his chariot; Who walketh upon the wings of the wind." The Hebrew for "chariot" is rekhubh, a sort of inverted kerubh. 5. In the Vision of Ezekiel:

But the function of the cherubim as bearers and movers of the Divine throne is brought out most clearly in the vision of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1, with which compare Ezekiel 10). In chapter 1 the prophet designates them as "living creatures" (chayyoth); but upon hearing God's words addressed to the "man clothed in linen" (Ezekiel 10:2) he perceives that the living creatures which he saw in the first vision were cherubim (Ezekiel 10:20); hence, in Ezekiel 9:3 the chariot or throne, from which the glory of God went up, is spoken of as a cherub. The following is a description in detail of the cherubim as seen by Ezekiel. They are represented as four living creatures, each with four faces, man, lion, ox (replaced in the parallel chapter by cherub), and eagle (Ezekiel 1:10; Ezekiel 10:14), having the figure and hands of men (Ezekiel 1:5, 8), and the feet of calves (Ezekiel 1:7). Each has four wings, two of which are stretched upward (Ezekiel 1:11), meeting above and sustaining the "firmament," that is, the bottom of the Divine throne (Ezekiel 1:22; Ezekiel 10:1), while two are stretched downward, conformable the one to the other, so as to cover their bodies (Ezekiel 1:11, 23). In appearance, the living creatures resemble coals of fire (compare Ezekiel 10:2, 6, where the "man clothed in linen" is bidden fill both his hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim), burning like torches, the fire flashing up and down among the creatures, a bright fire out of which lightning goes forth (Ezekiel 1:13). Thus the creatures run and vanish as the appearance of a flash of lightning (Ezekiel 1:14). The cherubim do not turn as they change direction, but always go straight forward (Ezekiel 1:9, 17; Ezekiel 10:11), as do the wheels of the cherubic chariot with rings full of eyes round about (Ezekiel 1:18; Ezekiel 10:12). The cherubim represent the spirit, or will, in the wheels: at the direction of the spirit, the wheels are lifted up from the bottom and the chariot moves upward (Ezekiel 1:19; Ezekiel 10:16 f). The cherubim are thus the moving force of the vehicle.

6. Relation to Seraphim and Other Angels:

Ezekiel's cherubim are clearly related to the seraphim in Isaiah's inaugural vision (Isaiah 6). Like the cherubim, the seraphim are the attendants on God as He is seated upon a throne high and exalted; they are also winged creatures: with twain they cover their faces, and with twain they cover their feet, and with twain they fly. Like the Levites in the sanctuary below, they sing a hymn of adoration: "Holy, holy, holy, is Yahweh of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory." In the Book of Enoch, the cherubim, seraphim, and ophannim (wheels), and all the angels of power constitute the "host of God," the guardians of His throne, the singers of praise ascribing blessedness to "the Lord of Spirits," with the archangel Gabriel at their head (see Isaiah 61:10). And so in the Jewish daily liturgy the seraphim, ophannim, and "living creatures" constitute the heavenly choir who, the elect ministers of the Living God, ready to do the will of their maker with trembling, intone in sweet harmony the Thrice-holy. In the Talmud, the cherubim are represented as having the likeness of youths (with a fanciful etymology, ke plus rubh, "like a youth"; Cukk 5b; Chag 13b), while, according to the Midrash, they have no definite shape, but appear indifferently as men or women, or as spirits and angelic beings (Genesis rabba' 21).

7. In Revelation 4:

The "four living creatures" of Revelation 4:6 are clearly modeled upon Ezekiel, with supplementary touches from Isaiah. Full of eyes before and behind, they are in the midst of the throne, and round about it. One resembles a lion, the other a calf, and the third a man, and the fourth a flying eagle. Each of the creatures has six wings. "They have no rest day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come."

8. Ornamental Cherubim in the Temple of Solomon:

In the temple of Solomon, two gigantic cherubic images of olive-wood plated with gold, ten cubits high, stood in the innermost sanctuary (the debhir) facing the door, whose wings, five cubits each, extended, two of them meeting in the middle of the room to constitute the throne, while two extended to the walls (1 Kings 6:23-28; 1 Kings 8:6, 7 2 Chronicles 3:10-13; 2 Chronicles 5:7, 8). The Chronicler represents them as the chariot of the Lord (1 Chronicles 28:18). There were also images of the cherubim carved on the gold-plated cedar planks which constituted the inner walls of the temple, and upon the olive-wood doors (1 Kings 6:29, 35 2 Chronicles 3:7); also on the bases of the portable lavers, interchanging with lions and oxen (1 Kings 7:29-36). According to the Chronicler, they were also woven in the veil of the Holy of Holies (2 Chronicles 3:14).

9. In the Temple of Ezekiel:

Ezekiel represents the inner walls of the temple as carved with alternating palm trees and cherubim, each with two faces, the lion looking on one side, the man on the other (Ezekiel 41:18-25).

10. In the Tabernacle:

In the Tabernacle, there were two cherubim of solid gold upon the golden slab of the "lid," or "mercy-seat," facing each other, with wings outstretched above, so as to constitute a throne on which the glory of the Lord appeared, and from which He spake (Exodus 25:18-22; Exodus 37:7-9 Numbers 7:89 Hebrews 9:5). There were also cherubim woven into the texture of the inner curtain of the Tabernacle and the veil (Exodus 26:1, 31; Exodus 36:8, 35). There were no cherubim in the temple of Herod, but the walls were painted with figures of them (see Talmud Yoma' 54a). In the times of Josephus no one knew what the Scriptural cherubim looked like (Ant., VIII, iii, 3).

LITERATURE.

Brown, Driver, and Briggs, Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, under the word; KAT3, 529, and references; commentaries on Genesis and Ezekiel.

Max L. Margolis

CHERUBIM (2)

The cherubic forms in the constellation figures.

See ASTRONOMY, sec. II, 8.

5502. Cheroubin -- Cherubim, heavenly beings who serve God
... Cherubim, heavenly beings who serve God. Part of Speech: Proper Noun, Indeclinable
Transliteration: Cheroubin Phonetic Spelling: (kher-oo-beem') Short Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5502.htm - 6k3742. kerub -- probably an order of angelic beings
... 3741, 3742. kerub. 3743 . probably an order of angelic beings. Transliteration:
kerub Phonetic Spelling: (ker-oob') Short Definition: cherubim. ...
/hebrew/3742.htm - 6k

Concerning the Seraphim and Cherubim and Thrones, and Concerning ...
... CAPUT VII. Concerning the Seraphim and Cherubim and Thrones, and concerning
their first Hierarchy. Section I. We, whilst admitting ...
/.../dionysius/on the heavenly hierarchy/caput vii concerning the seraphim.htm

The Brazen Serpent and the Golden Cherubim were not violations of ...
... God. Chapter XXII."The Brazen Serpent and the Golden Cherubim Were Not
Violations of the Second Commandment Their Meaning. Likewise ...
/.../the five books against marcion/chapter xxii the brazen serpent and.htm

But what Creature could I Desire to be which I am not Made? There ...
... made? There are Angels and Cherubim. But what creature could I desire to
be which I am not made? There are Angels and Cherubim. I ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/67 but what creature could.htm

The Holy Spirit in Relation to the Father and the Son. ...
... and by the Holy Spirit who is the Wisdom of the Father of all: and the powers of
these, (namely) of the Word and Wisdom, which are called Cherubim and Seraphim ...
/.../the demonstration of the apostolic preaching/chapter 2 the holy spirit 2.htm

Ezekiel's vision (Preached Before the Queen at Windsor, June 16 ...
... So far the imagery is simple enough, and grand enough. But when he begins to speak
of the living creatures, the cherubim, his description is very obscure. ...
/.../the water of life and other sermons/sermon ix ezekiels vision preached.htm

The First Part
... Whatever the reason may be, this tradition of the Jews may be confirmed by the
quadruple face of the cherubim, in Ezekiel, (for do not imagine there were so ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/the first part .htm

Concerning Lordships and Powers and Authorities, and Concerning ...
... And another theologian, Ezekiel, says that this was righteously ordained
by the glorious Deity Itself, seated above the Cherubim. ...
/.../dionysius/on the heavenly hierarchy/caput viii concerning lordships and.htm

Whether the Grades of the Orders are Properly Assigned?
... Objection 3: Further, knowledge comes before love, and intellect is higher than
will. Therefore the order of "Cherubim" seems to be higher than the "Seraphim.". ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether the grades of the.htm

Further Proof of Plato's Acquaintance with Scripture.
... For he knew this from the following expressions of the prophet about the cherubim:
"And the glory of the Lord went out from the house and rested on the cherubim ...
/.../chapter xxxi further proof of platos.htm

Language of the New Testament. 1 in the Character of the Original ...
... As the living spirit of the cherubim animated and directed the wheels of the chariot
in Ezekiel's vision, so does the spirit of inspired poesy animate and ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxiv language of the.htm

Cherubim (63 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Plural of Cherub. 2. (n.) The Hebrew plural of
Cherub.. Cf. Seraphim. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. CHERUBIM (1). ...
/c/cherubim.htm - 40k

Cherubim's (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Cherubim's (1 Occurrence). Ezekiel 10:5 And the
sound of the cherubim's wings was heard even to the outer ...
/c/cherubim's.htm - 6k

Ark-cover (21 Occurrences)
... (See JPS). Exodus 25:18 And thou shalt make two cherubim of gold; of beaten work
shalt thou make them, at the two ends of the mercy-seat. (See JPS). ...
/a/ark-cover.htm - 12k

Mercy-seat (23 Occurrences)
... WEY DBY). Hebrews 9:5 And above the ark were the Cherubim denoting God's
glorious presence and overshadowing the Mercy-seat. But I ...
/m/mercy-seat.htm - 16k

Enthroned (25 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 4:4 So the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought from thence the ark
of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who sitteth upon the cherubim; and the ...
/e/enthroned.htm - 13k

Cherub (21 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Plural cherubim, the name of certain symbolical
figures frequently mentioned in Scripture. They are first ...
/c/cherub.htm - 18k

Palm-trees (23 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 6:29 And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures
of cherubim and palm-trees and open flowers, within and without. ...
/p/palm-trees.htm - 13k

Carved (36 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 6:29 He carved all the walls of the house around with carved figures of
cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, inside and outside. ...
/c/carved.htm - 17k

Wheels (30 Occurrences)
... linen, and said, Go in between the whirling wheels, even under the cherub, and fill
both your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter ...
/w/wheels.htm - 16k

Overshadowing (5 Occurrences)
... Listen to him." (WEB ASV DBY YLT NAS). Hebrews 9:5 and above it cherubim of glory
overshadowing the mercy seat, of which things we can't speak now in detail. ...
/o/overshadowing.htm - 8k

What are cherubim? Are cherubs angels? | GotQuestions.org

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Cherubim: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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