Cherubim

Passages on this topic

From Nave’s Topical Bible (1896), a historical reference index. The groupings are Nave’s; the verses are shown in the text used across this site.

Eastward of the garden of Eden

• Genesis 3:24 So He drove out the man and stationed cherubim on the east side of the Garden of Eden, along with a whirling sword of flame to guard the way to the tree of life.

In the tabernacle

• Exodus 25:18–20 Make two cherubim of hammered gold at the ends of the mercy seat, one cherub on one end and one on the other, all made from one piece of gold. And the cherubim are to have wings that spread upward, overshadowing the mercy seat. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the mercy seat.
• Exodus 37:7–9 He made two cherubim of hammered gold at the ends of the mercy seat, one cherub on one end and one on the other, all made from one piece of gold. And the cherubim had wings that spread upward, overshadowing the mercy seat. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the mercy seat.

The ark of the covenant rested beneath the wings of

• 1 Kings 8:6–7 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, beneath the wings of the cherubim. For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its poles.
• 2 Chronicles 5:7–8 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, beneath the wings of the cherubim. For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its poles.
• Hebrews 9:5 Above the ark were the cherubim of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

Figures of, embroidered

On the walls of the tabernacle

• Exodus 26:1 “You are to construct the tabernacle itself with ten curtains of finely spun linen, each with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and cherubim skillfully worked into them.
• Exodus 36:8 All the skilled craftsmen among the workmen made the ten curtains for the tabernacle. They were made of finely spun linen, as well as blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with cherubim skillfully worked into them.

And on the curtain

• Exodus 26:31 Make a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it.
• Exodus 36:35 Next, he made the veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it.

In the temple

• 1 Kings 6:23–29 In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim, each ten cubits high, out of olive wood. One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long, and the other wing was five cubits long as well. So the full wingspan was ten cubits. The second cherub also measured ten cubits; both cherubim had the same size…
• 2 Chronicles 3:10–13 In the Most Holy Place he made two cherubim of sculptured work, and he overlaid them with gold. The total wingspan of the cherubim was twenty cubits. One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long and touched the wall of the temple, and its other wing was five cubits long and touched the wing of…

Figures of

On the curtain

• 2 Chronicles 3:14 He made the veil of blue, purple, and crimson yarn and fine linen, with cherubim woven into it.

On the walls

• 1 Kings 6:29–35 Then he carved the walls all around the temple, in both the inner and outer sanctuaries, with carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. And he overlaid the temple floor with gold in both the inner and outer sanctuaries. For the entrance to the inner sanctuary, Solomon constructed…
• 2 Chronicles 3:7 He overlaid its beams, thresholds, walls, and doors with gold, and he carved cherubim on the walls.

On the lavers

• 1 Kings 7:29 and on the panels between the uprights were lions, oxen, and cherubim. On the uprights was a pedestal above, and below the lions and oxen were wreaths of beveled work.
• 1 Kings 7:36 He engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees on the surfaces of the supports and panels, wherever each had space, with wreaths all around.

In Ezekiel's vision of the temple

• Ezekiel 41:18–20 were alternating carved cherubim and palm trees. Each cherub had two faces: the face of a man was toward the palm tree on one side, and the face of a young lion was toward the palm tree on the other side. They were carved all the way around the temple. Cherubim and palm trees were carved on the wal…
• Ezekiel 41:25 Cherubim and palm trees like those on the walls were carved on the doors of the outer sanctuary, and there was a wooden canopy outside, on the front of the portico.

Figurative

• Ezekiel 28:14–16 You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for I had ordained you. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the fiery stones. From the day you were created you were blameless in your ways— until wickedness was found in you. By the vastness of your trade, you were filled with violence, an…

Symbolical

• Ezekiel 1 In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the River Kebar, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God. On the fifth day of the month— it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin— the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest… (whole chapter)
• Ezekiel 10 And I looked and saw above the expanse, above the heads of the cherubim, the likeness of a throne of sapphire. And the LORD said to the man clothed in linen, “Go inside the wheelwork beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” An… (whole chapter)