Genesis 3:24

3:24 When he drove ¹  the man out, he placed on the eastern side ²  of the orchard in Eden angelic sentries ³  who used the flame of a whirling sword ⁴  to guard the way to the tree of life.

Exodus 25:19

25:19 Make ⁵  one cherub on one end ⁶  and one cherub on the other end; from the atonement lid ⁷  you are to make the cherubim on the two ends.

Exodus 25:1

The Materials for the Sanctuary

25:1 ⁸ The Lord spoke to Moses:

Exodus 4:4

4:4 But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and grab it by the tail” – so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand ⁹  –

Psalms 18:10

18:10 He mounted ¹⁰  a winged angel ¹¹  and flew;

he glided ¹²  on the wings of the wind. ¹³ 

Psalms 68:17

68:17 God has countless chariots;

they number in the thousands. ¹⁴ 

The Lord comes from Sinai in holy splendor. ¹⁵ 

Psalms 80:1

Psalm 80 ¹⁶ 

For the music director; according to the shushan-eduth style; ¹⁷  a psalm of Asaph.

80:1 O shepherd of Israel, pay attention,

you who lead Joseph like a flock of sheep!

You who sit enthroned above the winged angels, ¹⁸  reveal your splendor! ¹⁹ 

Psalms 99:1

Psalm 99 ²⁰ 

99:1 The Lord reigns!

The nations tremble. ²¹ 

He sits enthroned above the winged angels; ²² 

the earth shakes. ²³ 

Ezekiel 9:3

9:3 Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub where it had rested to the threshold of the temple. ²⁴  He called to the man dressed in linen who had the writing kit at his side.

Ezekiel 10:2-14

10:2 The Lord ²⁵  said to the man dressed in linen, “Go between the wheelwork ²⁶  underneath the cherubim. ²⁷  Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” He went as I watched.

10:3 (The cherubim were standing on the south side ²⁸  of the temple when the man went in, and a cloud filled the inner court.) 10:4 Then the glory of the Lord arose from the cherub and moved to the threshold of the temple. The temple was filled with the cloud while the court was filled with the brightness of the Lord’s glory. 10:5 The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard from the outer court, like the sound of the sovereign God ²⁹  when he speaks.

10:6 When the Lord ³⁰  commanded the man dressed in linen, “Take fire from within the wheelwork, from among the cherubim,” the man ³¹  went in and stood by one of the wheels. ³²  10:7 Then one of the cherubim ³³  stretched out his hand ³⁴  toward the fire which was among the cherubim. He took some and put it into the hands of the man dressed in linen, who took it and left. 10:8 (The cherubim appeared to have the form ³⁵  of human hands under their wings.)

10:9 As I watched, I noticed ³⁶  four wheels by the cherubim, one wheel beside each cherub; ³⁷  the wheels gleamed like jasper. ³⁸  10:10 As for their appearance, all four of them looked the same, something like a wheel within a wheel. ³⁹  10:11 When they ⁴⁰  moved, they would go in any of the four directions they faced without turning as they moved; in the direction the head would turn they would follow ⁴¹  without turning as they moved, 10:12 along with their entire bodies, ⁴²  their backs, their hands, and their wings. The wheels of the four of them were full of eyes all around. 10:13 As for their wheels, they were called “the wheelwork” ⁴³  as I listened. 10:14 Each of the cherubim ⁴⁴  had four faces: The first was the face of a cherub, ⁴⁵  the second that of a man, the third that of a lion, and the fourth that of an eagle.

Hebrews 1:14

1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to serve those ⁴⁶  who will inherit salvation?

[3:24]  ¹ tn The verb with the vav (ו) consecutive is made subordinate to the next verb forming a temporal clause. This avoids any tautology with the previous verse that already stated that the Lord expelled the man.

[3:24]  ² tn Or “placed in front.” Directions in ancient Israel were given in relation to the east rather than the north.

[3:24]  ³ tn The Hebrew word is traditionally transliterated “the cherubim.”

[3:24]  ⁴ tn Heb “the flame of the sword that turns round and round.” The noun “flame” is qualified by the genitive of specification, “the sword,” which in turn is modified by the attributive participle “whirling.” The Hitpael of the verb “turn” has an iterative function here, indicating repeated action. The form is used in Job 37:12 of swirling clouds and in Judg 7:13 of a tumbling roll of bread. Verse 24 depicts the sword as moving from side to side to prevent anyone from passing or as whirling around, ready to cut to shreds anyone who tries to pass.

[25:19]  ⁵ tn The text now shifts to use an imperative with the vav (ו) conjunction.

[25:19]  ⁶ tn The use of זֶה (zeh) repeated here expresses the reciprocal ideas of “the one” and “the other” (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 26, §132).

[25:19]  ⁷ sn The angels were to form one piece with the lid and not be separated. This could be translated “of one piece with” the lid, but it is likely the angels were simply fastened to it permanently.

[25:1]  ⁸ sn Now begin the detailed instructions for constructing the tabernacle of Yahweh, with all its furnishings. The first paragraph introduces the issue of the heavenly pattern for the construction, calls for the people to make willing offerings (vv. 2-7), and explains the purpose for these offerings (vv. 8-9). The message here is that God calls his people to offer of their substance willingly so that his sanctuary may be made.

[4:4]  ⁹ sn The signs authenticated Moses’ ministry as the Lord’s emissary. This sign will show that the Lord had control over Egypt and its stability, over life and death. But first Moses has to be convinced that he can turn it into a dead stick again.

[18:10]  ¹⁰ tn Or “rode upon.”

[18:10]  ¹¹ tn Heb “a cherub.” Because of the typical associations of the word “cherub” in English with chubby winged babies, the term has been rendered “winged angel” in the translation.

[18:10]  ¹² tc 2 Sam 22:11 reads “appeared” (from רָאָה, ra’ah); the relatively rare verb דָאָה (da’ah, “glide”) is more difficult and probably the original reading here in Ps 18.

[18:10]  ¹³ sn The wings of the wind. Verse 10 may depict (1) the Lord riding a cherub, which is in turn propelled by the wind current. Another option (2) is that two different vehicles (a cherub and the wind) are envisioned. Yet another option (3) is that the wind is personified as a cherub. For a discussion of ancient Near Eastern parallels to the imagery in v. 10, see M. Weinfeld, “‘Rider of the Clouds’ and ‘Gatherer of the Clouds’,” JANESCU 5 (1973): 422-24.

[68:17]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “thousands of [?].” The meaning of the word שִׁנְאָן (shin’an), which occurs only here in the OT, is uncertain. Perhaps the form should be emended to שַׁאֲנָן (sha’anan, “at ease”) and be translated here “held in reserve.”

[68:17]  ¹⁵ tc The MT reads, “the Lord [is] among them, Sinai, in holiness,” which is syntactically difficult. The present translation assumes an emendation to אֲדֹנָי בָּא מִסִּינַי (’adonay ba’ missinay; see BHS note b-b and Deut 33:2).

[80:1]  ¹⁶ sn Psalm 80. The psalmist laments Israel’s demise and asks the Lord to show favor toward his people, as he did in earlier times.

[80:1]  ¹⁷ tn The Hebrew expression shushan-eduth means “lily of the testimony.” It may refer to a particular music style or to a tune title. See the superscription to Ps 60.

[80:1]  ¹⁸ sn Winged angels (Heb “cherubs”). Cherubs, as depicted in the OT, possess both human and animal (lion, ox, and eagle) characteristics (see Ezek 1:10; 10:14, 21; 41:18). They are pictured as winged creatures (Exod 25:20; 37:9; 1 Kgs 6:24-27; Ezek 10:8, 19) and serve as the very throne of God when the ark of the covenant is in view (Ps 99:1; see Num 7:89; 1 Sam 4:4; 2 Sam 6:2; 2 Kgs 19:15). The picture of the Lord seated on the cherubs suggests they might be used by him as a vehicle, a function they carry out in Ezek 1:22-28 (the “living creatures” mentioned here are identified as cherubs in Ezek 10:20). In Ps 18:10 the image of a cherub serves to personify the wind.

[80:1]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “shine forth.”

[99:1]  ²⁰ sn Psalm 99. The psalmist celebrates the Lord’s just rule and recalls how he revealed himself to Israel’s leaders.

[99:1]  ²¹ tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 1 are understood here as indicating the nations’ characteristic response to the reality of the Lord’s kingship. Another option is to take them as jussives: “let the nations tremble…let the earth shake!”

[99:1]  ²² sn Winged angels (Heb “cherubs”). Cherubs, as depicted in the OT, possess both human and animal (lion, ox, and eagle) characteristics (see Ezek 1:10; 10:14, 21; 41:18). They are pictured as winged creatures (Exod 25:20; 37:9; 1 Kgs 6:24-27; Ezek 10:8, 19) and serve as the very throne of God when the ark of the covenant is in view (Ps 99:1; see Num 7:89; 1 Sam 4:4; 2 Sam 6:2; 2 Kgs 19:15). The picture of the Lord seated on the cherubs suggests they might be used by him as a vehicle, a function they carry out in Ezek 1:22-28 (the “living creatures” mentioned here are identified as cherubs in Ezek 10:20). In Ps 18:10 the image of a cherub serves to personify the wind.

[99:1]  ²³ tn The Hebrew verb נוּט (nut) occurs only here in the OT, but the meaning can be determined on the basis of the parallelism with רָגַז (ragaz, “tremble”) and evidence from the cognate languages (see H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena [SBLDS], 121).

[9:3]  ²⁴ tn Heb “house.”

[10:2]  ²⁵ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:2]  ²⁶ tn The Hebrew term often refers to chariot wheels (Isa 28:28; Ezek 23:24; 26:10).

[10:2]  ²⁷ tc The LXX, Syriac, Vulgate, and Targum mss read plural “cherubim” while the MT is singular here, “cherub.” The plural ending was probably omitted in copying the MT due to the similar beginning of the next word.

[10:3]  ²⁸ tn Heb “right side.”

[10:5]  ²⁹ tn The name (“El Shaddai”) has often been translated “God Almighty,” primarily because Jerome translated it omnipotens (“all powerful”) in the Latin Vulgate. There has been much debate over the meaning of the name. For discussion see W. F. Albright, “The Names Shaddai and Abram,” JBL 54 (1935): 173-210; R. Gordis, “The Biblical Root sdy-sd,” JTS 41 (1940): 34-43; and especially T. N. D. Mettinger, In Search of God, 69-72.

[10:6]  ³⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:6]  ³¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man dressed in linen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:6]  ³² tn Heb “the wheel.”

[10:7]  ³³ tn Heb “the cherub.”

[10:7]  ³⁴ tn The Hebrew text adds, “from among the cherubim.”

[10:8]  ³⁵ tn The Hebrew term is normally used as an architectural term in describing the plan or pattern of the tabernacle or temple or a representation of it (see Exod 25:8; 1 Chr 28:11).

[10:9]  ³⁶ tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.

[10:9]  ³⁷ tn The MT repeats this phrase, a clear case of dittography.

[10:9]  ³⁸ tn Heb “Tarshish stone.” The meaning is uncertain. The term has also been translated “topaz” (NEB), “beryl” (KJV, NASB, NRSV), and “chrysolite” (RSV, NIV).

[10:10]  ³⁹ tn Or “like a wheel at right angles to another wheel.” Some envision concentric wheels here, while others propose “a globe-like structure in which two wheels stand at right angles” (L. C. Allen, Ezekiel [WBC], 1:33-34). See also 1:16.

[10:11]  ⁴⁰ sn That is, the cherubim.

[10:11]  ⁴¹ tn Many interpreters assume that the human face of each cherub was the one that looked forward.

[10:12]  ⁴² tc The phrase “along with their entire bodies” is absent from the LXX and may be a gloss explaining the following words.

[10:13]  ⁴³ tn Or “the whirling wheels.”

[10:14]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “each one”; the referent (the cherubim) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:14]  ⁴⁵ sn The living creature described here is thus slightly different from the one described in Ezek 1:10, where a bull’s face appeared instead of a cherub’s. Note that some English versions harmonize the two descriptions and read the same here as in 1:10 (cf. NAB, NLT “an ox”; TEV, CEV “a bull”). This may be justified based on v. 22, which states the creatures’ appearance was the same.

[1:14]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “sent for service for the sake of those.”