Cherubim are intriguing celestial beings frequently mentioned in the Bible, often depicted as guardians of sacred spaces and bearers of God’s divine presence. Their representations vary, symbolizing profound theological concepts and reflecting the majesty of the heavenly realm.
Understanding the role and depiction of cherubim provides insight into the spiritual symbolism within Scripture. They are not merely ornamental figures but embody the holiness and mystery surrounding God’s throne and His interactions with humanity.
These biblical references to cherubim allows us to appreciate their significance in conveying God’s omnipresence and the reverence due to Him.
Bible Verses About Cherubim
1. Genesis 3:24
“After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.”
2. Exodus 25:18-20
“And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover.”
3. Exodus 26:1
“Make the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into them by a skilled worker.”
4. Exodus 37:7-9
“Then he made two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover. The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover.”
5. Numbers 7:89
“When Moses entered the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant law. In this way the Lord spoke to him.”
6. 1 Samuel 4:4
“So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.”
7. 2 Samuel 6:2
“He and all his men went to Baalah in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark.”
8. 2 Samuel 22:11
“He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.”
9. 1 Kings 6:23-28
“For the inner sanctuary he made a pair of cherubim out of olive wood, each ten cubits high. One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long, and the other wing five cubits—ten cubits from wing tip to wing tip. The second cherub also measured ten cubits, for the two cherubim were identical in size and shape. The height of each cherub was ten cubits. He placed the cherubim inside the innermost room of the temple, with their wings spread out. The wing of one cherub touched one wall, while the wing of the other touched the other wall, and their wings touched each other in the middle of the room. He overlaid the cherubim with gold.”
10. 1 Kings 7:29
“On the panels between the uprights were lions, bulls and cherubim—and on the uprights as well. Above and below the lions and bulls were wreaths of hammered work.”
11. 1 Kings 8:6-7
“The priests then brought the ark of the Lord’s covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim. The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its carrying poles.”
12. 2 Kings 19:15
“And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: ‘Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.'”
13. 1 Chronicles 13:6
“David and all Israel went to Baalah of Judah (Kiriath Jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, who is enthroned between the cherubim—the ark that is called by the Name.”
14. 1 Chronicles 28:18
“And the weight of the refined gold for the altar of incense. He also gave him the plan for the chariot—that is, the cherubim of gold that spread their wings and overshadowed the ark of the covenant of the Lord.”
15. 2 Chronicles 3:7
“He overlaid the ceiling beams, doorframes, walls and doors of the temple with gold, and he carved cherubim on the walls.”
16. 2 Chronicles 3:10-13
“For the Most Holy Place he made a pair of sculptured cherubim and 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 temple wall; its other wing, also five cubits long, touched the wing of the other cherub. Similarly, one wing of the second cherub was five cubits long and touched the other temple wall, and its other wing, also five cubits long, touched the wing of the first cherub. The wings of these cherubim extended twenty cubits. They stood on their feet, facing the main hall.”
17. 2 Chronicles 5:7-8
“The priests then brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim. The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and covered the ark and its carrying poles.”
18. Ezekiel 1:5-6
“And in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was human, but each of them had four faces and four wings.”
19. Ezekiel 1:10
“Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.”
20. Ezekiel 10:1-2
“I looked, and I saw the likeness of a throne of lapis lazuli above the vault that was over the heads of the cherubim. The Lord said to the man clothed in linen, ‘Go in among the wheels beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.’ And as I watched, he went in.”
21. Ezekiel 10:3-5
“Now the cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple when the man went in, and a cloud filled the inner court. Then the glory of the Lord rose from above the cherubim and moved to the threshold of the temple. The cloud filled the temple, and the court was full of the radiance of the glory of the Lord. The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard as far away as the outer court, like the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.”
22. Ezekiel 10:8
“Under the wings of the cherubim could be seen what looked like human hands.”
23. Ezekiel 10:12
“Their entire bodies, including their backs, their hands and their wings, were completely full of eyes, as were their four wheels.”
24. Ezekiel 10:14
“Each of the cherubim had four faces: One face was that of a cherub, the second the face of a human being, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.”
25. Ezekiel 10:18-19
“Then the glory of the Lord departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim. While I watched, the cherubim spread their wings and rose from the ground, and as they went, the wheels went with them. They stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the Lord’s house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.”
26. Ezekiel 28:14
“You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones.”
27. Ezekiel 28:16
“Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.”
28. Ezekiel 41:18
“It was decorated with cherubim and palm trees. Palm trees alternated with cherubim. Each cherub had two faces.”
29. Ezekiel 41:20
“From the floor to the area above the entrance, cherubim and palm trees were carved on the wall of the main hall.”
30. Hebrews 9:5
“Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.”
31. Revelation 4:6-8
“Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”
32. Psalm 18:10
“He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.”
33. Psalm 99:1
“The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake.”
34. Isaiah 37:16
“Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.”
35. 1 Peter 1:12
“It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.”
Our Thought on What the Bible Says About Cherubim
The Bible portrays cherubim as celestial beings intricately associated with the presence and majesty of God.
Their primary roles include serving as guardians of sacred spaces and bearers of God’s divine glory. In Genesis 3:24, cherubim are stationed to guard the way to the tree of life after humanity’s expulsion from Eden, symbolizing the protection of divine sanctity.
In the construction of the Tabernacle and Solomon’s Temple, representations of cherubim are prevalent. They are crafted on the atonement cover of the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:18).