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Selected Verse: Hebrews 9:5 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Heb 9:5	Strong Concordance	And [1161] over [5231] it [846] the cherubims [5502] of glory [1391] shadowing [2683] the mercyseat [2435]; of [4012] which [3739] we cannot [3756] [2076] now [3568] speak [3004] particularly [2596] [3313].
	King James	And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
over it--over "the ark of the covenant." cherubim--representing the ruling powers by which God acts in the moral and natural world. (See on Eze 1:6; Eze 10:1). Hence sometimes they answer to the ministering angels; but mostly to the elect redeemed, by whom God shall hereafter rule the world and set forth His manifold wisdom: redeemed humanity, combining in, and with itself, the highest forms of subordinate creaturely life; not angels. They stand on the mercy seat, and on that ground become the habitation of God, from which His glory is to shine upon the world. They expressly say, Rev 5:8-10, "Thou hast redeemed us." They are there distinguished from the angels, and associated with the elders. They were of one piece with the mercy seat, even as the Church is one with Christ: their sole standing is on the blood-sprinkled mercy seat; they gaze down at it as the redeemed shall for ever; they are "the habitation of God through the Spirit." of glory--The cherubim were bearers of the divine glory, whence, perhaps, they derive their name. The Shekinah, or cloud of glory, in which Jehovah appeared between the cherubim over the mercy seat, the lid of the ark, is doubtless the reference. THOLUCK thinks the twelve loaves of the showbread represent the twelve tribes of the nation, presented as a community before God consecrated to Him (just as in the Lord's Supper believers, the spiritual Israel, all partaking of the one bread, and becoming one bread and one body, present themselves before the Lord as consecrated to Him, Co1 10:16-17); the oil and light, the pure knowledge of the Lord, in which the covenant people are to shine (the seven (lights), implying perfection); the ark of the covenant, the symbol of God's kingdom in the old covenant, and representing God dwelling among His own; the ten commandments in the ark, the law as the basis of union between God and man; the mercy seat covering the law and sprinkled with the blood of atonement for the collective sin of the people, God's mercy [in Christ] stronger than the law; the cherubim, the personified [redeemed] creation, looking down on the mercy seat, where God's mercy, and God's law, are set forth as the basis of creation. mercy seat--Greek, "the propitiatory": the golden cover of the ark, on which was sprinkled the blood of the propitiatory sacrifice on the day of atonement; the footstool of Jehovah, the meeting place of Him and His people. we cannot--conveniently: besides what met the eye in the sanctuary, there were spiritual realities symbolized which it would take too long to discuss in detail, our chief subject at present being the priesthood and the sacrifices. "Which" refers not merely to the cherubim, but to all the contents of the sanctuary enumerated in Heb 9:2-5.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

over it--over "the ark of the covenant."

cherubim--representing the ruling powers by which God acts in the moral and natural world. (See on Eze 1:6; Eze 10:1). Hence sometimes they answer to the ministering angels; but mostly to the elect redeemed, by whom God shall hereafter rule the world and set forth His manifold wisdom: redeemed humanity, combining in, and with itself, the highest forms of subordinate creaturely life; not angels. They stand on the mercy seat, and on that ground become the habitation of God, from which His glory is to shine upon the world. They expressly say, Rev 5:8-10, "Thou hast redeemed us." They are there distinguished from the angels, and associated with the elders. They were of one piece with the mercy seat, even as the Church is one with Christ: their sole standing is on the blood-sprinkled mercy seat; they gaze down at it as the redeemed shall for ever; they are "the habitation of God through the Spirit."

of glory--The cherubim were bearers of the divine glory, whence, perhaps, they derive their name. The Shekinah, or cloud of glory, in which Jehovah appeared between the cherubim over the mercy seat, the lid of the ark, is doubtless the reference. THOLUCK thinks the twelve loaves of the showbread represent the twelve tribes of the nation, presented as a community before God consecrated to Him (just as in the Lord's Supper believers, the spiritual Israel, all partaking of the one bread, and becoming one bread and one body, present themselves before the Lord as consecrated to Him, Co1 10:16-17); the oil and light, the pure knowledge of the Lord, in which the covenant people are to shine (the seven (lights), implying perfection); the ark of the covenant, the symbol of God's kingdom in the old covenant, and representing God dwelling among His own; the ten commandments in the ark, the law as the basis of union between God and man; the mercy seat covering the law and sprinkled with the blood of atonement for the collective sin of the people, God's mercy [in Christ] stronger than the law; the cherubim, the personified [redeemed] creation, looking down on the mercy seat, where God's mercy, and God's law, are set forth as the basis of creation.

mercy seat--Greek, "the propitiatory": the golden cover of the ark, on which was sprinkled the blood of the propitiatory sacrifice on the day of atonement; the footstool of Jehovah, the meeting place of Him and His people.

we cannot--conveniently: besides what met the eye in the sanctuary, there were spiritual realities symbolized which it would take too long to discuss in detail, our chief subject at present being the priesthood and the sacrifices. "Which" refers not merely to the cherubim, but to all the contents of the sanctuary enumerated in Heb 9:2-5.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And over it - That is, over the ark. The cherubim of glory - A Hebrew mode of expression, meaning "the glorious cherubim." The word "cherubim" is the Hebrew form of the plural, of which cherub is the singular. The word "glory" used here in connection with "cherubim," refers to the splendor, or magnificence of the image, as being carved with great skill, and covered with gold. There were two cherubim on the ark, placed on the lid in such a manner that their faces looked inward toward each other, and downward toward the mercy-seat. They stretched out their wings "on high," and covered the mercy-seat, or the lid of the ark; Exo 25:18-20; compare Kg1 8:6-7; Ch1 28:18. In the temple, the cherubim were made of the olive tree, and were ten cubits high. They were overlaid with gold, and were so placed that the wing of one touched the wall on one side of the Holy of Holies, and that of the other the other side, and their wings met together over the ark; Kg1 6:23-28. It is not probable, however, that this was the form used in the tabernacle, as wings thus expanded would have rendered it inconvenient to carry them from place to place. Of the form and design of the cherubim much has been written, and much that is the mere creation of fancy, and the fruit of wild conjecture. Their design is not explained in the Bible, and silence in regard to it would have been wisdom. If they were intended to be symbolical, as is certainly possible, (compare Eze 10:20-22), it is impossible now to determine the object of the symbol. Who is authorized to explain it? Who can give to his speculations anything more than the authority of "pious conjecture?" And of what advantage, therefore, can speculation be, where the volume of inspiration says nothing? They who wish to examine this subject more fully, with the various opinions that have been formed on it, may consult the following works, namely, Calmet's Dictionary, Fragment No. 152, with the numerous illustrations; Bush's notes on Exo 25:18; and the Quarterly Christian Spectator, vol. viii. pp. 368-388. Drawings resembling the cherubim were not uncommon on ancient sculptures. Shadowing - Stretching out its wings so as to cover the mercy-seat. The mercy-seat - The cover of the ark on which rested the cloud or visible symbol of the divine presence. It was called "mercy-seat," or "propitiatory" - ἱλαστήριον hilastērion - because it was this which was sprinkled over with the blood of atonement or propitiation, and because it was from this place, on which the symbol of the deity rested, that God manifested himself as propitious to sinners. The blood of the atonement was that through or by means of which he declared his mercy to the guilty. Here God was supposed to be seated, and from this place he was supposed to dispense mercy to man when the blood of the atonement was sprinkled there. This was undoubtedly designed to be a symbol of his dispensing mercy to people in virtue of the blood which the Saviour shed as the great sacrifice for guilt; see Heb 9:13-14. Of which we cannot now speak particularly - That is, it is not my present design to speak particularly of these things. These matters were well understood by those to whom he wrote, and his object did not require him to go into a fuller explanation.

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]
mercyseat (Greek, "hilastērion", "place of propitation"). (See Scofield) - (Rom 3:25).

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
Cherubim of glory (χερουβεὶν δόξης) Setting forth or exhibiting the divine glory. The word signifies living creatures, and they are described as ζῶα. Hence usually with the neuter article τὰ. See Isa 6:2, Isa 6:3; Eze 1:5-10; 10:5-20, and comp. Rev 4:6-8. Nothing could be more infelicitous than the A.V. rendering of ζῶα beasts. Shadowing the mercy-seat (κατασκιάζοντα τὸ ἱλαστήριον) Κατασκιάζειν, N.T.o, olxx, occasionally in Class. Throwing their shadow down upon the mercy-seat. For, ἱλασρήριον, see on Rom 3:25. Used in lxx to translate כַּפֹרֶט, the place of covering sin, the throne of mercy above the ark. Particularly (κατὰ μέρος) In detail; his main point being the twofold division of the tabernacle. The phrase N.T.o. Note the completeness of the list of articles of furniture in the tabernacle, even to the inclusion of things which had no connection with worship; also the emphasis on the costliness of the articles - gold. The writer will say all that can be said for this transitory, shadowy tabernacle; but all that he can say about the costliness of the apparatus only emphasizes the inferior and unspiritual character of the worship. The vessels are superior to the service.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
And over it were the cherubim of glory - Over which the glory of God used to appear. Some suppose each of these had four faces, and so represented the Three - One God, with the manhood assumed by the Second Person. With out - spread wings shadowing the mercy - seat - Which was a lid or plate of gold, covering the ark.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
And over it the cherubims of glory - Cherubim is the plural of cherub, and it is absurd to add our plural termination (s) to the plural termination of the Hebrew. The glory here signifies the shechinah or symbol of the Divine presence. Shadowing the mercy-seat - One at each end of the ark, with their faces turned toward each other, but looking down on the cover or propitiatory, ἱλαστηριον, here called the mercy-seat. Of which we cannot now speak particularly - The apostle did not judge any farther account of these to be necessary; and I may be excused from considering them particularly here, having said so much on each in the places where they occur in the Pentateuch. What these point out or signify is thus explained by St. Cyril: Christus licet unus sit, multifariam tamen a nobis intelligitur: Ipse est Tabernaculum propter carnis tegumenturn: Ipse est Mensa, quia noster cibus est et vita: Ipse est Arca habens legem Dei reconditam, quia est Verbum Patris: Ipse est Candelabrum, quia est lux spiritualis: Ipse est Altare incensi, quia est odor suavitatis in sanctificationem: Ipse est Altare holocausti, quia est hostia pro totius mundi vita in cruce oblata. "Although Christ be but one, yet he is understood by us under a variety of forms. He is the Tabernacle, on account of the human body in which he dwelt. He is the Table, because he is our Bread of life. He is the Ark which has the law of God enclosed within, because he is the Word of the Father. He is the Candlestick, because he is our spiritual light. He is the Altar of incense, because he is the sweet-smelling odour of sanctification. He is the Altar of burnt-offering, because he is the victim, by death on the cross, for the sins of the whole world." This father has said, in a few words, what others have employed whole volumes on, by refining, spiritualizing, and allegorizing.

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² For [1063] there was [2680] a tabernacle [4633] made [2680]; the first [4413], wherein [1722] [3739] [5037] was the candlestick [3087], and [2532] the table [5132], and [2532] the shewbread [4286] [740]; which [3748] is called [3004] the sanctuary [39].
³ And [1161] after [3326] the second [1208] veil [2665], the tabernacle [4633] which [3588] is called [3004] the Holiest of all [39] [39];
⁴ Which had [2192] the golden [5552] censer [2369], and [2532] the ark [2787] of the covenant [1242] overlaid [4028] round about [3840] with gold [5553], wherein [1722] [3739] was the golden [5552] pot [4713] that had [2192] manna [3131], and [2532] Aaron's [2] rod [4464] that budded [985], and [2532] the tables [4109] of the covenant [1242];
⁵ And [1161] over [5231] it [846] the cherubims [5502] of glory [1391] shadowing [2683] the mercyseat [2435]; of [4012] which [3739] we cannot [3756] [2076] now [3568] speak [3004] particularly [2596] [3313].

¹⁶ The cup [4221] of blessing [2129] which [3739] we bless [2127], is it [2076] not [3780] the communion [2842] of the blood [129] of Christ [5547]? The bread [740] which [3739] we break [2806], is it [2076] not [3780] the communion [2842] of the body [4983] of Christ [5547]?
¹⁷ For [3754] we [2070] being many [4183] are [2070] one [1520] bread [740], and one [1520] body [4983]: for [1063] we are [3348] all [3956] partakers [3348] of [1537] that one [1520] bread [740].

⁸ And [2532] when [3753] he had taken [2983] the book [975], the four [5064] beasts [2226] and [2532] four [5064] and twenty [1501] elders [4245] fell down [4098] before [1799] the Lamb [721], having [2192] every one of them [1538] harps [2788], and [2532] golden [5552] vials [5357] full [1073] of odours [2368], which [3739] are [1526] the prayers [4335] of saints [40].
⁹ And [2532] they sung [103] a new [2537] song [5603], saying [3004], Thou art [1488] worthy [514] to take [2983] the book [975], and [2532] to open [455] the seals [4973] thereof [846]: for [3754] thou wast slain [4969], and [2532] hast redeemed [59] us [2248] to God [2316] by [1722] thy [4675] blood [129] out of [1537] every [3956] kindred [5443], and [2532] tongue [1100], and [2532] people [2992], and [2532] nation [1484];
¹⁰ And [2532] hast made [4160] us [2248] unto our [2257] God [2316] kings [935] and [2532] priests [2409]: and [2532] we shall reign [936] on [1909] the earth [1093].

¹ Then I looked [07200], and, behold, in the firmament [07549] that was above the head [07218] of the cherubims [03742] there appeared [07200] over them as it were a sapphire [05601] stone [068], as the appearance [04758] of the likeness [01823] of a throne [03678].

⁶ And every one [0259] had four [0702] faces [06440], and every one [0259] had four [0702] wings [03671].

¹³ For [1063] if [1487] the blood [129] of bulls [5022] and [2532] of goats [5131], and [2532] the ashes [4700] of an heifer [1151] sprinkling [4472] the unclean [2840], sanctifieth [37] to [4314] the purifying [2514] of the flesh [4561]:
¹⁴ How much [4214] more [3123] shall [2511] the blood [129] of Christ [5547], who [3739] through [1223] the eternal [166] Spirit [4151] offered [4374] himself [1438] without spot [299] to God [2316], purge [2511] your [5216] conscience [4893] from [575] dead [3498] works [2041] to [1519] serve [3000] the living [2198] God [2316]?

¹⁸ And thou shalt make [06213] two [08147] cherubims [03742] of gold [02091], of beaten work [04749] shalt thou make [06213] them, in the two [08147] ends [07098] of the mercy seat [03727].

²⁰ This is the living creature [02416] that I saw [07200] under the God [0430] of Israel [03478] by the river [05104] of Chebar [03529]; and I knew [03045] that they were the cherubims [03742].
²¹ Every one [0259] had four [0702] faces [06440] apiece [0259], and every one [0259] four [0702] wings [03671]; and the likeness [01823] of the hands [03027] of a man [0120] was under their wings [03671].
²² And the likeness [01823] of their faces [06440] was the same [01992] faces [06440] which I saw [07200] by the river [05104] of Chebar [03529], their appearances [04758] and themselves: they went [03212] every one [0376] straight [05676] forward [06440].

²³ And within the oracle [01687] he made [06213] two [08147] cherubims [03742] of olive [08081] tree [06086], each ten [06235] cubits [0520] high [06967].
²⁴ And five [02568] cubits [0520] was the one [0259] wing [03671] of the cherub [03742], and five [02568] cubits [0520] the other [08145] wing [03671] of the cherub [03742]: from the uttermost part [07098] of the one wing [03671] unto the uttermost part [07098] of the other [03671] were ten [06235] cubits [0520].
²⁵ And the other [08145] cherub [03742] was ten [06235] cubits [0520]: both [08147] the cherubims [03742] were of one [0259] measure [04060] and one [0259] size [07095].
²⁶ The height [06967] of the one [0259] cherub [03742] was ten [06235] cubits [0520], and so was it of the other [08145] cherub [03742].
²⁷ And he set [05414] the cherubims [03742] within [08432] the inner [06442] house [01004]: and they stretched forth [06566] the wings [03671] of the cherubims [03742], so that the wing [03671] of the one [0259] touched [05060] the one wall [07023], and the wing [03671] of the other [08145] cherub [03742] touched [05060] the other [08145] wall [07023]; and their wings [03671] touched [05060] one [03671] another [03671] in the midst [08432] of the house [01004].
²⁸ And he overlaid [06823] the cherubims [03742] with gold [02091].

¹⁸ And for the altar [04196] of incense [07004] refined [02212] gold [02091] by weight [04948]; and gold [02091] for the pattern [08403] of the chariot [04818] of the cherubims [03742], that spread out [06566] their wings, and covered [05526] the ark [0727] of the covenant [01285] of the LORD [03068].

⁶ And the priests [03548] brought in [0935] the ark [0727] of the covenant [01285] of the LORD [03068] unto his place [04725], into the oracle [01687] of the house [01004], to the most [06944] holy [06944] place, even under the wings [03671] of the cherubims [03742].
⁷ For the cherubims [03742] spread forth [06566] their two wings [03671] over the place [04725] of the ark [0727], and the cherubims [03742] covered [05526] the ark [0727] and the staves [0905] thereof above [04605].

¹⁸ And thou shalt make [06213] two [08147] cherubims [03742] of gold [02091], of beaten work [04749] shalt thou make [06213] them, in the two [08147] ends [07098] of the mercy seat [03727].
¹⁹ And make [06213] one [0259] cherub [03742] on the one end [07098], and the other [0259] cherub [03742] on the other [02088] end [07098]: even of the mercy seat [03727] shall ye make [06213] the cherubims [03742] on the two [08147] ends [07098] thereof.
²⁰ And the cherubims [03742] shall stretch [06566] forth their wings [03671] on high [04605], covering [05526] the mercy seat [03727] with their wings [03671], and their faces [06440] shall look one [0376] to another [0251]; toward the mercy seat [03727] shall the faces [06440] of the cherubims [03742] be.

²⁵ Whom [3739] God [2316] hath set forth [4388] to be a propitiation [2435] through [1223] faith [4102] in [1722] his [846] blood [129], to [1519] declare [1732] his [846] righteousness [1343] for [1223] the remission [3929] of sins [265] that are past [4266], through [1722] the forbearance [463] of God [2316];

⁶ And [2532] before [1799] the throne [2362] there was a sea [2281] of glass [5193] like [3664] unto crystal [2930]: and [2532] in [1722] the midst [3319] of the throne [2362], and [2532] round about [2945] the throne [2362], were four [5064] beasts [2226] full [1073] of eyes [3788] before [1715] and [2532] behind [3693].
⁷ And [2532] the first [4413] beast [2226] was like [3664] a lion [3023], and [2532] the second [1208] beast [2226] like [3664] a calf [3448], and [2532] the third [5154] beast [2226] had [2192] a face [4383] as [5613] a man [444], and [2532] the fourth [5067] beast [2226] was like [3664] a flying [4072] eagle [105].
⁸ And [2532] the four [5064] beasts [2226] had [2192] each [303] [1520] of them [2596] [1438] six [1803] wings [4420] about [2943] him; and [2532] they were full [1073] of eyes [3788] within [2081]: and [2532] they rest [372] not [3756] [2192] day [2250] and [2532] night [3571], saying [3004], Holy [40], holy [40], holy [40], Lord [2962] God [2316] Almighty [3841], which [3588] was [2258] [3801], and [2532] is [5607] [3801], and [2532] is to come [2064] [3801].

⁵ Also out of the midst [08432] thereof came the likeness [01823] of four [0702] living creatures [02416]. And this was their appearance [04758]; they [02007] had the likeness [01823] of a man [0120].
⁶ And every one [0259] had four [0702] faces [06440], and every one [0259] had four [0702] wings [03671].
⁷ And their feet [07272] were straight [03477] feet [07272]; and the sole [03709] of their feet [07272] was like the sole [03709] of a calf's [05695] foot [07272]: and they sparkled [05340] like the colour [05869] of burnished [07044] brass [05178].
⁸ And they had the hands [03027] of a man [0120] under their wings [03671] on their four [0702] sides [07253]; and they four [0702] had their faces [06440] and their wings [03671].
⁹ Their wings [03671] were joined [02266] one [0802] to another [0269]; they turned [05437] not when they went [03212]; they went [03212] every one [0376] straight [05676] forward [06440].
¹⁰ As for the likeness [01823] of their faces [06440], they four [0702] had the face [06440] of a man [0120], and the face [06440] of a lion [0738], on the right side [03225]: and they four [0702] had the face [06440] of an ox [07794] on the left side [08040]; they four [0702] also had the face [06440] of an eagle [05404].

³ And one cried [07121] unto another, and said [0559], Holy [06918], holy [06918], holy [06918], is the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635]: the whole earth [0776] is full [04393] of his glory [03519].

² Above [04605] it stood [05975] the seraphims [08314]: each one [0259] had six [08337] wings [03671]; with twain [08147] he covered [03680] his face [06440], and with twain [08147] he covered [03680] his feet [07272], and with twain [08147] he did fly [05774].