Bible Strands
Exodus 37:9
And the cherubim had wings that spread upward, overshadowing the mercy seat. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the mercy seat.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Moses reports the tabernacle's construction sequence to the Israelites while detailing the final assembly of the sanctuary furnishings. The verse records the precise placement of the two gold cherubim on the mercy seat during the sanctuary's completion.
The words — פֹּרְשֵׂי כְנָפַיִם (po.re.sei khe.na.fa.yim) translates literally to "spreading wings," denoting the upward extension of the cherubim's wings. סֹכְכִים (so.khe.khim) means "covering" or "overshadowing," describing the wings' position directly over the mercy seat.
The thread — The identical wing posture and placement instruction appears in Exodus 25:20, where God originally specifies the tabernacle blueprint. The cherubim motif reappears in Genesis 3:24 as guardians positioned at the eastern entrance to Eden.
Why it lands — The verse establishes the exact physical configuration of the mercy seat's covering, requiring the reader to note the cherubim's upward-spread wings and mutual orientation toward the seat. It grounds theological concepts in precise architectural description rather than abstract symbolism.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the cherubims spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubims.
Cross-references
- 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.
- Genesis 28:12 And Jacob had a dream about a ladder that rested on the earth with its top reaching up to heaven, and God’s angels were going up and down the ladder.
- Exodus 25:20 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.
- Isaiah 6:2 Above Him stood seraphim, each having six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.
- Ezekiel 10:1 And I looked and saw above the expanse, above the heads of the cherubim, the likeness of a throne of sapphire.
- John 1:51 Then He declared, “Truly, truly, I tell you, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
- 2 Corinthians 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
- Ephesians 3:10 His purpose was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
- Philippians 3:8 More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ
- 1 Timothy 3:16 By common confession, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed in throughout the world, was taken up in glory.