Strong's G5502: χερουβίμ (cheroubím) Meaning

Quick Definition

Χερουβίμ Prop.n. Cherubim

Strong's Definition

"cherubim" (i.e. cherubs or kerubim)

Derivation: plural of Hebrew origin (H03742);

KJV Usage: cherubims

UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Χερούβ (G5502)

noun-name, n. | · pl. Χερουβίν/Χερουβείν | indeclinable

6.99 · Artifacts · Images and Idols

winged creature, cherubim in the NT the image of the winged creature that stood over the covenant box (but in certain OT contexts, supernatural winged creatures) Since it is difficult to employ a satisfactory descriptive equivalent of χερούβ, most translators have simply employed a borrowed term and have described the appearance of the χερούβ in a glossary or marginal note. In English, however, it is impossible to use ‘cherub,’ since cherubs are known simply as ‘baby angels’ (typical of Valentine cards). In some English translations the plural form of χερούβ, namely, ‘cherubim,’ has been employed, but for some persons cherubim is a singular with an analogically formed plural cherubims. In general, for χερούβ one can best employ a phrase, either ‘the image of a winged creature’ or ‘a winged creature.’

HEB 9:5

UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

χερουβιμ (R G) and Χερούβειν (L T Tr WH; in manuscripts also Χερουβιν, Χερουβειμ; (cf. Tdf Proleg., p. 84; WH's Appendix, p. 155a; and under the word εἰ, ἰ)), τά (neuter gender also in most places in the Sept.; rarely, as Exo_25:18-19, οἱ χερουβιμ; Χερουβεις in Exo_25:18 (but this is a mistake; the form in Χερουβεις seems not to occur in the O. T.); in Philo τά χερουβιμ, in Josephus, οἱ Χερουβεις, Antiquities 3, 6, 5; αἱ Χερουβεις, ibid. 8, 3, 3; the use of the neuter gender seemed most suitable, because they were ζῷα; Χερουβεις ζῷα ἐστι πετεινά, μορφήν δ' ὀυδεναι τῶν ὑπ' ἀνθρώπων ἑωραμενων παραπλησια, Josephus, Antiquities 3, 6, 5), Hebrew λΐΜψεΜαΔιν (hardly of Semitic origin, but cognate to the Greek γρύψ, γρυπος (for the various opinions cf. Gesenius' Hebrew Lexicon, Mühlau and Volck edition, under the word λΐΜψεΜα)), cherubim, two golden figures of living creatures with two wings; they were fastened to the lid of the ark of the covenant in the Holy of holies (both of the sacred tabernacle and of Solomon's temple) in such a manner that their faces were turned toward each other and down toward the lid, which they overshadowed with their expanded wings. Between these figures God was regarded as having fixed his dwelling-place (see δόξα, III. 1): Heb_9:5. In Eze_1:1-28 and Eze_10:1-22 another and far more elaborate form is ascribed to them; but the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews has Exo_25:18-20 in mind. Cf. Winers RWB, under the word Cherubim; Gesenius, Thesaurus, ii., p. 710f; Dillmann in Schenkel i. 509ff; Riehm, De Natura et Notione Symbolica Cheruborum (Basil. 1864); also his 'Die Cherubim in d. Stiftshütte u. im Tempel' in the Theol. Studien und Kritiken for 1871, p. 399ff; and in his HWB, p. 227ff; (cf. Lenormant, Beginnings of History (N. Y. 1882), chapter iii.).

Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary

Χερούβ Cheroub 1x

also spelled Χερουβείν and Χερουβίμ, indecl. cherub, a two-winged figure over the ark of the covenant, Heb. 9:5*

Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon

† Χερουβείν (Rec. -βίμ), τά (Heb. כְּרוּבׅים), Cherubim: He 9:6 (cf. Ex 25:17 (18), al.; v. DB, i, 377 ff.).†

Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT

χερουβείν, ‘*cherubin” (Heb 95), transliterated from the Aramaic (-e(p, Hebrew): cf. Wiinsch A” p. 12% τοῦ καθημένου ἐπὶ τῶν χερουβί, P Lond 121° (iii/A.p.) (=I. p. 93) ἐπὶ XepovBly καθήμενον, and similarly ®%4%. See also Revue Biblique xxxv. (1926), pp. 328 ff., 421 ff., and the other reff. in Preuschen-Bauer Worterb. s.v.

Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon

χερουβίμ (cheroubim) — Cherub. Transliteration of Hebrew כְּרוּב 'cherub' [H3742]. Not in LSJ.

STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon

Χερουβείν (Rec. -βίμ), τά (Heb. כְּרוּב), Cherubim: Heb.9:6 (cf. Exo.25:17 (18), al.; see DB, i, 377 ff.).† (AS)

Bible Occurrences (1)

9:5

G5502 χερουβίμ (cheroubím)