King James Version

Exodus 37:9

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.

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Hebrew

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וַיִּהְי֣וּvayihyvand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and be”, the next action in the storyH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.הַכְּרֻבִים֩hakruvimthe cherubכְּרוּבdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the cherub”, the ordinary formH3742a cherub or imaginary figurecherub, (plural) cherubims.פֹּרְשֵׂ֨יporesebreakפָּרַשׂverb, qal, participle, construct — “break”, a verb used as a describing wordH6566to break apart, disperse, etc.break, chop in pieces, lay open, scatter, spread (abroad, forth, selves, out), stretch (forth, out).כְנָפַ֜יִםkhenafayimwingכָּנָףnoun, common, feminine, dual, absolute — “wing”, the ordinary formH3671an edge or extremity; specifically (of a bird or army) a wing, (of a garment or bedclothing) a flap, (of the earth) a quarter, (of a building) a pinnacle[phrase] bird, border, corner, end, feather(-ed), [idiom] flying, [phrase] (one an-) other, overspreading, [idiom] quarters, skirt, [idiom] sort, uttermost part, wing(-ed).לְמַ֗עְלָהlemalahto aboveמַעַלpreposition, adverb, directional ending — “to above”H4605properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etc.above, exceeding(-ly), forward, on ([idiom] very) high, over, up(-on, -ward), very.סֹֽכְכִ֤יםsokhekhimcoverסָכַךְverb, qal, participle, absolute — “cover”, a verb used as a describing wordH5526properly, to entwine as ascreen; by implication, to fence in, cover over, (figuratively) protectcover, defence, defend, hedge in, join together, set, shut up.בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם֙bekhanfeyhemin wingכָּנָףpreposition, noun, common, feminine, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “in wing”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3671an edge or extremity; specifically (of a bird or army) a wing, (of a garment or bedclothing) a flap, (of the earth) a quarter, (of a building) a pinnacle[phrase] bird, border, corner, end, feather(-ed), [idiom] flying, [phrase] (one an-) other, overspreading, [idiom] quarters, skirt, [idiom] sort, uttermost part, wing(-ed).עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…הַכַּפֹּ֔רֶתhakaporetthe mercy seatכַּפֹּרֶתdefinite article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “the mercy seat”, the ordinary formH3727a lid (used only of the cover of the sacred Ark)mercy seat.וּפְנֵיהֶ֖םufeneyhemand a- foreפָּנִיםconjunction, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…אִ֣ישׁisha certainאִישׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “a certain”, the ordinary formH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).אָחִ֑יוachivbrother ; kindredאָחnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “brother ; kindred”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH251a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance (like father))another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other. Compare also the proper names beginning with 'Ah-' or 'Ahi-'.אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).הַכַּפֹּ֔רֶתhakaporetthe mercy seatכַּפֹּרֶתdefinite article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “the mercy seat”, the ordinary formH3727a lid (used only of the cover of the sacred Ark)mercy seat.הָי֖וּhayvbeהָיָהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “be”, a completed actionH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.פְּנֵ֥יpenea- foreפָּנִיםnoun, common, both genders, plural, construct — “a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…הַכְּרֻבִֽיםhakruvimthe cherubכְּרוּבdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the cherub”, the ordinary formH3742a cherub or imaginary figurecherub, (plural) cherubims.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And the cherubim spread out their wings on high, screening the ark-cover with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the ark-cover were the faces of the cherubim.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And the cherubim spread out their wings on high, covering the mercy-seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy-seat were the faces of the cherubim.

Young’s Literal Translation

and the cherubs are spreading out wings on high, covering over the mercy-seat with their wings, and their faces [are] one towards another; towards the mercy-seat have the faces of the cherubs been.

World English Bible

The cherubim spread out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward one another. The faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat.

Darby Translation

And the cherubim spread out [their] wings over it, covering over with their wings the mercy-seat; and their faces were opposite to one another: the faces of the cherubim were [turned] toward the mercy-seat.

Douay-Rheims

Spreading their wings, and covering the propitiatory, and looking one towards the other, and towards it.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And the cherubim spread out their wings on high, screening the ark-cover with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the ark-cover were the faces of the cherubim.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

and on the north side a hundred every way, and on the south side a hundred every way, and their posts twenty and their sockets twenty.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

καὶ τὸ κλίτος τὸ πρὸς Βοῤῥᾶν, ἑκατὸν ἐφʼ ἑκατόν· καὶ τὸ κλίτος τὸ πρὸς Νότον, ἑκατὸν ἐφʼ ἑκατόν· καὶ οἱ στύλοι αὐτῶν εἴκοσι, καὶ αἱ βάσεις αὐτῶν εἴκοσι·