Winged Creature

A heavenly being with wings, often associated with carrying God’s throne and symbolizing His majesty and presence.

Nimrud ivory plaque with ram-headed sphinx (Assyrian, Syro-Phoenician, 8th-7th c. BCE)
Nimrud ivory plaque with ram-headed sphinx (Assyrian, Syro-Phoenician, 8th-7th c. BCE) (© I, Sailko, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons) Winged creatures, cherubim

About Winged Creature

The cherub is mentioned over ninety times in Scripture and seems to be a composite being. (Some of the references are to the creatures themselves, but the places listed above refer to physical representations of those creatures.) The only consistent information given to describe cherubim (the Hebrew plural of kruv) is that they had wings. In some places they have one face, in others four faces. Sometimes they are said to have two legs, at other times four legs. Three-dimensional statues of them were part of the atonement lid that covered the Covenant Box (see Mercy seat, atonement cover, atonement lid and the illustration at Covenant Box, Ark of the Covenant). These figures faced each other from either end of the lid, and their wings arched up to meet over the middle of the lid, providing a kind of protecting cover over the Box.

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Key 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.

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.

2 Samuel 22:11

He mounted a cherub and flew; He soared on the wings of the wind.

Hebrews 9:5

Above the ark were the cherubim of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

All Scripture References (67)

Genesis (1)
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.

Exodus (11)
Exodus 25:18

Make two cherubim of hammered gold at the ends of the mercy seat,

Exodus 25:19

one cherub on one end and one on the other, all made from one piece of gold.

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.

Exodus 25:22

And I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony; I will speak with you about all that I command you regarding the Israelites.

Exodus 26:1

“You are to construct the tabernacle itself with ten curtains of finely spun linen, each with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and cherubim skillfully worked into them.

Exodus 26:31

Make a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it.

Exodus 36:8

All the skilled craftsmen among the workmen made the ten curtains for the tabernacle. They were made of finely spun linen, as well as blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with cherubim skillfully worked into them.

Exodus 36:35

Next, he made the veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it.

Exodus 37:7

He made two cherubim of hammered gold at the ends of the mercy seat,

Exodus 37:8

one cherub on one end and one on the other, all made from one piece of gold.

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.

Numbers (1)
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 mercy seat on the ark of the Testimony. Thus the LORD spoke to him.

1 Samuel (1)
1 Samuel 4:4

So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

2 Samuel (2)
2 Samuel 6:2

And he and all his troops set out for Baale of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name—the name of the LORD of Hosts, who is enthroned between the cherubim that are on it.

2 Samuel 22:11

He mounted a cherub and flew; He soared on the wings of the wind.

1 Kings (13)
1 Kings 6:23

In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim, each ten cubits high, out of olive wood.

1 Kings 6:24

One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long, and the other wing was five cubits long as well. So the full wingspan was ten cubits.

1 Kings 6:25

The second cherub also measured ten cubits; both cherubim had the same size and shape,

1 Kings 6:26

and the height of each cherub was ten cubits.

1 Kings 6:27

And he placed the cherubim inside the innermost room of the temple. Since their wings were spread out, the wing of the first cherub touched one wall, while the wing of the second cherub touched the other wall, and in the middle of the room their wingtips touched.

1 Kings 6:28

He also overlaid the cherubim with gold.

1 Kings 6:29

Then he carved the walls all around the temple, in both the inner and outer sanctuaries, with carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers.

1 Kings 6:32

The double doors were made of olive wood, and he carved into them cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers and overlaid the cherubim and palm trees with hammered gold.

1 Kings 6:35

He carved into them cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and he overlaid them with gold hammered evenly over the carvings.

1 Kings 7:29

and on the panels between the uprights were lions, oxen, and cherubim. On the uprights was a pedestal above, and below the lions and oxen were wreaths of beveled work.

1 Kings 7:36

He engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees on the surfaces of the supports and panels, wherever each had space, with wreaths all around.

1 Kings 8:6

Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, beneath the wings of the cherubim.

1 Kings 8:7

For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its poles.

2 Kings (1)
2 Kings 19:15

And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD: “O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth.

1 Chronicles (2)
1 Chronicles 13:6

David and all Israel went up to Baalah of Judah (that is, Kiriath-jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the LORD, who is enthroned between the cherubimthe ark that is called by the Name.

1 Chronicles 28:18

the weight of the refined gold for the altar of incense; and the plans for the chariot of the gold cherubim that spread their wings and overshadowed the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

2 Chronicles (8)
2 Chronicles 3:7

He overlaid its beams, thresholds, walls, and doors with gold, and he carved cherubim on the walls.

2 Chronicles 3:10

In the Most Holy Place he made two cherubim of sculptured work, and he overlaid them with gold.

2 Chronicles 3:11

The total wingspan of the cherubim was twenty cubits. One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long and touched the wall of the temple, and its other wing was five cubits long and touched the wing of the other cherub.

2 Chronicles 3:12

The wing of the second cherub also measured five cubits and touched the wall of the temple, while its other wing measured five cubits and touched the wing of the first cherub.

2 Chronicles 3:13

So the total wingspan of these cherubim was twenty cubits. They stood on their feet, facing the main room.

2 Chronicles 3:14

He made the veil of blue, purple, and crimson yarn and fine linen, with cherubim woven into it.

2 Chronicles 5:7

Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, beneath the wings of the cherubim.

2 Chronicles 5:8

For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its poles.

Psalms (3)
Psalm 18:11

He made darkness His hiding place, and storm clouds a canopy around Him.

Psalm 80:2

before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh. Rally Your mighty power and come to save us.

Psalm 99:1

The LORD reigns; let the nations tremble! He is enthroned above the cherubim; let the earth quake!

Isaiah (1)
Isaiah 37:16

“O LORD of Hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth.

Ezekiel (22)
Ezekiel 9:3

Then the glory of the God of Israel rose from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side.

Ezekiel 10:1

And I looked and saw above the expanse, above the heads of the cherubim, the likeness of a throne of sapphire.

Ezekiel 10:2

And the LORD said to the man clothed in linen, “Go inside the wheelwork 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.

Ezekiel 10:3

Now when the man went in, the cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple, and a cloud filled the inner court.

Ezekiel 10:4

Then the glory of the LORD rose from above the cherubim and stood over the threshold of the temple. The temple was filled with the cloud, and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the LORD.

Ezekiel 10:5

The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard as far as the outer court, like the voice of God Almighty when He speaks.

Ezekiel 10:6

When the LORD commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, “Take fire from within the wheelwork, from among the cherubim,” the man went in and stood beside a wheel.

Ezekiel 10:7

Then one of the cherubim reached out his hand and took some of the fire that was among them. And he put it into the hands of the man clothed in linen, who received it and went out.

Ezekiel 10:8

(The cherubim appeared to have the form of human hands under their wings.)

Ezekiel 10:9

Then I looked and saw four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside each cherub. And the wheels gleamed like a beryl stone.

Ezekiel 10:14

Each of the cherubim had four faces: the first face was that of a cherub, the second that of a man, the third that of a lion, and the fourth that of an eagle.

Ezekiel 10:15

Then the cherubim rose upward. These were the living creatures I had seen by the River Kebar.

Ezekiel 10:16

When the cherubim moved, the wheels moved beside them, and even when they spread their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels did not veer away from their side.

Ezekiel 10:18

Then the glory of the LORD moved away from the threshold of the temple and stood above the cherubim.

Ezekiel 10:19

As I watched, the cherubim lifted their wings and rose up from the ground, with the wheels beside them as they went. And they stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the house of the LORD, with the glory of the God of Israel above them.

Ezekiel 10:20

These were the living creatures I had seen beneath the God of Israel by the River Kebar, and I knew that they were cherubim.

Ezekiel 11:22

Then the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, spread their wings, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.

Ezekiel 28:14

You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for I had ordained you. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the fiery stones.

Ezekiel 28:16

By the vastness of your trade, you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mountain of God, and I banished you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.

Ezekiel 41:18

were alternating carved cherubim and palm trees. Each cherub had two faces:

Ezekiel 41:20

Cherubim and palm trees were carved on the wall of the outer sanctuary from the floor to the space above the entrance.

Ezekiel 41:25

Cherubim and palm trees like those on the walls were carved on the doors of the outer sanctuary, and there was a wooden canopy outside, on the front of the portico.

Hebrews (1)
Hebrews 9:5

Above the ark were the cherubim of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.