The Cherubim, Solomon's Temple

1. What is a cherub? Ancient Hebrew scholar Robert Alter suggests that “cherubim” should be understood as “hybrid or composite,” though it appears that no one seems to have a real handle on the word, its origin, or its true meaning. Ibn Ezra notes that the term is used in Ezekiel, where the face of an ox (Ezekiel 1:10) is later called the face of a cherub (10:14), so the term cherub refers to an image. Other scholars suggest it is related to the Hebrew word for “steed” or even “chariot.”
2. “No body can tell.” The meaning of the word appears to be lost to time, as does the specific imagery. Josephus writes of Solomon’s cherubim: “No body can tell, or even conjecture what was the shape of these cherubims.”
3. Ezekiel’s creatures are different. When comparing the cherubim of Ezekiel’s vision to what’s described in Solomon’s Temple, we notice significant differences. The creatures in Ezekiel’s vision have four faces, only one of which is human. They also have multiple wings, human hands, hooves of a calf, a fiery appearance, and associated wheels.
4. What the text requires. From the Biblical description, we only know that the cherubim had outstretched wings (likely two apiece); stood on their feet (we aren’t told how many); likely had visible faces, or at least “faced” the Holy Place; and were identical in design, dimensions and materials (olive wood overlaid with gold).
5. My assumption: lion, man and eagle. My assumption is that this is a hybrid of three creatures: a lion, a man (probably a young man), and an eagle. The eagle is taken from the wings. The man and the lion I take from another source that might be calling back to Solomon’s Temple: the Temple of Ezekiel’s prophecy, where each carved cherub had “the face of a human being toward the palm tree on one side and the face of a lion toward the palm tree on the other” (Ezekiel 41:18–19). It is possible that my assumptions are not correct; other models have more faces and follow Ezekiel’s early visions more closely.

“Again, much of this is my own assumption and should not be taken as absolute! Perhaps with further study and research better alternatives will present themselves.”

These notes build on my study of the Ark of the Covenant and its cherubim. See also the Four Living Creatures of Revelation 4.