Commentary— Tyndale Open Study Notes (plain English)
3:10-13 The figures shaped like cherubim were made of costly wild olive wood and were covered with gold. Similar carvings have been found in Mesopotamia, Syria, and Canaan; such figures were a distinguishing feature of ancient thrones. Cherubim were composite creatures signifying the union of royalty (lion) with the highest powers of strength (bull), speed (eagle), and sagacity (human). Ancient temples found in Phoenicia show the throne of the deity supported by two animals. The sides of ancient Canaanite thrones were commonly shaped as cherubs. The cherubs of Solomon’s Temple were distinct because they were not designed to serve as a human throne. They were attached to the Ark, which was the footstool to God’s throne, with the wings touching in the middle and extending to the walls of the throne room. There was no actual seat to the throne, since none was necessary.
Commentary— Tyndale Open Study Notes (plain English)
3:10-13 The figures shaped like cherubim were made of costly wild olive wood and were covered with gold. Similar carvings have been found in Mesopotamia, Syria, and Canaan; such figures were a distinguishing feature of ancient thrones. Cherubim were composite creatures signifying the union of royalty (lion) with the highest powers of strength (bull), speed (eagle), and sagacity (human). Ancient temples found in Phoenicia show the throne of the deity supported by two animals. The sides of ancient Canaanite thrones were commonly shaped as cherubs. The cherubs of Solomon’s Temple were distinct because they were not designed to serve as a human throne. They were attached to the Ark, which was the footstool to God’s throne, with the wings touching in the middle and extending to the walls of the throne room. There was no actual seat to the throne, since none was necessary.
Literal English (Darby)ⓘThe Darby Bible (1890) — a deliberately literal, word-for-word translation used here as the Old Testament comparison text.The Darby Bible (1890) — a deliberately literal, word-for-word translation used here as the Old Testament comparison text.
And the wings of the cherubim were twenty cubits long: one wing of five cubits touched the wall of the house; and the other wing of five cubits touched the wing of the other cherub.
Hebrew (Masoretic Text)ⓘThe Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew manuscript tradition behind most Old Testaments, standardized by Jewish scribes (the Masoretes) between roughly the 7th and 10th centuries AD.The Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew manuscript tradition behind most Old Testaments, standardized by Jewish scribes (the Masoretes) between roughly the 7th and 10th centuries AD.
King James Version (1611) — the classic formal, word-for-word English translation. Historic and widely memorized, but uses Early Modern English vocabulary.
King James Version (1611) — the classic formal, word-for-word English translation. Historic and widely memorized, but uses Early Modern English vocabulary.
¶ And the wings of the cherubims were twenty cubits long: one wing of the one cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing was likewise five cubits, reaching to the wing of the other cherub.
American Standard VersionⓘAmerican Standard Version (1901) — a more literal, precision-focused revision in the King James tradition.American Standard Version (1901) — a more literal, precision-focused revision in the King James tradition.
And the wings of the cherubim were twenty cubits long: the wing of the one cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house; and the other wing was likewise five cubits, reaching to the wing of the other cherub.
World English BibleⓘWorld English Bible — a modern, public-domain update to the KJV/ASV formal style, without archaic language.World English Bible — a modern, public-domain update to the KJV/ASV formal style, without archaic language.
The wings of the cherubim were twenty cubits long: the wing of the one was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house; and the other wing was five cubits, reaching to the wing of the other cherub.
Bible in Basic EnglishⓘBible in Basic English (1949) — deliberately written using a limited vocabulary of about 1,000 words.Bible in Basic English (1949) — deliberately written using a limited vocabulary of about 1,000 words.
Their outstretched wings were twenty cubits across; one wing, five cubits long, touching the wall of the house, and the other, of the same size, meeting the wing of the other winged one.