Hebrews 9:5

Hebrews 9:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.
• New King James Version (NKJV)and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Above the Ark were the cherubim of divine glory, whose wings stretched out over the Ark’s cover, the place of atonement. But we cannot explain these things in detail now.

Context of Hebrews 9:5

3Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. 6When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.

Hebrews 9:5 word by word

ὑπεράνω δὲ αὐτῆς Χερουβὶν δόξης κατασκιάζοντα τὸ ἱλαστήριον, περὶ ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν νῦν λέγειν κατὰ μέρος.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• overὑπεράνωhuperanō · aboveG5231
• itαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• the cherubimsχερουβίμcheroubim · CherubG5502
• of gloryδόξαdoxa · gloryG1391
• shadowingκατασκιάζωkataskiazō · to overshadowG2683
• the mercyseatὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the mercyseatἱλαστήριοςhilastērion · propitiationG2435
• ofπερίperi · aboutG4012
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• we cannotοὐou · noG3756
• we cannotεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
• speakλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• ·κατάkata · according toG2596
• particularlyμέροςmeros · partG3313

Cross-references for Hebrews 9:5

• Exodus 25:17“Make an atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.
• Exodus 37:6He made the atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.
• Leviticus 16:2The Lord said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.
• Numbers 7:89When 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 atonement cover on the ark of the covenant law. In this way the Lord spoke to him.
• 1 Samuel 4:4So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
• 1 Kings 8:6The priests then brought the ark of the Lord’s covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim.
• 2 Kings 19:15And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: “Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.
• Psalms 80:1Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth
• Psalms 99:1The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake.
• Ephesians 3:10His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
• 1 Peter 1:12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
• Hebrews 4:16Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
• 1 Chronicles 28:11Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, its storerooms, its upper parts, its inner rooms and the place of atonement.

Commentaries on Hebrews 9:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5And over it the cherubims of glory - Cherubim is the plural of cherub, and it is absurd to add our plural termination (s) to the plural termination of the Hebrew. The glory here signifies the shechinah or symbol of the Divine presence. Shadowing the mercy-seat - One at each end of the ark, with their faces turned toward each other, but looking down on the cover or propitiatory, ̔, here called the mercy-seat. Of which we cannot now speak particularly - The…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5And over it - That is, over the ark. The cherubim of glory - A Hebrew mode of expression, meaning “the glorious cherubim.” The word “cherubim” is the Hebrew form of the plural, of which cherub is the singular. The word “glory” used here in connection with “cherubim,” refers to the splendor, or magnificence of the image, as being carved with great skill, and covered with gold. There were two cherubim on the ark, placed on the lid in such a manner that…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5The cherubim of divine glory were angel statues on the cover of the ark. These angels are closely linked to God's glorious presence (Genesis 3:24; Psalms 80:1; 99:1; Isaiah 37:16). The ark's cover was the atonement place, where they sprinkled blood from the Day of Atonement sacrifice (Leviticus 16:14–16). we cannot discuss these things in detail now: The main topic is the offering of sacrifices under the old covenant (Hebrews 9:6–10).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. over it--over "the ark of the covenant." cherubim--representing the ruling powers by which God acts in the moral and natural world. (See on Eze 1:6; Eze 10:1). Hence sometimes they answer to the ministering angels; but mostly to the elect redeemed, by whom God shall hereafter rule the world and set forth His manifold wisdom: redeemed humanity, combining in, and with itself, the highest forms of subordinate creaturely life; not angels. They stand on the…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 9:5

• Cherubim
• Mercy-Seat
• Offerings
• Propitiation
• Shekinah
• Symbols and Similitudes
• Tabernacle
• Types
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Altar
• Bear
• Cherub
• High priest
• Mercyseat
• Ordinance
• Propitiation
• Remission
• Sanctuary
• Stand

Commentaries on Hebrews 9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings