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In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim, each ten cubits high, out of olive wood.
1 Kings 6:23 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high.
  • KJV And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high.
  • NKJV Inside the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high.
  • NASB And in the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high.
  • NLT He made two cherubim of wild olive wood, each 15 feet tall, and placed them in the inner sanctuary.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

In the inner sanctuary Solomon made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits tall. These great figures guarded the holy place.

Overview

The towering cherubim, distinct from the smaller ones on the ark, filled the Most Holy Place with their presence. Cherubim symbolize God's holy attendants and guardians of His presence, as at Eden's gate (Genesis 3:24). Their imposing form magnified the holiness and majesty of the God enthroned there.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 10

  • Exod 37:7–9He made two cherubim of hammered gold at the ends of the mercy seat,
  • Gen 3:24So 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.
  • Isa 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.
  • Ps 18:10He mounted a cherub and flew; He soared on the wings of the wind.
  • Exod 25:18–22Make two cherubim of hammered gold at the ends of the mercy seat,
  • 1 Pet 1:12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, when they foretold the things now announced by those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
  • Heb 1:14Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
  • 2 Chr 3:10–13In the Most Holy Place he made two cherubim of sculptured work, and he overlaid them with gold.
  • Ezek 10:2–22And 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.
  • Ps 80:1For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm of Asaph. Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock; You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 1 Kings videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 1 Kings 6:23YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 1 KingsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.

How 1 Kings 6:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.