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And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high.
1 Kings 6:23 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high.
  • BSB In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim, each ten cubits high, out of olive wood.
  • 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 37:7–9And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat;
  • Gen 3:24So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
  • Isa 37:16O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.
  • Ps 18:10And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
  • Exod 25:18–22And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
  • 1 Pet 1:12Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
  • Heb 1:14Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
  • 2 Chr 3:10–13And in the most holy house he made two cherubims of image work, and overlaid them with gold.
  • Ezek 10:2–22And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.
  • Ps 80:1Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, 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.