Exodus 25:20

“The cherubim shall spread out their wings upward, overshadowing with their wings the cover of expiation, and their faces shall be one toward the other; toward the cover of expiation the faces of the cherubim shall be turned.”

Exodus 25:20 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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20

Exodus 25:20, word by word

The cherubimכְּרֻבִיםkeruvim

cherub

Cherub(im): heavenly beings who in the Bible appear near God's presence and guarding what is holy, such as the way to the tree of life and the place above the ark of the covenant. They are not the "little angels" of paintings.

Where else “keruvim” appears
shallהָיוּhayu

exist

To exist: "let there be light".

Where else “hayu” appears
spread outפֹּרְשֵׂיporse

spread out

To open out hands, wings or cloth.

Where else “porse” appears
their wingsכְנָפַיִםchenafayim

wing

A bird's wing; shelter under God's wings.

Where else “chenafayim” appears
upwardמַעְלָmala

above

Upward, above; with ages, "twenty years old or more".

Where else “mala” appears
overshadowingסֹכְכִיםsochchim

cover

To shelter, as God his own.

Where else “sochchim” appears
the cover of expiationכַּפֹּרֶתkaporet

cover of expiation

The gold lid of the ark, with the two cherubim. Its name comes from the verb "make expiation" (cover sin), because there the blood was sprinkled on the day of expiation (Leviticus 16:14-15).

Where else “kaporet” appears
and their facesפְנֵיfene

before

Literally "to the face of": in sight of someone, or on account of something.

Where else “fene” appears
shall be oneאִישׁish

each

Literally "a man": any person; with "not", not a single person.

Where else “ish” appears
the otherאָחִיachi

one another

Together with "one", it is used to say "one another".

Where else “achi” appears

The context

19Make one cherub at the end on this side and one cherub at the end on that side; of one piece with the cover of expiation you shall make the cherubim on its two ends.

20 · This verse (above)

21You shall put the cover of expiation on top of the ark, and into the ark you shall put the testimony that I will give you.

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