Home › Glossary › Letter C

Cherubim

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Plural of cherub; angelic orders depicted with wings, associated with God’s chariot and temple.

Detailed Definition
Cherubim feature in Ezekiel’s visions and temple architecture as bearers of divine glory. In poetry, they represent the majesty of heaven, the guardianship of the sacred, and the ineffable beauty of celestial hierarchy, inspiring awe and reverence.
Example
Example in poetry:
Cherubim—plural of cherub—inspire cosmic poetry: “Cherubim chant ‘Holy’ in a language older than stars”; A poem on worship: “Before cherubim, all human song is echo”; In a vision poem: “I saw cherubim—four faces, four wings, one purpose: adore”; Liturgical verse: “Blessed cherubim, who never sleep, never cease, never falter in praise.”
Additional Notes
Cherubim (plural) are central to Israelite iconography: flanking the Ark, carved in Solomon’s Temple, and forming God’s mobile throne-chariot (merkabah). Their composite forms (lion, ox, eagle, human) symbolize cosmic order. Poets may draw on cherubim to explore divine mobility, the architecture of heaven, or the paradox of representing the unrepresentable.
Also Known As
Cherubs
Skip to main content