Cherub

A cherub (/ˈtʃɛrəb/;[1] plural cherubim; Hebrew: ‫ְּכרּוב‬ kərūḇ, pl. ‫ְּכרּובִים‬ kərūḇīm, likely borrowed from a derived

form of Akkadian: ⅗⊏⁍ karabu "to bless" such as ⅗⊑⁍ karibu, "one who blesses",[2] a name for the lamassu)
is one of the unearthly beings who directly attend to God, according to Abrahamic religions. The numerous
depictions of cherubim assign to them many different roles, such as protecting the entrance of the Garden of
Eden.
Abrahamic religious traditions[edit]
In Jewish angelic hierarchy, cherubim have the ninth (second-lowest) rank in Maimonides' Mishneh
Torah (12th century), and the third rank in Kabbalistic works such as Berit Menuchah (14th century). De
Coelesti Hierarchia places them in the highest rank alongside Seraphim and Thrones.[4]
In the Book of Ezekiel and (at least some) Christian icons, the cherub is depicted as having two pairs of wings,
and four faces: that of a lion (representative of all wild animals), an ox (domestic animals),
a human (humanity), and an eagle (birds).[5](pp 2–4)[6] Their legs were straight, the soles of their feet like the hooves
of a bull, gleaming like polished brass. Later tradition ascribes to them a variety of physical appearances.[5](pp 2–
4)
 Some early midrashic literature conceives of them as non-corporeal. In Western Christian tradition, cherubim
have become associated with the putto (derived from classical Cupid / Eros figure), resulting in depictions of
cherubim as small, plump, winged boys.[5](p 1)
In Islam, al-Karubiyyin refers to the archangels.[7] The term muqarraboon is sometimes considered to be a class
of angels, and an alternative name for the cherubim, including the archangels and the Bearers of the Throne.
[8]
 Below the angels of the throne, the angels subordinative to Michael are also identified as cherubim.
In Ismailism, there are Seven Archangels referred to as cherubim.[9]
Cherubim are also mentioned in the Second Treatise of the Great Seth, a 3rd century Gnostic writing.[10]
Etymology[edit]
Aside from Ezekiel's vision, no detailed attestations of cherubim survive, and Ezekiel's description of
the tetramorph being may not be the same as the cherubim of the historic Israelites.[11] All that can be gleaned
about the cherubim of the Israelites come from potential equivalences in the cultures which surrounded them.
Delitzch (Assyrisches Handwörterbuch) connects the name keruv with Assyrian kirubu (a name of the shedu)
and karabu ("great, mighty"). Karppe (1897) glosses Babylonian karâbu as "propitious" rather than "mighty".[3]
[12]
 Dhorme (1926) connected the Hebrew name to Assyrian kāribu (diminutive kurību), a term used to refer to
intercessory beings (and statues of such beings) that plead with the gods on behalf of humanity.[5](pp 3–4) The folk
etymological connection to a Hebrew word for "youthful" is due to Abbahu (3rd century).[5](p 1)

Functions[edit]

Depiction of the "cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy seat" (Χερουβὶμ δόξης κατασκιάζοντα τὸ ἱλαστήριον)
of Hebrews 9:5 (Julius Bate, 1773)
The Israelite cherubim are described as fulfilling a variety of functions – most often, they are described as
bolstering the throne of Yahweh. Ezekiel's vision of the cherubim also emulate this, as the conjoined wingspan
of the four cherubim are described as forming the boundary of the divine chariot. Likewise, on the "mercy
seat" of the Ark of the Covenant, two cherubim are described as bounding the ark and forming a space through
which Yahweh would appear – however, aside from the instruction that they be beaten out of the sides of the
ark, there are no details about these cherubim specified the text. The status of the cherubim as constituting a
sort-of vehicle for Yahweh is present in Ezekiel's visions, the Books of Samuel,[13] the parallel passages in the
later Books of Chronicles,[14] and passages in the early[3] Psalms: for example, "and he rode upon a cherub and
did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind."[15][16]
The traditional Hebrew conception of cherubim as guardians of the Garden of Eden is backed by the Semitic
belief of beings of superhuman power and devoid of human feelings, whose duty it was to represent the gods,
and as guardians of their sanctuaries to repel intruders; these conceptions in turn are similar to an account
found on Tablet 9 of the inscriptions found at Nimrud.[3]