1 Kings 6:26 — Word Study
WLCקוֹמַת֙ הַכְּר֣וּב הָֽאֶחָ֔ד עֶ֖שֶׂר בָּֽאַמָּ֑ה וְכֵ֖ן הַכְּר֥וּב הַשֵּׁנִֽי׃
BSAand the heightqôwmâh [stature, vertical measurement] of eachʼechâd cherubkᵉrûwb [a heavenly guardian, an angelic being] [was] tenʻeser [a decade, a multiple of ten] cubitsʼammâh [a unit of measurement, about the length of a forearm]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| קוֹמַת֙ | [the] height of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| הַכְּר֣וּב | the cherub | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| הָֽאֶחָ֔ד | one | Particle, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| עֶ֖שֶׂר | [was] ten | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| בָּֽאַמָּ֑ה | by the cubit | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| וְכֵ֖ן | and thus | Conjunction, adverb |
| הַכְּר֥וּב | the cherub | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| הַשֵּׁנִֽי׃ | second | Particle |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | and the height of each cherub was ten cubits. |
| KJV | The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub. |
| ASV | The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub. |
| YLT | the height of the one cherub [is] ten by the cubit, and so [is] the second cherub; |
| WEB | One cherub was ten cubits high, and so was the other cherub. |
| BBE | The two of them were ten cubits high. |
Where they part company is עֶשֶׂר — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is straightforward, focusing on the measurement of the cherubim.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, AdamClarke & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — 1 Kings 6:26
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Construction of the Templegenerated
1 Kings 6:26 describes the dimensions of the cherubim placed in the temple's innermost room. This detail emphasizes the grandeur and significance of the temple as a dwelling place for God. The cherubim, as heavenly guardians, play a crucial role in the temple's symbolism and function.
Cross References
The Key Word — קוֹמַת, ko.Matgenerated
The word קוֹמָה (qowmah) refers specifically to height or stature, indicating how tall something is. It is derived from the root קוּם (qum), which relates to standing or rising. In this verse, it describes the vertical measurement of the cherubim, highlighting their impressive size.
The parsing as a feminine singular construct indicates that it is used to describe a specific quality of the cherubim — their height. This word is often used in contexts that denote physical dimensions, as seen in other biblical passages.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses height for קוֹמַת.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb is implied in the structure, with the main clause stating the height of the cherubim. The sentence is straightforward, focusing on the subject and its measurement. The Hebrew structure emphasizes the height as a significant attribute of the cherubim.
The noun phrase קוֹמַת serves as the subject, while the numeral phrase עֶשֶׂר specifies the measurement. This structure highlights the importance of the cherubim's dimensions in the context of the temple.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates קוֹמַת as ὕψος (hypos), meaning 'height.' This choice reflects a direct correspondence to the Hebrew term, emphasizing the physical stature of the cherubim.
The use of ὕψος suggests a focus on the measurement aspect, consistent with the Hebrew intent to convey the significance of the cherubim's height.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Kings 6:26 states that the height of each cherub was ten cubits. This detail highlights the impressive stature of these angelic beings placed in the temple.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The cherubim serve as heavenly guardians, symbolizing God's presence and protection in the temple.
The height emphasizes their grandeur and the importance of the temple's design.
A cubit is a unit of measurement, approximately the length of a forearm, used in biblical texts to describe dimensions.
Cherubim are often depicted as angelic beings guarding sacred spaces, such as the Garden of Eden and the Ark of the Covenant.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What do the dimensions of the cherubim tell us about the significance of the temple?
- How does understanding the height of the cherubim enhance our view of God's presence?
- In what ways can we see the role of guardianship in our lives today?
- How do measurements in the Bible contribute to our understanding of sacred spaces?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Kings 6:26 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe height of the one cherub [was] ten cubits, and so [was it] of the other cherub. Which is repeated from 1 Kings 6:23; that it might be observed, being of an extraordinary size.
Read John Gill on 1 Kings 6 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Kings 6 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments1 Kings 6:26 The height of the one cherub [was] ten cubits, and so [was it] of the other cherub.Ver. 26. The height of the one cherub was ten cubits.] They were of a giant like stature. See 1 Kings 6:23.
Read John Trapp on 1 Kings 6 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 26. The height of the one cherub was ten cubits] Concerning the cherubs, their form, &c., See Clarke on Exodus 25:18. The height of each cherub was about eighteen feet and three inches.
Read AdamClarke on 1 Kings 6 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
and the height of each cherub was ten cubits.
One cherub was ten cubits high, and so was the other cherub.
and the height of each cherub was ten cubits.
Each cherub stood 15 feet high.
Tyndale line
The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub.
The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub.
The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub.
The hight of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub.
For the height of the one Cherub was ten cubits, and so was the other Cherub.
Strictly literal
The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so of the other cherub.
the height of the one cherub [is] ten by the cubit, and so [is] the second cherub;
the height of the first cherub [is] ten by the cubit, and so [is] the second cherub;
The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so that of the other cherub.
The height of one cherub was ten cubits and the other cherub was the same.
From the Latin
That is to say, one cherub was ten cubits high, and in like manner the other cherub.
Simplified
Both cherubs were ten cubits tall.
The two of them were ten cubits high.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with all eight words matched. This indicates a consistent understanding of the height and identity of the cherubim across these texts.
קוֹמַת֙ הַכְּר֣וּב הָֽאֶחָ֔ד עֶ֖שֶׂר בָּֽאַמָּ֑ה וְכֵ֖ן הַכְּר֥וּב הַשֵּׁנִֽי׃
8 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in 1 Kings 6:26
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
קוֹמָה (qowmah) means 'height' and refers to stature or tallness. It is derived from the root word קוּם (qum), which relates to standing or rising. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning related to physical height.
קוֹמָה, קֹמָה 45 n.f. height
base
H6967 קוֹמָה, קֹמָה height
6967 qowmah ko-maw'
from 6965; height:--X along, height, high, stature, tall.
see HEBREW for 06965
קוֹמָה (qo.mah) — height.
1) height
1a) height, stature
1b) height
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular constructHNcfsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
כְּרוּב (kerub) refers to a cherub, an angelic being associated with guarding the Garden of Eden, flanking God's throne, and appearing as an image over the Ark of the Covenant. The term is of uncertain derivation and is used in both singular and plural forms (cherubim). Various texts, including Ezekiel, describe their roles and appearances.
כְּרוּב 91 n.m. cherub
the living chariot of the theophanic God
as guards of the garden of Eden
as the throne of Yahweh Sabaoth
P gives an account
K and Ch describe the cherubim of the temple
Ezekiel describes the cherubim
base
H3742 כְּרוּב cherub
3742 kruwb ker-oob'
of uncertain derivation; a cherub or imaginary
figure:--cherub, (plural) cherubims.
כְּרוּב (ke.ruv) — cherub.
1) cherub, cherubim (pl)
1a) an angelic being
1a1) as guardians of Eden
1a2) as flanking God's throne
1a3) as an image form hovering over the Ark of the Covenant
1a4) as the chariot of Jehovah (fig.)
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ncmsa
ke'-rub (kerubh, Cheroub, Charoub): A place in Babylonia from which people whose genealogies had fallen into confusion went up at the return from exile (Ezr 2:59; Ne 7:61); unidentified. In 1 Esdras 5:36 we read "Charaathalan leading them, and Allar," a phrase that seems to have arisen through confusion of the names in the passages cited above.
Cherub
Plural cherubim, the name of certain symbolical figures frequently mentioned in Scripture. They are first mentioned in connection with the expulsion of our first parents from Eden (Gen. 3:24). There is no intimation given of their shape or form. They are next mentioned when Moses was commanded to provide furniture for the tabernacle (Ex. 25:17-20; 26:1, 31). God promised to commune with Moses “from between the cherubim” (25:22). This expression was afterwards used to denote the Divine abode and presence (Num. 7:89; 1 Sam. 4:4; Isa. 37:16; Ps. 80:1; 99:1). In…
apparently a place in Babylonia from which some persons of doubtful extraction returned to Judea with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:59; Nehemiah 7:61)
Plural CHERUBIM, an order of celestial beings or symbolical representations often referred to in the Old Testament and in the book of Revelation. The cherubim are variously represented as living creatures, Eze 1:1-28 Re 4:1-11; or as images wrought in tapestry, gold, or wood, Ex 36:35 37:7 Eze 41:25; as having one, two, or four faces, Ex 25:20 Eze 10:14 41:18; as having two, four, or six wings, 1Ki 6:27 Eze 1:6 Re…
אֶחָד (echad) means 'one' and is derived from a numeral. It encompasses meanings such as each, every, a certain, and can serve as an indefinite article. It is also used as an ordinal to denote 'first' and appears in various combinations, including eleven. The entries consistently emphasize its numerical and qualitative aspects.
אֶחָד 972 adj.num. one
one
= each, every
= a certain
= indef. art.
only, & (fem.) once
one … another, one … the other
as ordinal first
in combin.
base
H259 אֶחָד one . one
. = each, every
. = a certain
. = indef. art.
. only, & (fem.) once
. one … another, one … the other
. as ordinal first
. in combin.
259 'echad ekh-awd'
a numeral from 258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an
ordinal) first:--a, alike, alone, altogether, and,
any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-)ly, each (one), +
eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only,
other, some, together,
see HEBREW for 0258
אֶחָד (e.chad) — one.
1) one (number)
1a) one (number)
1b) each, every
1c) a certain
1d) an (indefinite article)
1e) only, once, once for all
1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one
1g) first
1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)
Art | Adj — Particle · noun common feminine singular absoluteHTd/Ncfsa
wun.
See NUMBER.
עֶשֶׂר (eser) means 'ten' in Hebrew. It is a masculine noun derived from the root related to counting, specifically indicating the number ten and its use in combination with other numbers. The Aramaic equivalent is עֲשַׂר (asar), also meaning 'ten.'
עֶשֶׂר, עֲשָׂרָה 176 n.m. and f. ten
base
H6235 עֶשֶׂר, עֲשָׂרָה ten
6235 `eser eh'ser
masculine of term aasarah {as-aw-raw'}; from 6237; ten (as an
accumulation to the extent of the digits):--ten, (fif-,
seven-)teen.
see HEBREW for 06237
עֶשֶׂר (e.ser) — ten.
1) ten
1a) ten
1b) with other numbers
Aramaic equivalent: a.sar (עֲשַׂר "ten" H6236)
Adj — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
אַמָּה (ammah) primarily means 'cubit,' a unit of measure roughly equivalent to 18 inches or 0.5 meters, derived from the word for 'mother' or 'forearm.' It can also refer to a foundation or base, as noted in Isaiah 6:4. The lexicons mention different types of cubits used in the Old Testament, including the common cubit and the legal cubit.
אַמָּה 246 n.f. ell, cubit
cubit
† measure, full measure, limit
base
[אַמָּה] n.f. (etym. & mng. dub.; Thes foundation) only Is 6:4.
ref
H520a אַמָּה ell, cubit H520b אַמָּה
520 'ammah am-maw'
prolonged from 517; properly, a mother (i.e. unit of measure,
or the fore-arm (below the elbow), i.e. a cubit; also a
door-base (as a bond of the entrance):--cubit, + hundred (by
exchange for 3967), measure, post.
see HEBREW for 0517
see HEBREW for 03967
אַמָּה (am.mah) — cubit.
cubit-a measure of distance (the forearm), roughly 18 in (. 5m). There are several cubits used in the OT, the cubit of a man or common cubit (De 3:11), the legal cubit or cubit of the sanctuary (Eze 40:5) plus others. See a Bible Dictionary for a complete treatment.
Aramaic equivalent: am.mah (אַמָּה "cubit" H0521)
אַמָּה (am.mah) — foundation.
foundation
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHRd/Ncfsa
ku'-bit ('ammah; pechus): The standard for measures of length among the Hebrews. They derived it from the Babylonians, but a similar measure was used in Egypt with which they must have been familiar. The length of the cubit is variously estimated, since there seems to have been a double standard in both countries, and because we have no undisputed example of the cubit remaining to the present time. The original cubit was the length of the forearm, from the elbow to the end of the middle finger, as is implied from the derivation of the word in Hebrew and in Latin (cubitum). It seems to be referred to also in De 3:11: "after the cubit of a man." But this was too indefinite for a scientific standard, and the Babylonians early adopted a more accurate method of measurement which passed to the nations of the West. They had a double…
Cubit
Heb. ‘ammah; i.e., “mother of the arm,” the fore-arm, is a word derived from the Latin cubitus, the lower arm. It is difficult to determine the exact length of this measure, from the uncertainty whether it included the entire length from the elbow to the tip of the longest finger, or only from the elbow to the root of the hand at the wrist. The probability is that the longer was the original cubit. The common computation as to the length of the cubit makes it 20.24 inches for the ordinary cubit, and 21.888 inches for the sacred one. This is the same as the Egyptian measurements.
A rod or staff the measure of a cubit is called in Judg. 3:16 gomed, which literally means a “cut,” something “cut off.” The LXX. and Vulgate render it “span.”
[WEIGHTS AND MEASURES AND MEASURES]
A measure used among the ancients. A cubit was originally the distance from the elbow to the extremity of the middle finger, which is the fourth part of a well-proportioned man’s stature. The Hebrew cubit, according to some, is twenty-one inches; but others fix it at eighteen. The Talmudists observe that the Hebrew cubit was larger by one quarter than the Roman.
The Hebrew word כֵּן (*ken*) is built from the root meaning 'set upright.' It functions as an adjective meaning 'right,' 'veritable,' or 'honest,' and as an adverb meaning 'so,' 'therefore,' or 'thus.' It appears in various contexts, often indicating manner or relation, and is used in phrases like 'forasmuch as.'
כֵּן adj. right, veritable, honest
right
veritable, true
pl. concr. honest (men)
base
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
כֵּן adv. so
base
H3651a כֵּן adj. right, veritable, honest H3651b כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as H3651c כֵּן so
3651 ken kane
from 3559; properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as
adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction)
rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and
relation; often with other particles):--+ after that
(this, -ward, -wards), as ... as, + (for-)asmuch as yet, + be
(for which) cause, + following, howbeit, in (the) like
(manner, -wise), X the more, right, (even) so, state,
straightway, such (thing), surely, + there (where)-fore, this,
thus, true, well, X you.
see HEBREW for 03559
כֵּן (ken) — right.
adv
adj
1) right, just, honest, true, veritable
1a) right, just, honest
1b) correct
1c) true, veritable
[כִּי עַל] כֵּן ([ki al] ken) — as.
adv
forasmuch as, since
כֵּן (ken) — so.
adv
1) so, therefore, thus
1a) thus, so
1b) just so
1c) therefore
1d) so...as (paired with adv)
1e) then
1f) forasmuch as (in phrase)
1g) (with prep)
1g1) therefore, this being so (specific)
1g2) hitherto
1g3) therefore, on this ground (general)
1g4) afterwards
1g5) in such case
Aramaic equivalent: ken (כֵּן "thus" H3652)
HC/D — Conjunction · adverbHC/D
כְּרוּב (kerub) refers to a cherub, an angelic being associated with guarding the Garden of Eden, flanking God's throne, and appearing as an image over the Ark of the Covenant. The term is of uncertain derivation and is used in both singular and plural forms (cherubim). Various texts, including Ezekiel, describe their roles and appearances.
כְּרוּב 91 n.m. cherub
the living chariot of the theophanic God
as guards of the garden of Eden
as the throne of Yahweh Sabaoth
P gives an account
K and Ch describe the cherubim of the temple
Ezekiel describes the cherubim
base
H3742 כְּרוּב cherub
3742 kruwb ker-oob'
of uncertain derivation; a cherub or imaginary
figure:--cherub, (plural) cherubims.
כְּרוּב (ke.ruv) — cherub.
1) cherub, cherubim (pl)
1a) an angelic being
1a1) as guardians of Eden
1a2) as flanking God's throne
1a3) as an image form hovering over the Ark of the Covenant
1a4) as the chariot of Jehovah (fig.)
HTd/Ncmsa — Particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ncmsa
ke'-rub (kerubh, Cheroub, Charoub): A place in Babylonia from which people whose genealogies had fallen into confusion went up at the return from exile (Ezr 2:59; Ne 7:61); unidentified. In 1 Esdras 5:36 we read "Charaathalan leading them, and Allar," a phrase that seems to have arisen through confusion of the names in the passages cited above.
Cherub
Plural cherubim, the name of certain symbolical figures frequently mentioned in Scripture. They are first mentioned in connection with the expulsion of our first parents from Eden (Gen. 3:24). There is no intimation given of their shape or form. They are next mentioned when Moses was commanded to provide furniture for the tabernacle (Ex. 25:17-20; 26:1, 31). God promised to commune with Moses “from between the cherubim” (25:22). This expression was afterwards used to denote the Divine abode and presence (Num. 7:89; 1 Sam. 4:4; Isa. 37:16; Ps. 80:1; 99:1). In…
apparently a place in Babylonia from which some persons of doubtful extraction returned to Judea with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:59; Nehemiah 7:61)
Plural CHERUBIM, an order of celestial beings or symbolical representations often referred to in the Old Testament and in the book of Revelation. The cherubim are variously represented as living creatures, Eze 1:1-28 Re 4:1-11; or as images wrought in tapestry, gold, or wood, Ex 36:35 37:7 Eze 41:25; as having one, two, or four faces, Ex 25:20 Eze 10:14 41:18; as having two, four, or six wings, 1Ki 6:27 Eze 1:6 Re…
שֵׁנִי (sheniy) means 'second' and can also imply 'again' or 'another.' It is an ordinal number used to denote position or sequence, as well as to indicate repetition. The word is derived from a root meaning 'double' and appears in various contexts in the Old Testament.
שֵׁנִי m. שֵׁנִית f. 157 adj.num.ord. second
base
H8145 שֵׁנִי m. שֵׁנִית f. adj. num. ord. second
8145 sheniy shay-nee'
from 8138; properly, double, i.e. second; also adverbially,
again:--again, either (of them), (an-)other, second (time).
see HEBREW for 08138
שֵׁנִי (she.ni) — second.
1) second
1a) second (the ordinal number)
1b) again (a second time)
1c) another, other (something as distinct from something else)
HTd/Aomsa — ParticleHTd/Aomsa