1 Kings 6:28 — Word Study
WLCוַיְצַ֥ף אֶת־ הַכְּרוּבִ֖ים זָהָֽב׃
BSAHe also overlaidtsâphâh▸ [covered with a gold coating, plated over] the cherubimkᵉrûwb [angelic beings, winged ones] with goldzâhâb [a valuable metal]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיְצַ֥ף | and he overlaid | Verb, Piel, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| הַכְּרוּבִ֖ים | the cherubim | Particle, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| זָהָֽב׃ | gold | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He also overlaid the cherubim with gold. |
| KJV | And he overlaid the cherubims with gold. |
| ASV | And he overlaid the cherubim with gold. |
| YLT | and he overlayeth the cherubs with gold, |
| WEB | He overlaid the cherubim with gold. |
| BBE | These winged ones were plated over with gold. |
All translations agree on the key terms in this verse.
The sentence has a main clause with two phrases that provide details about the action.
3 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbצָפָה
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 6:28
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 6:28 describes how King Solomon adorned the temple with various materials, emphasizing the grandeur and holiness of the space dedicated to God. The cherubim, significant symbols of divine presence, were placed in the innermost room, highlighting their importance in the temple's design. This verse follows the description of their placement and leads into further details about the temple's decoration.
Cross References
The Key Word — צָפָה, vay.Tzafgenerated
The verb צָפָה (tsaphah) means to overlay or cover, particularly with metal. It indicates the action of applying a layer over another material, which in this context is gold. The Piel form suggests a deliberate and intensive action.
In this verse, the focus is on the act of covering the cherubim, which signifies not just a physical enhancement but also a spiritual one, as gold represents purity and value in biblical texts.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In the Berean Standard Bible, the term used is overlaid, which is consistent across translations like the KJV and ASV.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb יְצַ֥ף governs the entire clause, indicating the action performed. The structure is straightforward, with the verb followed by the object הַכְּרוּבִ֖ים and the material זָהָֽב.
This simple structure emphasizes the action of overlaying, making it clear that the focus is on the cherubim being adorned with gold.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates צָפָה as περιέσξεν (G4023), which means to cover or overlay. This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, indicating a direct correspondence in the act of covering.
This translation choice reflects a consistent understanding of the act of overlaying, maintaining the significance of the gold covering in both texts.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Kings 6:28 tells us that Solomon overlaid the cherubim with gold, highlighting the beauty and significance of these angelic beings in the temple. This action shows the care taken in the temple's construction and the importance of gold as a symbol of value.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Overlaying the cherubim with gold signifies their importance and the sanctity of the space they inhabit, as gold represents purity and divine presence.
Cherubim were placed in the temple to symbolize God's presence and to guard the sacred space, reflecting their role in biblical narratives.
The temple was constructed using various precious materials, including gold, which was used to adorn significant elements like the cherubim.
This verse connects to the theme of the temple as a place of divine encounter, emphasizing the beauty and holiness of the space dedicated to God.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does the use of gold in the temple tell us about the value of worship?
- How can we reflect the beauty of God's presence in our own lives?
- In what ways do we see symbols of God's presence in our surroundings?
- How can we honor the sacred spaces in our lives, similar to how Solomon honored the temple?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators, such as Bede, reflect on the significance of the cherubim in the temple, suggesting they represent deeper theological truths.
The two cherubim can also stand for the two Testaments. These cherubim, no doubt, were made in the oracle because in the design of God’s providence, which is, of course, inaccessible and incomprehensible to us,Early Church Fathers on 1 Kings 6 →
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Kings 6:28 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd he overlaid the cherubim with gold. Which may denote the purity and excellency of angels; or the precious gifts and graces of the Spirit, with which the witnesses of Christ are adorned.
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 6:28 And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.Ver. 28. And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.] Which could hardly be done without knocking and fastening it on with nails; unless we shall say that the gold was fastened on them with screw nails.
Read John Trapp 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
He also overlaid the cherubim with gold.
He overlaid the cherubim with gold.
He also overlaid the cherubim with gold.
He plated the cherubs with gold.
Tyndale line
And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.
And he overlaid the cherubim with gold.
And he overlaid the cherubim with gold.
And he overlaid the cherubim with gold.
And he ouerlaied the Cherubims with golde.
Strictly literal
And he overlaid the cherubim with gold.
and he overlayeth the cherubs with gold,
and he overlays the cherubim with gold,
And he overlaid the cherubim with gold.
Solomon overlaid the cherubim with gold.
From the Latin
And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.
Simplified
The cherubim were also covered with a gold coating.
These winged ones were plated over with gold.
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 reads וַיְצַ֥ף אֶת־ הַכְּרוּבִ֖ים זָהָֽב׃, which matches closely with the Septuagint's rendering, though the word order differs. The key elements of the verse are preserved across both witnesses.
וַיְצַ֥ף אֶת־ הַכְּרוּבִ֖ים זָהָֽב׃
3 of the 4 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 6:28
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.
צָפָה (tsaphah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to lay out, overlay, or cover. It can refer to actions like plating or laying over materials, particularly metals. The entries suggest a focus on the physical act of covering or overlaying, with examples including pillars overlaid with gold. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
[צָפָה] 47 vb. lay out, lay over
Qal they lay out the rug!
Pi. overlay, plate
Pu. impure silver laid over a sherd; pillars overlaid with gold.
base
H6823 [צָפָה] lay out, lay over .they lay out the rug!
. overlay, plate
. impure silver laid over a sherd; pillars overlaid with gold.
6823 tsaphah tsaw-faw'
a primitive root (probably identical with 6822 through the
idea of expansion in outlook, transferring to action); to
sheet over (especially with metal):--cover, overlay.
see HEBREW for 06822
צָפָה (tsa.phah) — to overlay.
1) to lay out, lay over, overlay, cover
1a) (Piel) to overlay, plate, stud
1b) (Pual) to be laid over
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Piel · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vpw3ms
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HTo — ParticleHTo
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-mp — Particle · noun common masculine plural absoluteHTd/Ncmpa
→ Eastward of the garden of Eden Ge 3:24
→ In the tabernacle Ex 25:18-20; 37:7-9
→ The ark of the covenant rested beneath the wings of 1Ki 8:6,7; 2Ch 5:7,8; Heb 9:5
→ Figures of, embroidered
On the walls of the tabernacle Ex 26:1; 36:8
And on the curtain Ex 26:31; 36:35
→ In the temple 1Ki 6:23-29; 2Ch 3:10-13
→ Figures of
On the curtain 2Ch 3:14
- Form and appearance of
Eze 1:5-11,13,14
- Animated by the Spirit of God
Eze 1:12,20
- Engaged in accomplishing the purposes of God
Eze 1:15,21; 10:9-11,16,17
- The glory of God exhibited upon
Eze 1:22,26-28; 10:4,18,20
- Sound of their wings was as the voice of God
Eze 1:24; 10:5
- Placed at the entrance of Eden
- OF GOLD
. Formed out of, and at each end of the mercy seat
. Placed over the ark of the covenant
זָהָב (zahab) means gold and is derived from an unused root that conveys the idea of shimmering. It encompasses various aspects of gold, including its value as a precious metal, its use as a measure of weight, and its figurative brilliance. The term appears in contexts related to wealth, merchandise, and gifts.
זָהָב 385 n.m. gold
= gold-ore, gold in raw state
gold as wealth
gold as spoil of war
gold as merchandise
gold as costly gift
gold as material
gold described by its source
gold defined by var. adj. and pts.
as measure of weight and value
= golden oil, from colour
often named with
the chief vbs. used
base
H2091 זָהָב gold
2091 zahab zaw-hawb'
from an unused root meaning to shimmer; gold, figuratively,
something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear sky:--
gold(-en), fair weather.
זָהָב (za.hav) — gold.
1) gold
1a) as precious metal
1b) as a measure of weight
1c) of brilliance, splendour (fig.)
Aramaic equivalent: de.hav (דְּהַב "gold" H1722)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
gold (zahabh; chrusos):
1. Terms:
No metal has been more frequently mentioned in Old Testament writings than gold, and none has had more terms applied to it. Among these terms the one most used is zahabh. The Arabic equivalent, dhahab, is still the common name for gold throughout Palestine, Syria and Egypt. With zahabh frequently occur other words which, translated, mean "pure" (Ex 25:11), "refined" (1Ch 28:18), "finest" (1Ki 10:18), "beaten" (1Ki 10:17), "Ophir" (Ps 45:9).
Other terms occurring are: paz, "fine gold" (Job 28:17;
Gold
(1.) Heb. zahab, so called from its yellow colour (Ex. 25:11; 1 Chr. 28:18; 2 Chr. 3:5).
(2.) Heb. segor, from its compactness, or as being enclosed or treasured up; thus precious or “fine gold” (1 Kings 6:20; 7:49).
Gold was known from the very earliest times. (Genesis 2:11) It was at first used chiefly for ornaments, etc. (Genesis 24:22) Coined money was not known to the ancients till a comparatively late period; and on the Egyptian tombs gold is represented as being weighed in rings for commercial purposes. Comp. (Genesis 43:21) Gold was extremely abundant in ancient times, (1 Chronicles 22:14; 2 Chronicles 1:15; 9:9; Daniel 3:1; Nahum 2:9) but this did not depreciate its value, because of the enormous quantities consumed by…
A well-known valuable metal, found in many parts of the world, and obtained anciently in Ophir, Job 28:16; Parvaim, 2Ch 3:6; Sheba, and Raamah, Eze 27:22. Job alludes to gold in various forms, Job 22:24 28:15-19. Abraham was rich in it, and female ornaments were early made of it, Ge 13:2 24:22,35. It is spoken of throughout Scripture; and the use of it among and ancient Hebrews, in its native and mixed state, and for the same purposes as at present, was very common. The Ark of the Covenant was overlaid with pure gold; the mercy seat, the vessels and utensils belonging to the tabernacle, and those also of the house of…