In like manner were lion-shaped and eagle-formed griffins supposed by the aborigines of Northern Europe (Herod, iii, 102, 116) and India (Ctesias, Ind. p. 12) as guardians of the gold-bearing hiUs (comp. Gen. ii, 11) ; and in Greek mythology (see Creuzer, SyvtMikj ii, 647) they were sacred to the deities (e. g. Apollo, Mi- nerra, Bacchus). But the cherub was anointdd as a divine emblem (Ezek. xxviii, 14 ; where some, how- eyer, take Hl^^p for fl^^p, in the sense merely of "extended")) presiding over sacred mountains blaz- ing with precious ores (ver. 16) ; at least the king of Tyn is there compared to such a being, unless, with others, we refer that whole description to the cherubic forms of the Jewish sanctuary (see Henderson, Com- wunL in loc.).
2. The next occasion on which the cherubim are no- ticed is when Moses was commanded to provide the famiture of the tabernacle ; and, although he received instructions to make all things according to the pat- tern shown him in the Mount, and although it is nat- ural to suppose that he saw a figure of the cherubim, yet we find no minute and special description of them, as is given of everything else, for the direction of the artificers (Exod. xxvi, 81). The simple mention which the sacred historian makes, in both these passages, of the cherubim conveys the impression that the sym- bolic figures which had been introduced into the Le- ritical tabernacle were substantially the same with those established in the primeval place of worship on the outskirts of Eden, and that by traditional informa- tion, or some other means, their form was so well known, both to Bezaleel and the whole congregation of Israel, as to render superfluous all further descrip- tioBofihem.
Similar figures were to be enwoven on the ten blue, red, and crimson curtains of the tabernacle (Exod. xxvi, 1). The promise that God would '* meet and commune with Moses from between the two ckenibim" (Exod. XXV, 22) originates the constant occurrence of that expression as a description of the divine abode and prefience (Numb, vii, 89; 1 Sam. iv, 4 ; Isa. xxxvii, 16; P>a.lxxx,l; xcix, 1, etc.).
8. Cherubim after this appear likewise in the theo- pbantic descriptions of the prophets and inspired poets (2 Sam. xxii, U), especially in the remarkable visions of Ezekiel by the river Chebar (Ezek. x). Yet there was no mystery as to those remarkable figures, for Ezekiel knew at once (x, 20) the living creatures which appeared in his vision supporting the throne of God, and bearing it in mi^esty fh)m place to place, to be cherubim, from having frequently seen them, in common with all other worshippers, in the carved work of the outer sanctuary. Moreover, as is the opinion of many eminent divines, the visionary scene,
with which this prophet was favored, exhibited a tran- script of the Temple, which was shown in pattern to David, and afterwards erected by his son and success- or ; and, as the chief design of that later vision was to inspire the Hebrew exiles in Babylon with the hope of seeing, on their return to Judaoa, another temple, more glorious than the one then in ruins, it is reason- able to believe that, as the whole style and apparatus of this mystic temple bore an exact resemblance (1 Kings vi, 20) to that of Solomon's magnificent edifice, so the cherubs also that appeared to his foncy portray- ed on the walls would be fac-similes of those that be- longed to its ancient prototype! See Temple.
Still the question arises. Was t]^ shape already famil- iar, or kept designedly mysterious ? Fhmi the fact that cherubim were blazoned on the doors, walls, curtains, etc., of the house, and from the detailed description of shapes by Ezekiel, the latter idea might seem out of place. But if the text of Ezekiel, and the carvings, etc., of the Temple had made them popular, Josephus could not possibly have said (^Ant, viii, 8, 8), '* No one can say or conjecture what the cherubim (x^povj^iii:) actually were." It is also remarkable that Ezekiel (chap, i) speaks of them as "living creatures" (tni^H, tcja) under mere animal forms. Into this description in chap, x, 14, the remarkable expression, " the fiaoe of a cherub," is introduced, and the prophet concludes by a reference to his former vision, ^d an identifica- tion of those creatures with the cherubim (v, 20). On the whole, it seems likely that the word "cherub" meant not only the composite creature-form, of which , the man, lion, ox, and eagle were the elements, but, fhrther, some peculiar and mystical form, which Eze- kiel, being a priest, would know and recognise as " the face of axHBRUB," but which was kept secret from all others ; and such probably were those on the ark, which, when it was moved, was always covered (see Abk of Covenant), though those on the hangings and panels might be of the popular device. What this peculiar cherubic form was is a mystery perhaps impenetrable. It was probably believed popularly to be something of the bovine type (though hi Psa. xvi, 20, the notion appears to be marked as degraded) ; so Spencer (de leg, ffebr, rit. iii, diss. 6, 4, 2) thinks that the ox was ihe'/brma pnecipua^ and quotes Grotius on Exod. XXV, 18 (Bo^art, Hierogoic. p. 87, edit 1690). Hence the "golden calf." The symbolism of the visions of Ezekiel is more complex than that of the earlier Scriptures, and he certainly means that each composite creatore-form had four faces, so as to look four ways at once ; was four-sided and four-winged, so as to move with instant rapidity in every direction without turning, whereas the Mosaic idea was proba- bly single-faced, and with but one pair of wings. Eze- kiel adds also Uie imagery of the wheels — a mechan- ical to the previous animal forms. This might typify inanimate nature revolving in a fixed course, informed by the spiritual power of God. The additional sym- bol of being '*full of eyes" is one of obvious meaning. See Cbbature (Livino).