Arks, surmounted by mysterious winged guardians, were used in the religious service of most ancient na- tions, and especially in Egypt (Plutarch, de Ind. xxxix ; Wilkinson's Anc. Egtfpt. v, 271 ; see Abk), but none of them involved the sublime and spiritual symbolism of the cherubim on the mercy-seat — at once guardians of the divine oracles and types of God's presence for the expiation of sin. But a question here arises, how the profuse introduction of these figures into the Tab- ernacle was reconcilable with obedience to the second commandment. It is certain that the rigid observance of this commandment was as serious a hinderance to the plastic arts among the Jews as the similar injunc- tions of the Koran are to the Mohammedans ; and yet no word of condemnation was breathed against the cherubim, though Josephus even ventures to charge Solomon with distinct disobedience to the Law for pla- cing oxen under the brazen sea {Ant. viii, 7, 5). The cherubim, indeed, were made in obedience to a distinct command ; but how was it that they did, not oflfbnd the consciences or seduce the allegiance of the theocratic Hebrews ? The answer seems to be, that the second commandment only forbids the plastic arts when pros- tituted to the direct object of idolatry, and Tertullian is right in defending the introduction of cherubim, on the ground that they were a simplex omamentum (c. Marcion, ii, 22) ; even the Talmudists allowed the use of images for purely decorative purposes (Kalisch on Exod, p. 846). Besides, they represented created be-' ings (u created beings, and also as themselves in the attitude of humility and adoration (Exod. xxv, 20 ; 1 Pet i, 12), so that instead of violating the command- ment they expressed its highest spirit, in thus vividly s3rmbolizing God's supremacy over the creatures which stood on the highest step of life, and were, in fiurt, the ideal of absolute and perfect created existence (B&lir, Symbol, i, 840 sq.). We may add that the danger was less, because, in all probability, they were seen by none but the priests (Cornel, a liapide on Exod, xxv, 8) ; and when, in the desert, the ark was moved from place to place, it was covered over vUh a triple veil (Num. iv, 6, 6), before which even the Levites were not suffered to approach it (Bochart, Hieroz. II, xxxiv, ad fin.). It may even be the case that the shape of the cherubim was designedly considered as indefinite and variable, that the tendency to worship them might still further be obviated. This wavering and indis- tinct conception of them was due to their symbolical character, a fact so thoroughly understood among all Oriental nations as at once to save the Jews from any strong temptation, and to raise them al>ove the breath of suspicion.
Whether the golden calf constnicted by Aaron iB&f^ be, not the Apis of Egypt, but a representation of tlie antediluvian Cherubim, as some suppose, from ita be- ing made on **a feast to the Lord," and called *'tfae gods of Israel*' (Exod. xxxii, 5), and whether Jero- boam, in the erection of his two calvea, intended a schismatic imitation of the sacred symbols in the Tcib- ple of Jemsalem rather than the introduction of a new species of idolatry (1 Kings xii, 28), we shall not stop to inquire. See Calf. But as paganism is a oormp- tion of patriarchal worship, each nation having added sometliing according to its own taste and fiuicy, per- haps we may find a confirmation of the views given above of the compound form of the chembiuL, in tt» strange figures that are gprouped together in the hea- then deities. The numerous ox-heads, for instance, in the statue of the ancient Diana, and particularly the Asiatic idols, almost all of which exhibit several heads and arms attached to one person, or the heads of difier- ent animals combined, affiird a collateral proof^ ainiilar to the universal prevalence of sacrifice, that Uie form of the primitive cherubim has been traditionally pre- served and extended over a large portion of the world. This may indeed be shown by the above actoal fignree copied from ancient monuments, all of whidk iUoa- trate some one or more of the notions which we attach to the cherubic forms ; and while they afford matserial assistance to our ideas on the subject, they show that figures of this kind, as sacred symbols, were not pecn- liar to the Hebrews, and that their presence in the sanc- tuary was not calculated to excite any surprise among the neighboring nations, or to lead to the notion tiiat the Jews also were worshippers of idols, for even in the pagan monument they never appear as idols, but as symbols ; and it was very possibly this fact— -that the cherubic -figures were not liable to be misnnder- stood— which induced the Divine wisdom to permft their introduction into the most holy place.
Mr. Layard traces many striking pdints of analogy between the form and position of the Above fignree, especially between the last ones of the Assyrian group and the cherubim of the Temple : *' Within the sacred oracle itself were the two cherubim of olive-wood, tea cubits high, with wings each five cubits long ; and 8(^ omon carved all the house around with earvedfgwres rf chendnm^ and palm-trees^ and open flowers, within a^ without. The cherubim have been described by Bibli- cal commentators as mythic figures, uniting the human head with the body of a lion or an ox, and the winga of an eagle. If for the palm-trees we substitute the sacred tree of the Kinevite sculptures, and for the open flowers the Ass}Tian tulip-shaped ornament— ob- jects most probably very nearly resembling each oth-> er— we find the oracle of the Temple was almost iden- tical, in general form and in its ornaments, with some of the characters of Nimroud and Khorsabad. In the Assyrian halls, too, the winged human-headed bulla were on the side of the waU, and their wings, like those of the cherubim, * touched one another in the midst of the house.' The dimensions of these figures were in some cases nearly the same, namely, fifteen feet square. The doors were also carved with cheru- bim, and palm-trees, and open flowers, and thus, with the other parts of the building, corresponded witii those of the Assyrian palaces" {Nineveh and BabsfUm, 2d 8e> ries, p. 643).