And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.

1 KINGS 6:28KJV
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1 Kings 6:28 (KJV)

What does 1 Kings 6:28 mean?

1 Kings 6:28 describes how Solomon covered the cherubim statues in the temple with gold. This verse highlights the care and expense taken in building the temple, showing the importance placed on its beauty and holiness.

Solomon is overseeing the construction of the temple in Jerusalem, and this verse focuses on the inner sanctuary where two large cherubim statues stood. Covering these figures with gold would have made them shine and stand out, reflecting the value and reverence given to this sacred space.

The Hebrew behind 1 Kings 6:28

  • "overlaid" (צָפָה, tsaphah): This word means to cover or plate something, often with a thin layer of metal like gold. Here, it emphasizes that the cherubim were not solid gold but were covered with it, making them appear precious without being entirely made of gold.
  • "cherubims" (כְּרוּבִים, keruvim): These are angelic figures often associated with guarding holy places. In the temple, their presence symbolized the nearness and majesty of God.
  • "gold" (זָהָב, zahav): Gold was the most valued metal in ancient Israel, used for the most sacred objects. Its use here underlines the temple’s splendor and the honor given to God.

Why 1 Kings 6:28 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the cherubim were not ordinary decorations but were treated with the highest honor, being covered in gold, which sets the tone for the temple’s overall grandeur.
  • It connects to the wider passage by showing the lengths Solomon went to in following God’s instructions for the temple, using the best materials available.
  • Understanding the use of gold and the presence of cherubim helps readers appreciate the temple’s role as a place where heaven and earth symbolically met.

Where else these words appear

“overlaid” Hebrew H6823 · used in 39 verses

  • Exodus 25:11 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.
  • Exodus 36:36 And he made thereunto four pillars of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold: their hooks were of gold; and he cast for them four sockets of silver.
  • 1 Kings 6:21 So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold.

“cherubims” Hebrew H3742 · used in 66 verses

  • Genesis 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
  • 1 Kings 6:29 And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without.
  • Ezekiel 9:3 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side;