1 Kings 6:23

23 For the inner sanctuary he made a pair of cherubim out of olive wood, each ten cubits high.

1 Kings 6:23 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
23 And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high.
English Standard Version (ESV)
23 In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olivewood, each ten cubits high.
New Living Translation (NLT)
23 He made two cherubim of wild olive wood, each 15 feet tall, and placed them in the inner sanctuary.
The Message Bible (MSG)
23 Then he made two cherubim, gigantic angel-like figures, from olivewood. Each was fifteen feet tall.
American Standard Version (ASV)
23 And in the oracle he made two cherubim of olive-wood, each ten cubits high.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
23 In the inner room he made two 15-foot-tall angels out of olive wood.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
23 In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim 15 feet high out of olive wood.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
23 For the Most Holy Room Solomon made a pair of cherubim. He made them out of olive wood. Each cherub was 15 feet high.

1 Kings 6:23 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 6:23

And within the oracle he made two cherubim [of] olive tree,
&c.] Or of the oil tree, as in ( Isaiah 41:19 ) ; see ( Nehemiah 8:15 ) ; for there are other trees besides olives, out of which oil is pressed, as pine trees, cypress trees and which some think are here meant; though the Targum interprets it of the olive tree: these cherubim are different from those made by Moses, and were besides them; these were larger than they; these were made of olive wood, they of gold; these stood on the floor of the house, they at the two ends of the mercy seat, and were made out of it, and were with it in this holy place in Solomon's temple: these two cherubim may be emblems of the angels in their greatness and glory, who are always in the presence of God, behold his face, and wait to do his will; or it may be rather of the two witnesses, said to be the two olive trees standing before the God of the whole earth, ( Revelation 11:3 Revelation 11:4 ) ; who have boldness to enter into the holiest of all, and have sight and knowledge of the mysteries of the ark and mercy seat; have their commission from heaven, and speak according to the oracles of God; these are said to be of image work, ( 2 Chronicles 3:10 ) ; that is, of various forms, as the thee of a man, a lion, an ox, and eagle, ( Ezekiel 1:10 ) . Dr. Lightfoot thinks F7 they resembled the two Testaments, which in their beginning and end reach the two sides of the world, the creation and the last judgment, and in the middle do sweetly join the one to the other:

[each] ten cubits high;
half as high as the most holy place; emblems either of the high angels, those thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers, or of men of uncommon size as to their gifts and grace.


FOOTNOTES:

F7 Prospect of the Temple, c. 15. sect. 4.

1 Kings 6:23 In-Context

21 Solomon covered the inside of the temple with pure gold, and he extended gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary, which was overlaid with gold.
22 So he overlaid the whole interior with gold. He also overlaid with gold the altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary.
23 For the inner sanctuary he made a pair of cherubim out of olive wood, each ten cubits high.
24 One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long, and the other wing five cubits—ten cubits from wing tip to wing tip.
25 The second cherub also measured ten cubits, for the two cherubim were identical in size and shape.

Cross References 1

  • 1. S Exodus 37:1-9
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.