וַיִּהְי֣וּ הַכְּרֻבִים֩ פֹּרְשֵׂ֨י כְנָפַ֜יִם לְמַ֗עְלָה סֹֽכְכִ֤ים בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם֙ עַל־הַכַּפֹּ֔רֶת וּפְנֵיהֶ֖ם אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֑יו אֶל־הַכַּפֹּ֔רֶת הָי֖וּ פְּנֵ֥י הַכְּרֻבִֽים׃
And the keruvim had their wings spread upward, covering the ark with their wings, and their faces were turned towards each other; the faces of the keruvim were towards the cover.
Morphology
- וַיִּהְי֣וּ (vayyihyu) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Verb, 3rd person plural, imperfect; Translation: “And they were”; Notes: The verb *היה* means “to be” or “to exist,” indicating the existence or state of the cherubim.
- הַכְּרֻבִים (hakeruvim) – Root: כרב (k-r-v); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “the cherubim”; Notes: The cherubim are angelic beings often associated with guarding sacred spaces.
- פֹּרְשֵׂ֨י (poreshim) – Root: פרש (p-r-sh); Form: Verb, active participle, masculine plural; Translation: “spreading”; Notes: Refers to the cherubim spreading their wings in an upward position.
- כְנָפַ֜יִם (knafayim) – Root: כנף (k-n-f); Form: Noun, feminine plural; Translation: “wings”; Notes: Refers to the wings of the cherubim.
- לְמַ֗עְלָה (lema’ala) – Root: על (ʿ-l); Form: Preposition; Translation: “upward”; Notes: Indicating the direction of the cherubim’s wings.
- סֹֽכְכִ֤ים (sokhim) – Root: סכך (s-kh-kh); Form: Verb, active participle, masculine plural; Translation: “covering”; Notes: Refers to the action of the cherubim covering the ark with their wings.
- בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם (b’kanafayhem) – Root: כנף (k-n-f); Form: Noun, feminine plural, possessive; Translation: “with their wings”; Notes: Describes the action of covering the ark using their wings.
- עַל־הַכַּפֹּ֔רֶת (al hakapporet) – Root: כפר (k-p-r); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “upon the cover”; Notes: Refers to the ark’s cover, which was also known as the *kaporet* or mercy seat.
- וּפְנֵיהֶ֖ם (ufneihem) – Root: פנים (p-n-y); Form: Noun, masculine plural, possessive; Translation: “and their faces”; Notes: Refers to the faces of the cherubim.
- אִ֣ישׁ (ish) – Root: איש (ʾ-š); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “each” or “man”; Notes: In this context, it refers to the cherubim facing each other.
- אֶל־אָחִ֑יו (el achiv) – Root: אח (ʾ-ḥ); Form: Noun, masculine singular, preposition + possessive; Translation: “towards his brother”; Notes: Refers to the cherubim facing one another, emphasizing the connection between them.
- אֶל־הַכַּפֹּ֔רֶת (el hakapporet) – Root: כפר (k-p-r); Form: Noun, feminine singular, preposition + article; Translation: “towards the cover”; Notes: Refers to the cherubim facing the cover of the ark, emphasizing the sacredness of the space.
- הָי֖וּ (hayu) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Verb, 3rd person plural, imperfect; Translation: “they were”; Notes: Refers to the state of the cherubim as they faced each other and the cover.
- פְּנֵ֥י (penei) – Root: פנים (p-n-y); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “faces”; Notes: Refers to the faces of the cherubim directed towards one another.
- הַכְּרֻבִֽים (hakeruvim) – Root: כרב (k-r-v); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “the cherubim”; Notes: The cherubim were sacred beings associated with guarding and representing the presence of God.