וְהָי֣וּ הַכְּרֻבִים֩ פֹּרְשֵׂ֨י כְנָפַ֜יִם לְמַ֗עְלָה סֹכְכִ֤ים בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם֙ עַל־הַכַּפֹּ֔רֶת וּפְנֵיהֶ֖ם אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֑יו אֶל־הַכַּפֹּ֔רֶת יִהְי֖וּ פְּנֵ֥י הַכְּרֻבִֽים׃
And the keruvim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall be toward one another; the faces of the keruvim shall be toward the mercy seat.
Morphology
- וְהָי֣וּ (vehayu) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Qal, Perfect, 3mp; Translation: “And they shall be”; Notes: Introduces the state of the cherubim.
- הַכְּרֻבִים֩ (hakeruvim) – Root: כרב (k-r-v); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “The cherubim”; Notes: Refers to the angelic figures.
- פֹּרְשֵׂ֨י (porsei) – Root: פרשׂ (p-r-s); Form: Participle, Qal, masculine plural construct; Translation: “Spreading”; Notes: Describes the action of extending their wings.
- כְנָפַ֜יִם (kenafayim) – Root: כנף (k-n-p); Form: Noun, feminine dual; Translation: “Wings”; Notes: Indicates the two wings of each cherub.
- לְמַ֗עְלָה (lemaʿlah) – Root: מעל (m-ʿ-l); Form: Preposition + Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “Upward”; Notes: Specifies the direction of the wings.
- סֹכְכִ֤ים (sokhekim) – Root: סכך (s-k-k); Form: Participle, Qal, masculine plural; Translation: “Covering”; Notes: Refers to the act of shielding the mercy seat with their wings.
- בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם֙ (bekanfeihem) – Root: כנף (k-n-p); Form: Preposition + Noun, feminine plural construct with 3mp suffix; Translation: “With their wings”; Notes: Indicates the instrument of covering.
- עַל־הַכַּפֹּ֔רֶת (ʿal-hakapporet) – Root: כפר (k-p-r); Form: Preposition + Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “Over the mercy seat”; Notes: Specifies the object being covered.
- וּפְנֵיהֶ֖ם (ufnehem) – Root: פנה (p-n-h); Form: Conjunction + Noun, masculine plural construct with 3mp suffix; Translation: “And their faces”; Notes: Refers to the orientation of the cherubim’s faces.
- אִ֣ישׁ (ʾish) – Root: אישׁ (ʾ-y-sh); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Each one”; Notes: Indicates individuality of each cherub.
- אֶל־אָחִ֑יו (el-aḥiv) – Root: אח (ʾ-ḥ); Form: Preposition + Noun, masculine singular construct with 3ms suffix; Translation: “Toward his fellow”; Notes: Denotes their facing toward each other.
- אֶל־הַכַּפֹּ֔רֶת (el-hakapporet) – Root: כפר (k-p-r); Form: Preposition + Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “Toward the mercy seat”; Notes: Indicates the focus of their orientation.
- יִהְי֖וּ (yihyu) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3mp; Translation: “They shall be”; Notes: Defines their position.
- פְּנֵ֥י (penei) – Root: פנה (p-n-h); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “The faces of”; Notes: Relates to the cherubim’s orientation.
- הַכְּרֻבִֽים׃ (hakeruvim) – Root: כרב (k-r-v); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “The cherubim”; Notes: Concludes the description of their orientation.