2 Chronicles 5 7

2 Chronicles 5:7 kjv

And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim:

2 Chronicles 5:7 nkjv

Then the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place, under the wings of the cherubim.

2 Chronicles 5:7 niv

The priests then brought the ark of the LORD's covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim.

2 Chronicles 5:7 esv

Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the Most Holy Place, underneath the wings of the cherubim.

2 Chronicles 5:7 nlt

Then the priests carried the Ark of the LORD's Covenant into the inner sanctuary of the Temple ? the Most Holy Place ? and placed it beneath the wings of the cherubim.

2 Chronicles 5 verses

2 Chronicles 5 7 Meaning

This verse precisely details the placement of the Ark of the Covenant within the Most Holy Place of Solomon's Temple. It describes how the large, golden cherubim, which were sculpted and permanently affixed within the Holy of Holies, extended their wings to fully cover and overshadow the Ark and its carrying staves. This action signified divine guardianship, protection, and the sanctification of the most sacred object, reinforcing God's presence dwelling securely in the new Temple. The positioning, especially regarding the staves, indicated the Ark's permanent resting place after centuries of journeying.

2 Chronicles 5 7 Context

The immediate context of 2 Chronicles 5:7 is the climactic moment of the Ark of the Covenant's final journey and placement into the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies) of Solomon's newly constructed Temple in Jerusalem. This follows 2 Chronicles chapters 3 and 4, which detail the extensive construction of the Temple itself and its furnishings. The verse occurs during the grand dedication ceremony (chapter 5-7), a moment of profound religious and national significance. For the original Israelite audience, the Ark represented the tangible presence of God among His people, the visible sign of His covenant and the throne from which He would communicate. Its final, fixed placement under the wings of the Temple's immense cherubim signified the fulfillment of a long-held promise for a settled place of worship, contrasting with the Ark's mobile history during the wilderness wanderings and subsequent eras. This permanent dwelling symbolized stability and God's settled commitment to His chosen people in their new spiritual home.

2 Chronicles 5 7 Word analysis

• For the cherubim (כְּרוּבִים - kĕrûvîm): Angelic beings associated with God's presence, holiness, and guarding sacred spaces. From their first mention guarding Eden (Gen 3:24) to their depiction on the mercy seat (Exod 25:18-22), they consistently mark off and protect areas of divine encounter. Here, they refer to the two massive, sculpted cherubim of olive wood overlaid with gold (1 Ki 6:23-28) that stood permanently within the Most Holy Place, not living angelic beings in this specific context.
• spread forth (פֹרְשִׂים - pōrəšîm): Present participle, indicating an ongoing or continuous action of spreading out, extending. This emphasizes the comprehensive coverage provided by the cherubim's wings. It suggests a protective embrace or shelter.
• their wings (כַּנְפֵיהֶם - kanfêhem): Symbolic of shelter, protection, and overshadowing. In biblical imagery, wings often signify a place of refuge and safety (Psa 91:4). Here, it denotes the full extent of the cherubim's reach.
• over the place of (עַל־מְקוֹם - al-məqōm): Signifies a precise, fixed position. It denotes immediate proximity and direct coverage of the designated spot.
• the ark (הָאָרוֹן - hā’ārōn): The Ark of the Covenant. The central and most sacred object in Israel's worship, containing the tablets of the Law, a pot of manna, and Aaron's budding staff (Heb 9:4). It served as the mercy seat and the meeting place between God and Israel's high priest.
• and the cherubim (וְהַכְּרוּבִים - wəhakkĕrûvîm): Repetition of the noun emphasizes the subject and the ongoing nature of their action.
• covered (וַיָּסֹכּוּ - wayyāśokḵū): Past tense verb (Waw consecutive imperfect), meaning "to cover," "to overshadow," "to shield." This term reinforces the protective nature of the cherubim's wings, ensuring that the Ark was fully enveloped.
• the ark (אֶת־הָאָרוֹן - ’et-hā’ārōn): Direct object. The focus remains squarely on the Ark as the centerpiece of this arrangement.
• and the staves (וּמַטֵּיהֶם - ūmaṭṭêhem): The poles used for carrying the Ark (Exod 25:14). Crucially, Exodus 25:15 commanded that these staves should never be removed from the Ark's rings. Their mention here, particularly how they were covered, underscores the permanence of the Ark's new dwelling place. As 1 Kings 8:8 notes, the ends of the staves could be seen from the Holy Place (but not from outside).
• thereof (הֶם - hem): Possessive suffix "their."
• above (מִלְמַעְלָה - milmaʿlâ): From above; indicating the overhead protective nature of the cherubim's wings.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark": This phrase establishes the primary action of the two large, temple-specific cherubim. Their wings, stretching wide, are directly above and around where the Ark was positioned, indicating a divine protective enclosure. The use of "place" implies a divinely appointed spot.
• "and the cherubim covered the ark and the staves thereof above": This second part reiterates the action, adding a sense of complete envelopment and re-emphasizing the protective covering. The mention of the staves is highly significant: it confirms that the Ark, even with its permanent carrying poles, was entirely contained and overshadowed. This detail signifies the Ark's ultimate rest, having reached its final destination, no longer needing to be moved, as had been the practice during Israel's journeying through the wilderness and periods of war. This implied God's stable dwelling among His people, fulfilled temporarily in the Temple.

2 Chronicles 5 7 Bonus section

The positioning of the Ark under the cherubim within the innermost sanctuary carries a profound polemic against pagan practices of the ancient Near East. While surrounding cultures had their gods carried into battle or moved from one temple to another, or even depicted as needing human assistance, the Israelite Ark, overshadowed by God's heavenly guardians, signifies a sovereign God who is not moved or confined by human efforts but by His own will. The "resting place" of the Ark and its staves suggests a permanent covenant fidelity from a God who chooses to dwell, not needing to be coaxed or carried. This firmly established the singularity and self-sufficiency of Yahweh compared to the unstable and often manipulated deities of surrounding nations.

2 Chronicles 5 7 Commentary

2 Chronicles 5:7 is a critical verse in the account of the Temple's dedication, marking the definitive placement of the Ark of the Covenant, Israel's most sacred object. The imagery of the great cherubim spreading their wings over the Ark speaks volumes about God's presence, protection, and holiness. These aren't just decorative elements; the cherubim traditionally guarded God's holy spaces and symbolize His very throne. Their vast wings overshadowing the Ark not only confirmed its position as the epicenter of divine-human encounter but also declared that it was under ultimate heavenly guardianship.

The specific mention of the "staves" is highly significant. According to the Law (Exod 25:15), the Ark's carrying poles were never to be removed. In its portable history, the staves signified readiness for movement, mirroring God's dynamic presence with His wandering people. Now, with the Ark settled in the Temple, the staves, while still in place, were themselves covered by the cherubim. This subtle detail communicated a profound truth: the period of Israel's wilderness wanderings and the Ark's nomadic existence had concluded. God had found His settled dwelling among His people in Zion. It signified a new era of stable covenant presence and established worship. This fixed, final placement of the Ark ultimately prefigured the even more permanent and accessible indwelling of God with His people through the person of Jesus Christ, who perfectly tabernacles (dwells) among us (John 1:14), and then through the Holy Spirit within believers (1 Cor 6:19). The earthly temple, and the Ark within it, pointed to the greater spiritual reality that would one day come.