From a Proto-Semitic source akin to Akkadian 𒅗𒊒𒁍 ("to bless"), 𒅗𒊑𒁍 ("one who blesses").
Anagrams: ברוך
English word cherub comes from Hebrew כְּרוּב / kruv
Kruv meaning cabbage entered Hebrew in Talmudic times.
As to the etymology of kruv (cabbage), Klein writes:
Together with Aramaic כרובא, כרבא, Syrian כרבא, borrowed from Greek krambe, which is related to krambos ( = dry shriveling), kromboyn (= to roast), and cognate with Old German hrimfan, rimfan ( = to contract, wrinkle), Old English hrympel (= wrinkle)
Modern Hebrew: kruv כְּרוּב (Cabbage)
Ben-Yehuda introduced the related kruvit כְּרוּבִית - cauliflower.
Yiddish:
קרױט - kroyt - cabbage
זױ'ער(|ע) קרױט - Zoyer kroyt - sauerkraut
כְּרוּב II (m.)
(v. preced.) [rounded,] cabbage. Ter. X, 11 כ׳ של שקייא cabbage from an irrigated field, opp. כ׳ של בעל, v. בַּעַל 3.—Ber. 44ᵇ קלח של כ׳ cabbage stalk. Ib. כ׳ למזון cabbage is good for a satisfying meal. Ned. VI, 10, v. אִיסְפַּרְגּוֹס; a. fr.
(כד) וַיְגָ֖רֶשׁ אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיַּשְׁכֵּן֩ מִקֶּ֨דֶם לְגַן־עֵ֜דֶן אֶת־הַכְּרֻבִ֗ים וְאֵ֨ת לַ֤הַט הַחֶ֙רֶב֙ הַמִּתְהַפֶּ֔כֶת לִשְׁמֹ֕ר אֶת־דֶּ֖רֶךְ עֵ֥ץ הַֽחַיִּֽים׃ (ס)
(24) So God drove out the human; and God placed at the east of the garden of Eden the cherubim, and the flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way to the tree of life.
(יח) וְעָשִׂ֛יתָ שְׁנַ֥יִם כְּרֻבִ֖ים זָהָ֑ב מִקְשָׁה֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֹתָ֔ם מִשְּׁנֵ֖י קְצ֥וֹת הַכַּפֹּֽרֶת׃ (יט) וַ֠עֲשֵׂה כְּר֨וּב אֶחָ֤ד מִקָּצָה֙ מִזֶּ֔ה וּכְרוּב־אֶחָ֥ד מִקָּצָ֖ה מִזֶּ֑ה מִן־הַכַּפֹּ֛רֶת תַּעֲשׂ֥וּ אֶת־הַכְּרֻבִ֖ים עַל־שְׁנֵ֥י קְצוֹתָֽיו׃ (כ) וְהָי֣וּ הַכְּרֻבִים֩ פֹּרְשֵׂ֨י כְנָפַ֜יִם לְמַ֗עְלָה סֹכְכִ֤ים בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם֙ עַל־הַכַּפֹּ֔רֶת וּפְנֵיהֶ֖ם אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֑יו אֶל־הַכַּפֹּ֔רֶת יִהְי֖וּ פְּנֵ֥י הַכְּרֻבִֽים׃
(18) And thou shalt make two cherubim of gold; of beaten work shalt thou make them, at the two ends of the ark-cover. (19) And make one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end; of one piece with the ark-cover shall ye make the cherubim of the two ends thereof. (20) And the cherubim shall spread out their wings on high, screening the ark-cover with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the ark-cover shall the faces of the cherubim be.
They had the figures of human beings. (6) However, each had four faces, and each of them had four wings; (7) the legs of each were [fused into] a single rigid leg, and the feet of each were like a single calf’s hoof; and their sparkle was like the luster of burnished bronze. (8) They had human hands below their wings. The four of them had their faces and their wings on their four sides. (9) Each one’s wings touched those of the other. They did not turn when they moved; each could move in the direction of any of its faces. (10) Each of them had a human face [at the front]; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right; each of the four had the face of an ox on the left; and each of the four had the face of an eagle [at the back]. (11) Such were their faces. As for their wings, they were separated: above, each had two touching those of the others, while the other two covered its body. (12) And each could move in the direction of any of its faces; they went wherever the spirit impelled them to go, without turning when they moved. (13) Such then was the appearance of the creatures. With them was something that looked like burning coals of fire. This fire, suggestive of torches, kept moving about among the creatures; the fire had a radiance, and lightning issued from the fire. (14) Dashing to and fro [among] the creatures was something that looked like flares.-d (15) As I gazed on the creatures, I saw one wheel on the ground next to each of the four-faced creatures. (16) As for the appearance and structure of the wheels, they gleamed like beryl. All four had the same form; the appearance and structure of each was as of two wheels cutting through each other. (17) And when they moved, each could move in the direction of any of its four quarters; they did not veer when they moved. (18) Their rims were tall and frightening, for the rims of all four were covered all over with eyes. (19) And when the creatures moved forward, the wheels moved at their sides; and when the creatures were borne above the earth, the wheels were borne too. (20) Wherever the spirit impelled them to go, they went—wherever the spirit impelled them—and the wheels were borne alongside them; for the spirit of the creatures was in the wheels. (21) When those moved, these moved; and when those stood still, these stood still; and when those were borne above the earth, the wheels were borne alongside them—for the spirit of the creatures was in the wheels. (22) Above the heads of the creatures was a form: an expanse, with an awe-inspiring gleam as of crystal, was spread out above their heads. (23) Under the expanse, each had one pair of wings extended toward those of the others; and each had another pair covering its body. (24) When they moved, I could hear the sound of their wings like the sound of mighty waters, like the sound of Shaddai, a tumult like the din of an army. When they stood still, they would let their wings droop. (25) From above the expanse over their heads came a sound.-d When they stood still, they would let their wings droop. (26) Above the expanse over their heads was the semblance of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and on top, upon this semblance of a throne, there was the semblance of a human form. (27) From what appeared as his loins up, I saw a gleam as of amber—what looked like a fire encased in a frame;-d and from what appeared as his loins down, I saw what looked like fire. There was a radiance all about him. (28) Like the appearance of the bow which shines in the clouds on a day of rain, such was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. That was the appearance of the semblance of the Presence of the LORD. When I beheld it, I flung myself down on my face. And I heard the voice of someone speaking.
(ז) בַּצַּר־לִ֤י ׀ אֶֽקְרָ֣א יְהוָה֮ וְאֶל־אֱלֹהַ֪י אֲשַׁ֫וֵּ֥עַ יִשְׁמַ֣ע מֵהֵיכָל֣וֹ קוֹלִ֑י וְ֝שַׁוְעָתִ֗י לְפָנָ֤יו ׀ תָּב֬וֹא בְאָזְנָֽיו׃ (ח) וַתִּגְעַ֬שׁ וַתִּרְעַ֨שׁ ׀ הָאָ֗רֶץ וּמוֹסְדֵ֣י הָרִ֣ים יִרְגָּ֑זוּ וַ֝יִּתְגָּֽעֲשׁ֗וּ כִּי־חָ֥רָה לֽוֹ׃ (ט) עָ֘לָ֤ה עָשָׁ֨ן ׀ בְּאַפּ֗וֹ וְאֵשׁ־מִפִּ֥יו תֹּאכֵ֑ל גֶּ֝חָלִ֗ים בָּעֲר֥וּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ (י) וַיֵּ֣ט שָׁ֭מַיִם וַיֵּרַ֑ד וַ֝עֲרָפֶ֗ל תַּ֣חַת רַגְלָֽיו׃ (יא) וַיִּרְכַּ֣ב עַל־כְּ֭רוּב וַיָּעֹ֑ף וַ֝יֵּ֗דֶא עַל־כַּנְפֵי־רֽוּחַ׃ (יב) יָ֤שֶׁת חֹ֨שֶׁךְ ׀ סִתְר֗וֹ סְבִֽיבוֹתָ֥יו סֻכָּת֑וֹ חֶשְׁכַת־מַ֝֗יִם עָבֵ֥י שְׁחָקִֽים׃
(7) In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God; out of God's temple God heard my voice, and my cry came before God unto God's ears. (8) Then the earth did shake and quake, the foundations also of the mountains did tremble; they were shaken, because God was angry (9) Smoke arose up in His nostrils, and a a devouring fire out of His mouth ; coals flamed forth from God. (10) God bowed the heavens also, and came down; and thick darkness was under His feet. (11) And He rode upon a cherub, and did fly; yea, He did swoop down upon the wings of the wind. (12) He made darkness His hiding-place, His pavilion round about Him; darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
1. the living chariot of the theophanic God; possibly identified with the storm-wind ψ 18:11 = 2 S 22:11 וַיִּרְכַּב עַל־כְּרוּב and he rode upon a cherub (‖ flew swiftly on the wings of the wind).
2. as the guards of the garden of Eden Gn 3:24 (J).
3. as the throne of Yahweh Sabaoth, in phrase י׳ (צְבָאוֹת) יֹשֵׁב הַכְּרוּבִים Yahweh Sabaoth throned on the cherubim 1 S 4:4; 2 S 6:2 = 1 Ch 13:6; the context shews that the cherubim of the ark of the covenant are referred to, and it is probable that the same reference is in 2 K 19:15 = Is 37:16, ψ 80:2; 99:1.
4. P gives an account of: a. two cherubim of solid gold upon the slab of gold of the כַּפֹּרֶת facing each other with wings outstretched above, so as to constitute a basis or throne on which the glory of Yahweh appeared, and from whence He spake Ex 25:18–22; 37:7–9; Nu 7:89; b. numerous cherubim woven into the texture of the inner curtains of the tabernacle and the veils Ex 26:1, 31; 36:8, 35.
5. K and Ch describe the cherubim of the temple: a. two gigantic images of olive wood plated with gold, ten cubits high, standing in the דְּבִיר facing the door, whose wings, five cubits each, extended, two of them meeting in the middle of the room to constitute the throne, two of them extending to the walls 1 K 6:23–28; 8:6–7 2 Ch 3:10–13; 5:7–8; Ch (doubtless influenced by Ez) represents them as the chariot of Yahweh 1 Ch 28:18; b. images of cherubim were carved on the gold plated cedar planks which constituted the inner walls of the temple, and upon the olive wood doors 1 K 6:29–35; 2 Ch 3:7; and on the bases of the portable lavers, interchanging with lions and oxen 1 K 7:29–36; Ch also represents that they were woven in the veil of the דְּבִיר 2 Ch 3:14.
6. Ezekiel describes the cherubim: a. as four living creatures, each with four faces, lion, ox, eagle, and man, having the figure and hands of men, and the feet of calves. Each has four wings, two of which are stretched upward, meeting above and sustaining the throne of Yahweh; two of them stretched downwards so as to cover the creatures themselves. The cherubim never turn but go straight forward, as do the wheels of the cherubic chariot, and they are full of eyes and are like burning coals of fire, Ez 1:5–28; 9:3; 10:1–20; 11:22; the king of Tyre is scornfully compared with one of these, and is assigned a residence in Eden and the mountain of God Ez 28:14, 16; b. Ez knows of no cherubic statues in the new temple, but represents the inner walls of the temple as carved with alternating palm trees and cherubim, each with two faces, the lion looking on one side, the man on the other. It is evident that the number and the form of the cherubim vary in the representations (cf. Ez 41:18–25). It is probable that the שְׂרָפִים of Is 6:2–6 are another form of the cherubim. The Apoc. of the seals Rev 4–6 combines them in four ζῷα.
אמר רב קטינא בשעה שהיו ישראל עולין לרגל מגללין להם את הפרוכת ומראין להם את הכרובים שהיו מעורים זה בזה ואומרים להן ראו חבתכם לפני המקום כחבת זכר ונקבה
Rav Katina said: “When the Israelites would come to the Temple for the holiday the curtain would be pulled back for them and they would see the cherubs intertwined with each other. [The priests] would say to them: “Behold, the love of you before God is like the love of man and woman.”......
רבי יוחנן ור' אלעזר חד אמר פניהם איש אל אחיו וחד אמר פניהם לבית ולמ"ד פניהם איש אל אחיו הא כתיב (דברי הימים ב ג, יג) ופניהם לבית לא קשיא כאן בזמן שישראל עושין רצונו של מקום כאן בזמן שאין ישראל עושין רצונו של מקום ולמ"ד ופניהם לבית הא כתיב (שמות כה, כ) ופניהם איש אל אחיו דמצדדי אצדודי דתניא אונקלוס הגר אמר כרובים (דברי הימים ב ג, י) מעשה צעצועים הן ומצודדים פניהם כתלמיד הנפטר מרבו:
... R. Johanan and R. Eleazar [are in dispute on the matter]. ... One Says: ... They faced each other; and the other says: ... Their faces were inward. ... But according to him who says that they faced each other, [it may be asked]: Is it not written, ... And their faces were inward? —... [This is] no difficulty: ... The former [was] at a time when Israel obeyed the will of the Omnipresent;the latter [was] at a time when Israel did not obey the will of the Omnipresent. According to him who says that their faces were inward [it may be asked]: Is it not written, ... With their faces one to another? ... They were slightly turned sideways. ... For [so] it was taught: Onkelos the proselyte said, ... ‘The Cherubim were of image work and their faces were turned sideways as a student who takes leave of his master.