Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Walter R. Mattfeld" <mattfeld AT pjsnet.com>]

In regards to Yahweh's " siting upon two cherubim," as questioned by Mr.
Wei, rock sculptures of the Assyrian period show a procession of gods, one
being enthroned, that is seated on a throne, that is in turn, upon the backs
of two mythological beasts, while other gods in the procession are shown
standing upon the back of a mythical beast/s. So, the notion of a god seated
on a throne over the backs of two mythological beasts is not as
"far-fetched" as it may seem (cf. photo of the rock bas-relief at Maltai,
showing a procession of gods being adored by Sennacherib, note the second
god from observer's left, seated on a throne on the backs of beasts, J.E.
Curtis, ed., Art and Empire, Treasures from Assyria in the British Museum,
Harry N. Abrams, N.Y. 1995, ISBN 0-8109-6491-0).

Mr. Wei has been correctly informed about winged sphinxes being correctly
surmised by modern scholarship to be cherubim, contra Ezekiel's (Ez.1:5-12;
10:1-20) bizarre description of them with four heads, four wings, hands and
cloven feet, accompanied by whirling flying wheels !

As an aside, one may want to have a look at "Davids plan for the golden
chariot of the cherubim" (1 Chr. 28:11-12,18), and the Phoenician bas-relief
of a winged sphinx drawing a chariot with two occupants from a bronze votive
bowl of the 8th century BCE (cf. p.74, figures 208 and 209, Heinz Demisch,
Die Sphinx, Gehichte ihrer Darstellung von den Anfangen bis zur Gegenwart,
Stuttgart: Verlag Urachhaus Johannes M. Mayer, 1977, ISBN 3-87838-219-7).
The same bowl appears in color in Levi's more recent work (cf. p.64 and p.
224 photo credits, in Peter Levi, Atlas of the Greek World, Facts on File,
NY, 1991-95, ISBN 0-87196-488-1).

All the best,

Walter Reinhold Warttig Mattfeld
Walldorf by Heidelberg
Baden-Wurttemburg,
Germany