Difference between revisions of "Cherub"
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| − | ''' | + | '''Cherub''' is a [[singular]] [[noun]] in [[Hebrew]], the language from which it comes. In [[academic English]] the preferred [[plural]] is '''cherubim'''. |
The Hebrew word, which is used in the Christian Bible following the Jewish Bible, has a regular plural which may be transcribed in English as cherubim or, more accurately, k'rūbīm (''[[OED]]''). This used to be given in English (and still is in French and other European languages) as cherubin. At various times these words were thought of as singular forms, so there have been plurals like cherubims and cherubins. With the growth of Hebrew scholarship in Europe in the 16th [[Century]], these came to be seen as errors, and are now never used by those who like to show that they are educated. You may also like to see the related word [[seraph]]im. | The Hebrew word, which is used in the Christian Bible following the Jewish Bible, has a regular plural which may be transcribed in English as cherubim or, more accurately, k'rūbīm (''[[OED]]''). This used to be given in English (and still is in French and other European languages) as cherubin. At various times these words were thought of as singular forms, so there have been plurals like cherubims and cherubins. With the growth of Hebrew scholarship in Europe in the 16th [[Century]], these came to be seen as errors, and are now never used by those who like to show that they are educated. You may also like to see the related word [[seraph]]im. | ||
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::The plural form '''cherubs''' is little used in academic English | ::The plural form '''cherubs''' is little used in academic English | ||
| − | The orthodox form may | + | The orthodox form may be seen in such [[hymn]]s as ''Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!'' (Reginald Heber, 1783–1826): |
::Holy, Holy, Holy! all the saints adore thee, | ::Holy, Holy, Holy! all the saints adore thee, | ||
Revision as of 18:54, 15 April 2020
Cherub is a singular noun in Hebrew, the language from which it comes. In academic English the preferred plural is cherubim.
The Hebrew word, which is used in the Christian Bible following the Jewish Bible, has a regular plural which may be transcribed in English as cherubim or, more accurately, k'rūbīm (OED). This used to be given in English (and still is in French and other European languages) as cherubin. At various times these words were thought of as singular forms, so there have been plurals like cherubims and cherubins. With the growth of Hebrew scholarship in Europe in the 16th Century, these came to be seen as errors, and are now never used by those who like to show that they are educated. You may also like to see the related word seraphim.
- The plural form cherubs is little used in academic English
The orthodox form may be seen in such hymns as Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty! (Reginald Heber, 1783–1826):
- Holy, Holy, Holy! all the saints adore thee,
- Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea
- Cherubim and Seraphim falling down before thee,
- Which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.
