2 Samuel 22:11
in 2 Samuel 22He mounted a cherub and flew; He soared on the wings of the wind.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly; Yea, he was seen upon the wings of the wind.
KJV
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 22
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
he rode upon a cherub, and did fly
on 2 Samuel 22:11-12
He rode upon a cherub, and did fly gives God a chariot out of the same imagery later prophets develop at length, and Adam Clarke notes the Hebrew sound of the line matches its sense, wind rushing under the words themselves. The pavilion of dark waters and thick clouds pictures the Lord advancing hidden inside the storm he commands, known only by his effects until he acts.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
God hastened to his succour, and came to him with seasonable relief, though he had seemed at a distance; yet he was a God hiding himself ( Isa. xiv. 15 ), for he made darkness his pavilion (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind. See Gill on Psa 18:10.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
He rode upon a cherub, and did fly - he was seen upon the things of the wind - In the original of this sublime passage, sense and sound are astonishingly well connected.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
He bent heaven. To take revenge from His enemies, from Mitzrayim and from Pharoah.
2 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
He put [a protective] darkness around. For [protective] cover as it says, "The pillar of cloud and the darkness separated between Mitzrayim and Yisroel." 12 See Shemos:20.
And He bent down the heavens and his Glory was revealed, and a dark cloud covered before Him.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּרְכַּ֥ב | vaiyirkav | and he rode | H7392 → | 78 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כְּר֖וּב | keruv | a cherub | H3742 → | |
| וַיָּעֹ֑ף | vaiyaof | and he flew | H5774 → | |
| וַיֵּרָ֖א | vaiyera' | and he appeared | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כַּנְפֵי־ | kanfei- | [the] wings of | H3671 → | |
| רֽוּחַ׃ | ruach | [the] wind | H7307 → | 378 times |
וַיִּרְכַּ֥בand he rode
vaiyirkavH7392 →78 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כְּר֖וּבa cherub
keruvH3742 →
וַיָּעֹ֑ףand he flew
vaiyaofH5774 →
וַיֵּרָ֖אand he appeared
vaiyera'H7200 →1300 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כַּנְפֵי־[the] wings of
kanfei-H3671 →
רֽוּחַ׃[the] wind
ruachH7307 →378 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 1:14Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
it leads to
- Psalms 34:7
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and he delivers them.
- Psalms 103:20–21
Bless the LORD, all His angels mighty in strength who carry out His word, who hearken to the voice of His command.
- Psalms 91:11–12
For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
- Matthew 18:10
See that you do not look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven.
- Daniel 6:22
My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O…
- Psalms 34:7
Through
1 Samuel 4:4So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni…
it leads to
- Psalms 80:1
Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock; You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 99:1
The LORD reigns; let the nations tremble! He is enthroned above the cherubim; let the earth quake!
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 80:1
Through
Psalms 104:3laying the beams of His chambers in the waters above, making the clouds His chariot, walking on the wings of the wind.
it leads to
- Amos 9:6
He builds His upper rooms in the heavens and founds His vault upon the earth. He summons the waters of the sea and pours them over the face of the earth. The LORD is…
- Amos 9:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 2 Samuel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.