Hebrews 9:5

9:5 And above the ark ¹  were the cherubim ²  of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Now is not the time to speak of these things in detail.

Hebrews 9:8

9:8 The Holy Spirit is making clear that the way into the holy place had not yet appeared as long as the old tabernacle ³  was standing.

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¹ tn Grk “above it”; in the translation the referent (the ark) has been specified for clarity.

² sn The cherubim (pl.) were an order of angels mentioned repeatedly in the OT but only here in the NT. They were associated with God’s presence, glory, and holiness. Their images that sat on top of the ark of the covenant are described in Exod 25:18-20.

³ tn Grk “the first tent.” The literal phrase “the first tent” refers to either (1) the outer chamber of the tabernacle in the wilderness (as in vv. 2, 6) or (2) the entire tabernacle as a symbol of the OT system of approaching God. The second is more likely given the contrast that follows in vv. 11-12.