Information about Cherubim

For the band, see Cherubs (band).

A cherub (Heb. כרוב, pl. כרובים kruvim, lat. cherub[us], pl cherubi[m]) is a supernatural entity mentioned several times in the Torah, and in the Book of Revelation (a New Testament text), as well as in Ezekiel and Isaiah. The correct plural can be written as cherubim or cherubs. Because most English speakers are unfamiliar with Hebrew plural formation, the word cherubims is sometimes incorrectly used as a plural, such as in the King James Bible^[1].

Religious perspectives

Judaism

Orthodox Judaism includes belief in the existence of angels, including Cherubim within the Jewish angelic hierarchy, as does Conservative Judaism, although some factions in the latter interpret certain liturgical references to Cherubim more figuratively. In accordance with the Talmud,^[2] when the Birkat HaMazon (Grace after Meals) is recited by at least ten thousand seated at one meal, the special blessing "Blessed is Ha-Shem our God, the God of Israel, who dwells between the Cherubim" is traditionally added to the regular liturgy.

The word is also used to refer to the depictions of Cherubim in Solomon's Temple, including the two cherubim that were part of the Ark of the Covenant. The Book of Numbers depicts the voice of God as speaking to Moses from between the two Cherubim atop the Ark (Numbers 7:89).

Reform Judaism and Reconstructionist Judaism generally either drop references to angels or interpret them metaphorically. However, in Kabbalah and in the tenets of Hassidic Judaism and Jewish mysticism, there has long been a strong belief in Cherubim, with the Cherubim, and other angels, regarded as having mystical roles. The Zohar, a highly significant collection of books in Jewish mysticism, states that the Cherubim were led by one of their number, named Kerubiel.^[3]

Christianity

In Catholic theology, as per the ideas presented in the writings of Pseudo-Dionysius, the cherubim are second highest rank in the angelic hierarchy, below the Seraphim. In western art, Putti are sometimes mistaken for Cherubim, although they look nothing alike.

Islam

To some extent the buraq — a flying animal white and long, larger than a donkey but smaller than a mule, which in Islam is considered to be the mount of the Prophets, may resemble the kirabu described below or other such composite creatures. The buraq is nowhere considered an angel, however. The angels in general are described in Islamic sources as capable of taking on numerous forms, most of them more or less human-like and including many of the features known in the Jewish and Christian traditions.

Contemporary Biblical criticism

Linguistic scholar Roland De Vaux wrote that the term cherubim is cognate with the Assyrian term karabu, Akkadian term kuribu, and Babylonian term karabu; the Assyrian term means 'great, mighty', but the Akkadian and Babylonian cognates mean 'propitious, blessed'.^[4][5] In some regions the Assyro-Babylonian term came to refer in particular to spirits which served the gods, in particular to the shedu (human-headed winged bulls)^[6]; According to the authors of the Jewish Encyclopedia, Assyrians sometimes referred to these as kirubu, a term grammatically related to karabu.^[7]

According to Peak's Commentary on the Bible, a number of scholars have proposed that cherubim were originally a version of the shedu, protective deities sometimes found as pairs of colossal statues either side of objects to be protected, such as doorways.^[8][9] However, although the shedu were popular in Mesopotamia, archaeological remains from the Levant suggest that they were quite rare in the immediate vicinity of the Israelites.^[10] The related Lammasu (human-headed winged lions — to which the sphinx is similar in appearance), on the other hand, were the most popular winged-creature in Phoenician art, and so most scholars suspect that Cherubim were originally a form of Lammasu.^[11] In particular, in a scene reminiscent of Ezekiel's dream, the Megiddo Ivories — ivory carvings found at Megiddo (which became a major Israelite city) — depict an unknown king being carried on his throne by hybrid winged-creatures.^[12] According to archaeologist Israel Finkelstein, the Israelites arose as a subculture in Canaanite society, and hence regarded it is as only natural for the Israelites to continue using Canaanite protective deities.^[13]

According to the editors of the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, the Lammasu was originally depicted as having a king's head, a lion's body, and an eagle's wings, but due to the artistic beauty of the wings, these rapidly became the most prominent part in imagery ^[14]; wings later came to be bestowed on men, thus forming the stereotypical image of an angel.^[15] The griffin — a similar creature but with an eagle's head rather than that of a king — has also been proposed as an origin, arising in Israelite culture as a result of Hittite usage of griffins (rather than being depicted as aggressive beasts, Hittite depictions show them seated calmly, as if guarding),^[16] and a few scholars have proposed that griffin may be cognate to cherubim, but Lammasu were significantly more important in Levantine culture, and thus more likely to be the origin.^[17]

According to the editors of the Jewish Encyclopedia, Early Israelite tradition conceived of the cherubim as guardians of the Garden of Eden, being devoid of human feelings, and holding a duty both to represent the gods and to guard sanctuaries from intruders, in a comparable way to an account found on Tablet 9 of the inscriptions found at Nimrud.^[18] In this view, cherubim, like the shedu, were probably originally depictions of storm deities, especially the storm winds.^[19] This view is offered as a hypothesis to explain the reason for cherubim being described as acting as the chariot of Yahweh in Ezekiel's dream, the Books of Samuel,^[20] the parallel passages in the later Book of Chronicles,^[21] and passages in the early Psalms^[22]:

"and he rode upon a cherub and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind".^[23][24]

Artistic depictions

There were no cherubim in the Herodian reconstruction of the Temple, but according to some authorities, its walls were painted with figures of cherubim^[25]; paintings of cherubim continued into Christian art. In Christianity, they are often represented in iconography as faces of a lion, ox, eagle, and man peering out from the center of an array of four wings (Ezekial 1v6,8, 10v12,21 Revelation 4v8); Seraphim have six; the most frequently encountered descriptor applied to Cherubim in Christianity is many-eyed, and in depictions the wings are often shown covered with a multitude of eyes (showing them to be all seeing beings). Since the Renaissance, in Western Christianity cherubim have sometimes become confused with putti—innocent souls, looking liked winged children, that sing praises to God daily—that can be seen in innumerable church frescoes and in the work of painters such as Raphael.

See also

• Cupid and Kama
• Cherubism (medical condition)
• CHERUB (children's book series)
• Hierarchy of Angels
• Putto

References

Bibliography

• De Vaux, Roland (tr. John McHugh), Ancient Israel: Its Life and Institutions (NY, McGraw-Hill, 1961)
• Moses Maimonides, Guide for the Perplexed Book III, Chap XLV. Dover Pubications. Paperback edition. p 356.
• Wright, G. Ernest, Biblical Archaeology (Philadelphia, Westminster Press, 1957)

External links

• Etymology of "cherub"
• AngelFocus — Dionysius Hierarchy of Angels
• Judaism FAQs: What about angels, demons, miracles, and the supernatural?
• Jewish Encyclopedia: Cherub
• Catholic Encyclopedia: Cherubim
• Cherub: Rock Band from Kingston Ontario Canada
• The Cherubims of Glory: Pastor Gary Garner studies the cherubim

Christian angelic hierarchy  •  • [ e]
First Sphere (liberated)	Seraphim • Cherubim • Ophanim (Thrones/Wheels)
Second Sphere (active)	Thrones • Dominions  • Principalities
Third Sphere (active)	Powers • Archangels • Angels

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CHERUB

The CHERUB Organisation Logo
Author	Robert Muchamore
Original title	CHERUB Series extra cantinamane
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Series	CHERUB
Genre(s)	Children's, Thriller, Spy novel
Publisher	Hodder and Stoughton
Publication date	30 April 2004

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CHERUB is a series of children's books written by the author Robert Muchamore about a group of children who are trained to be agents working for the British Government in the top secret organisation known as CHERUB. It is similar to the British security service MI5, and is based on the assumption that criminals are not likely to suspect a child of spying on them. Since the books have come out they have been a huge success selling over 750,000 copies worldwide. After the huge success in the United Kingdom they have been sold in the United States of America, New Zealand, Australia, Russia, Portugal, France and many other countries.

Series (in UK release order)

• ISBN 0340 88153 4

James Robert Choke is recruited by CHERUB after his mother dies. After training, he is soon sent on a mission to foil a mass murder led by a group of eco-terrorists called 'Help Earth'.

• ISBN 0340 88154 2

CHERUB Class A has been republished under two different names - CHERUB: The Dealer and CHERUB: The Mission

James is sent on a mission to spy on a drug dealer. To succeed he becomes friends with drug dealers and deals in drugs himself. When James comes close to using drugs his CHERUB career is put in jeopardy. Nicole got expelled on this mission because of taking cocaine.

• ISBN 0340 884355

James becomes an inmate of a high security prison, but finds that his mission becomes more complicated than he thought it would be when his accomplice Dave is injured in a fight and can't carry on with the mission. He then goes on a high-speed getaway chase.

• ISBN 0340 894334

Somehow, a small time crook manages to get his hands on a fortune; MI5 needs to know how.

• ISBN 0340 894342

When CHERUB discovers a link between terrorist group Help Earth and a wealthy religious cult called the Survivors, the authorities need to know why.

• ISBN 0340 91169 7

James, Lauren and Kyle go undercover as animal rights protesters in order to bust a series of terrorist groups; the AFA (Animal Freedom Army) and the AFM (Animal Freedom Militia). The life of a man now rests in James, Kyle and Lauren's hands.

• ISBN 0340 91170 0

When an MI5 operation goes wrong, James needs all of his skills to get out of Russia alive. Meanwhile, his sister Lauren is on her first solo mission, trying to uncover a brutal human trafficking operation.

• ISBN 0340911719

The British underworld is controlled by gangs, and when two of them start a turf war violence explodes on to the streets. The police need information fast, and James has the contacts to infiltrate the most dangerous gang of all. This book is the sequel to CHERUB: Class A.

• ISBN TBC, to be published February 2008

The plot of the book centers around an airliner crash investigation. It'll also be the first book where Lauren and her friends get the leading role. James has a subplot where he's on work experience. Things go badly wrong...

• ISBN TBC, to be published World Book Day, March 2008

About a CHERUB agent trying to stop a weapons dealer.

• ISBN TBC, to be published October 2008.

The plot of the book is unknown. James gets the leading role in the story.

• ISBN TBC To be published in 2009.

• ISBN TBC To be published in 2010.

Henderson Boys

see also Henderson Boys

An eight book planned series about the early days of CHERUB when Charles Henderson was around.

Sales

The CHERUB series have sold more than 750,000 copies worldwide according to CHERUB Campus website now.

Film

Production company Jigsaw Films have bought the rights to a film version of the CHERUB books. The script is being written by Chris Smith, director of horror films Creep and Severance. The release date is thought to be released in 2008 or 2009 according to an interview[1].

Characters

The following are characters from CHERUBS, including CHERUBS, staff at CHERUB Campus and villains.

• James Robert Anthony Adams, born James Robert Choke in 1991, Tufnell Park, London, England: The main character in the books, which so far are focused on his experiences. He suffers from anger management problems which get him into trouble regularly. He excels at mathematics and is good in other subjects, although at the start of the series he is not motivated to do the set work. At the beginning of The Recruit he is expelled from school, his mother dies and he is put in a foster home, where he is recruited to CHERUB by Kyle Blueman.
• Lauren Zoe Adams, born Lauren Zoe Onions in 1994, Tufnell Park, London, England: James's half sister, who is forced to live with her father, Ron Onions, a violent layabout known to smuggle cigarettes, for the start of the first book. She is recruited to CHERUB later. She accompanies James on his missions in Maximum Security, Divine Madness and Man Vs. Beast. She begins going out with "Rat" in "The Fall". Lauren gets the role of main character in the upcoming book 'CHERUB: The Sleepwalker'.
• Kyle Blueman, born 1989, United Kingdom: A key character in The Recruit as he helps to get James settled in at the care home. He's always out to make some money, but the only scheme that actually works is his pirate DVD business. In Class A, he admits to James that he is a homosexual, and gets his first boyfriend in Man Vs. Beast. Kyle accompanies James on missions in Class A, Man Vs Beast and Mad Dogs.
• Kerry Chang, born Ling Chang in 1992: James meets Kerry shortly after joining CHERUB, shares a basic training program with her and she becomes a very good friend, sharing an on/off romance with him. They first go out in Class A before breaking up in "The Killing" after James beats up Andy Lagan for laughing at him. They get back together later in the novel but they break up again in" The Fall". In Class A, Kerry accompanies James, Kyle and Nicole on their mission, posing as their adoptive sister.
• Amy Collins, born Josephine Amy Pegg in 1987, Prestwich, Greater Manchester, England: Amy was James's swimming instructor, and acted as his elder sister on his first mission in The Recruit. She retired from CHERUB after taking her A-Levels and moved to Australia to live with her brother.
• Shakeel "Shak" Dajani, born Ahamd Shakeel in 1992, Egypt: Shakeel was on basic training with James and Kerry.His father was an asylum seeker from Egypt who died as a result of a heart attack. Shak excels at team sports especially rugby. Shak is not very clever for CHERUB standards but he tries very hard to keep up.
• Nicole Eddison, born Nikki Vandome in 1992, Tottenham, London, England: Nicole was on basic training with James and Kerry, but dropped out on her first day, after being told she was too fat. She eventually completed basic training, but was permanently excluded from CHERUB after snorting cocaine in Class A.
• Michael Hendry, born Jordan Lindsay in 1991, Ipswich, England.
• Andy Lagan, born Christopher Holmes in 1995, Salford, England: A boy that James beats up for laughing at him. He is later Rat's best friend.
• David "Dave" Moss, born David Rogers in 1986, Eastry, Kent, England: Dave is James's partner in Maximum Security and in The Killing. He is known as one of the coolest guys on the CHERUB campus, having won all martial art competitions he had entered at CHERUB, as well as having an exceptional success rate on missions. In the past he impregnated another member of CHERUB. He retired from CHERUB after The Killing.
• Bruce Norris, born Aled Thomas in 1992, Prestatyn, Wales: James met Bruce when he had his martial arts test, and has since been on missions with him. Though he acts tough, he has a teddy bear named Jeremy.
• Gabrielle O'Brien, born Gabrielle Ruthven in 1991, Jamaica: Gabrielle is Kerry Chang's best friend and was on basic training with Kerry and James.
• Bethany Parker, born Elissa Bethany Paloma in Newcastle Under Lyme, England: Bethany is Lauren's best friend. James generally can't stand her, often to the annoyance of Lauren.
• Jake Parker, born Jacob Paloma in 1996, Newcastle Under Lyme, England: Jake is Bethany's younger brother. By Lauren he is called a 'dick' near the start of the climax of the gigantic food fight taking place at the end of 'The Fall'.
• Greg "Rat" Rathbone, born Rathbone Regan in 1994, Northern Territory, Australia: Rat was brought up under harsh physical conditions in the Australian Outback. Rat is highly intelligent, although tests undertaken on CHERUB campus have failed to replicate the IQ of 197 that he claimed to possess while living in the Survivor's Ark. He secretly begins going out with Lauren and later on they tell everyone that they are going out in "The Fall".
• Connor Reilly, born Connor Farnworth in 1993, Croydon, Surrey, England: Connor is Callum Reilly's identical twin, and was on basic training with James and Kerry. He completed the training the first time, whereas Callum dropped out.
• Callum Reilly, born Callum Farnworth in 1993, Croydon, Surrey, England: Callum is Connor Reilly's identical twin, and was on basic training with James and Kerry. He had to drop out when he broke his arm, but completed training on his second attempt.
• Dana Smith, born Danielle McQueen in 1991, Queensland, Australia: Dana was on combat training with James. She accompanied James and Lauren on their mission in Divine Madness, posing as their sister. In The Fall, she becomes James' girlfriend, after helping him through some tricky business.
• Kevin Sumner, born Kevin Peterson in 1997, Farnborough, England. Has a fear of heights, but he is rather rambunctious at times. His fear of heights and his anger, along with James and Bruce, help him through the pressure in The Fall.
• Megan Sumner, born Megan Peterson in 2000: Kevin's younger sister. No one knows where she lives now. but people suspect that when she turns 10 in 2010, she will join CHERUB.

Awards

The CHERUB books have won various awards.

• Red House Awards 2005

CHERUB: The Recruit Winner - Older readers category

Other Awards:

• Bolton Children's Book Award 2005 - Winner
• Medway Children's Book Award 2005 - Winner
• Bishop Luffa Children's Book Award 2005 - Winner
• Salford Children's Book Award 2006 – Winner
• Doncaster Children's Book Award 2005 – Runner Up
• Sakura Medal - Winner 2007

• Portsmouth Children's Book Award - Winner 2006
• Grampian Children's Book Award - Runner up 2006
• Doncaster Children's Book Award

- Runner up 2006

• Lancashire Children's Book Award - Winner 2007

CHERUB Campus

CHERUB Campus is located in the English countryside, with barbed wire and large boundaries separating it from farmland. It is well equipped, with facilities including 4 swimming pools, 2 obstacle courses (1 for all cherubs and 1 for basic training), 6 tennis courts, 2 all weather football fields and a dojo.

Each Cherub has their own room, separated into two blocks with different facilities. Red Shirts, who have not yet passed Basic Training, often share rooms. They are also allowed to keep pets in their rooms. Light blue shirts, who are undergoing Basic Training, live in the Basic Training compound, and are allowed no contact with Cherubs outside of the compound. Grey, Navy and Black Shirts have their own rooms in the main building, with an en-suite bathroom, a microwave, a television, plus a bed and a computer.

There is a RAF airstrip behind cherub campus. There is also a town nearby, where Cherubs are allowed to spend free time.

Provided Cherubs aren't away on missions, they spend 5 weeks in a summer in a hostel on a Mediterranean island. The island is called Caristalentra.

Other Countries

Below is a list of years when the CHERUB books were/will be released around the world.

2004:

• United Kingdom
• New Zealand
• Hong Kong
• Australia
• Canada

2005:

• Russia
• United States of America
• Germany

2007:

• France
• Portugal
• Belgium
• Holland
• Czech Republic
• Estonia
• Poland
• China
• Taiwan
• Denmark
• Switzerland

2008:

• Japan
• India

T-shirts

The rank of a Cherub is displayed by the colour t-shirt worn by the child.

• The orange t-shirt is for guests on campus. Cherubs are only allowed to talk to someone in an orange t-shirt if the Chairman gives them permission.
• The red t-shirts are worn by Cherubs who are not qualified to enter basic training. This is usually because they are under 10 years of age, though another reason is because they were unable to complete basic training for some other reason, such as recruitment after their 10th birthday. Cherub accepts children from age 6 upwards, though sometimes a younger child is admitted if they have an older brother or sister.
• The blue t-shirt is the trainee shirt and is worn for the duration of the 100 day basic training program.
• The grey t-shirt is what you earn if you make it through training and qualify as an agent. All qualified agents wear this t-shirt unless they are alowwed to "Go Dark".
• The navy t-shirt is awarded for outstanding performance on a single mission.
• The black t-shirt is awarded for outstanding performance over a number of missions. They are given entirely at the discretion of the Chairman. Most of cherubs can expect to receive one before they retire.
• The white t-shirt is for retired cherubs when they come back to visit friends or attend a reunion. Many CHERUB staff also wear the white shirt.

The acronym "CHERUB"

The acronym 'CHERUB' has an unknown meaning. However, it has been promised that the acronym will be revealed in the final book. The story James is told in the first book is thus, though it's widely believed to be untrue. The founder of CHERUB, Charles Henderson, was murdered by his wife before he could reveal why he named the organization such. However, since he had already had several items monogrammed, the name was kept. It has been revealed that the first two letters stand for the initials of the founder, Charles Henderson. There is a long discussion thread on the forums speculating what the remaining letters stand for, though the author, Robert Muchamore, hasn't yet confirmed any suggestions. There is a rumour going round that it stands for Charles Henderson's Elite Reconnaissance Unit for Boys.

References

External links

• Official site
• Official forums
• CHERUB Wiki
• CHERUB Archives
• German Site
• French Site