The Meaning of 2 Samuel 22:11 Explained

2 Samuel 22:11

KJV: And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind.

YLT: And He rideth on a cherub, and doth fly, And is seen on the wings of the wind.

Darby: And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly; And he was seen upon the wings of the wind.

ASV: And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly; Yea, he was seen upon the wings of the wind.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he rode  upon a cherub,  and did fly:  and he was seen  upon the wings  of the wind. 

What does 2 Samuel 22:11 Mean?

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 22

1  David's psalm of thanksgiving for God's deliverance and blessings

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 22:11 mean?

And He rode upon a cherub and flew and He was seen the wings of the wind
וַיִּרְכַּ֥ב עַל־ כְּר֖וּב וַיָּעֹ֑ף וַיֵּרָ֖א כַּנְפֵי־ רֽוּחַ

וַיִּרְכַּ֥ב  And  He  rode 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָכַב  
Sense: to mount and ride, ride.
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
כְּר֖וּב  a  cherub 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כְּרוּב  
Sense: cherub, cherubim (pl).
וַיָּעֹ֑ף  and  flew 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עוּף 
Sense: to fly, fly about, fly away.
וַיֵּרָ֖א  and  He  was  seen 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
כַּנְפֵי־  the  wings 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: כָּנָף  
Sense: wing, extremity, edge, winged, border, corner, shirt.
רֽוּחַ  of  the  wind 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.