Seraph
Six-winged celestial beings in Abrahamic traditions.
A seraph (plural seraphim) is a type of celestial being that first appeared in ancient Judaism, later appearing in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Christian angelology, seraphim are traditionally ranked highest, while in the Jewish angelic hierarchy they hold the fifth rank out of ten. The key description comes from the Book of Isaiah, where six-winged beings circle God’s throne, calling out “holy, holy, holy.” This image has deeply shaped theology, literature, and art.
The Hebrew word *saraph* means “burning” and appears seven times in the Hebrew Bible as a noun, usually referring to a serpent—in Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Isaiah. Why “burning” also meant “serpent” is debated; it may refer to a snake’s fiery color or the burning sensation of its venom. The plural *seraphim* appears in Numbers and Isaiah, but only in Isaiah does it denote an angelic being. Isaiah also uses the singular *saraph* for a “fiery flying serpent,” consistent with other uses in the Hebrew Bible.
Scholars increasingly link the motifs for seraphs in Hyksos-era Canaan to Egyptian uraeus iconography, where the uraeus symbolized sovereignty, royalty, divinity, and divine authority. Later Egyptian art sometimes showed winged uraei. During the early monarchic period of Israel and Judah, Egyptian motifs were widely borrowed, as seen on personal seals from commoners to royalty, featuring the winged sun, ankh, crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt, scarabs, and the uraeus cobra. These uraei often had four wings, unlike the Egyptian standard of two. These images may connect to Isaiah’s seraphim or to the “fiery flying serpent,” though this is debated. Serpentine seraphim conflict with Isaiah’s vision, which depicts them with heads, legs, and arms—though some scholars suggest the covered “feet” are a euphemism for genitals.
Isaiah chapter 6 is the only place in the Hebrew Bible where *seraphim* describes celestial beings. The vision places them in an idealized version of Solomon’s Temple: “I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
- Field
- Angelology, Theology
- Known for
- Six-winged beings surrounding the Throne of God, singing 'holy, holy, holy'
Lore & Background
In Hebrew, the word saraph, meaning 'burning,' is used seven times in the Hebrew Bible as a noun, usually to denote 'serpent.' The reason for this dual usage is not universally agreed upon; it may be due to a certain snake species' fiery colors or the burning sensation of its venomous bite. The plural form seraphim occurs in both Numbers and Isaiah, but only in Isaiah is it used to denote an angelic being. Isaiah later uses the singular saraph to describe a 'fiery flying serpent.' A consensus is emerging that the motifs used to display seraphs in Hyksos-era Canaan had their original sources in Egyptian uraeus iconography, where the uraeus was a symbol of sovereignty and divine authority. In the early monarchic period of Israel and Judah, Egyptian motifs were borrowed en masse, including winged uraei often with four wings. These images have been connected with seraphim angels or the 'fiery flying serpent,' but this continues to be debated. The vision in Isaiah Chapter 6 represents the sole instance in the Hebrew Bible of this word describing celestial beings. The seraphim each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. One seraph carried out ritual purification for the prophet by touching his lips with a live coal from the altar. Seraphim as winged celestial beings with a fiery passion for doing God's good work. At least one Hebrew scholar claims that in the Hebrew Bible, seraphim do not have the status of angels, and that only in later sources are they considered a division of divine messengers.
Reader's Guide
Seraphim appear in the second-century BC Book of Enoch, mentioned alongside cherubim as the heavenly creatures standing nearest to God's throne. In the Book of Revelation, four living creatures each having six wings are described as forever in God's presence, praising him with the same triple invocation of holiness. Medieval Christian theology places seraphim in the highest choir of the angelic hierarchy as caretakers of God's throne. Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite in his Celestial Hierarchy fixed the fiery nature of seraphim in the medieval imagination, giving an etymology as 'those who kindle or make hot.' In Judaism, the 12th-century scholar Maimonides placed seraphim in the fifth of ten ranks of angels. In Kabbalah, seraphim are the higher angels of the World of Beriah, whose understanding of their distance from the absolute divinity causes their continual 'burning up' in self-nullification. Isaiah's vision is repeated several times in daily Jewish services, including at the Kedushah prayer. The influence of the seraphim is frequently seen in works depicting angels, heaven, and apotheosis.
Did You Know?
- The Hebrew word saraph, meaning 'burning,' is also used to denote a serpent in the Hebrew Bible.
- Medieval theologian Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite gave an etymology for seraphim as 'those who kindle or make hot.'
- In Kabbalah, seraphim are said to 'burn up' in self-nullification due to their distance from the absolute divinity.
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