9597. 'With cherubs' means the Lord's watchfulness, guarding it from the approach of the hells and the harm they can do. This is clear from the meaning of 'cherubs' as watchfulness and providence, preventing any approach to the Lord except through good and protecting from harm the good from the Lord which exists in heaven and with man, dealt with in 9509, consequently guarding heaven from the approach of the hells and the harm they can do.

Like most numbers in the Bible, "six" can have various meanings depending on context, but has a couple that are primary. When used in relation to time -- six days, six hours, six years, etc. -- six generally represents a state of labor, struggle and conflict, especially the conflict involved with spiritual growth. The six days of creation, for instance, represent the stages we go through in our lives, working toward the peaceful seventh day, in which our evil desires are removed from us and we can rest. In most other references, six represents all desires for good and all the true ideas that come from those desires for good -- or in the contrary sense, all evil and all the resulting false thinking.