1 Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
2 And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.
3 Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.
4 Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD's glory.
5 And the sound of the cherubims' wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.
6 And it came to pass, that when he had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubims; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels.
7 And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out.
8 And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man's hand under their wings.
9 And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone.
10 And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel.
11 When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.
12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.
13 As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel.
14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
15 And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar.
16 And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them.
17 When they stood, these stood; and when they were lifted up, these lifted up themselves also: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
18 Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims.
19 And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.
21 Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
22 And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: they went every one straight forward.
1 Then I looked, H7200 and, behold, in the firmament H7549 that was above the head H7218 of the cherubims H3742 there appeared H7200 over them as it were a sapphire H5601 stone, H68 as the appearance H4758 of the likeness H1823 of a throne. H3678
2 And he spake H559 unto the man H376 clothed H3847 with linen, H906 and said, H559 Go in H935 between H996 the wheels, H1534 even under the cherub, H3742 and fill H4390 thine hand H2651 with coals H1513 of fire H784 from between H996 the cherubims, H3742 and scatter H2236 them over the city. H5892 And he went in H935 in my sight. H5869
3 Now the cherubims H3742 stood H5975 on the right side H3225 of the house, H1004 when the man H376 went in; H935 and the cloud H6051 filled H4390 the inner H6442 court. H2691
4 Then the glory H3519 of the LORD H3068 went up H7311 from the cherub, H3742 and stood over the threshold H4670 of the house; H1004 and the house H1004 was filled H4390 with the cloud, H6051 and the court H2691 was full H4390 of the brightness H5051 of the LORD'S H3068 glory. H3519
5 And the sound H6963 of the cherubims' H3742 wings H3671 was heard H8085 even to the outer H2435 court, H2691 as the voice H6963 of the Almighty H7706 God H410 when he speaketh. H1696
6 And it came to pass, that when he had commanded H6680 the man H376 clothed H3847 with linen, H906 saying, H559 Take H3947 fire H784 from between the wheels, H1534 from between the cherubims; H3742 then he went in, H935 and stood H5975 beside H681 the wheels. H212
7 And one cherub H3742 stretched forth H7971 his hand H3027 from between the cherubims H3742 unto the fire H784 that was between the cherubims, H3742 and took H5375 thereof, and put H5414 it into the hands H2651 of him that was clothed H3847 with linen: H906 who took H3947 it, and went out. H3318
8 And there appeared H7200 in the cherubims H3742 the form H8403 of a man's H120 hand H3027 under their wings. H3671
9 And when I looked, H7200 behold the four H702 wheels H212 by H681 the cherubims, H3742 one H259 wheel H212 by H681 one H259 cherub, H3742 and another H259 wheel H212 by H681 another H259 cherub: H3742 and the appearance H4758 of the wheels H212 was as the colour H5869 of a beryl H8658 stone. H68
10 And as for their appearances, H4758 they four H702 had one H259 likeness, H1823 as if a wheel H212 had been in the midst H8432 of a wheel. H212
11 When they went, H3212 they went H3212 upon their four H702 sides; H7253 they turned H5437 not as they went, H3212 but to the place H4725 whither the head H7218 looked H6437 they followed H3212 H310 it; they turned H5437 not as they went. H3212
12 And their whole body, H1320 and their backs, H1354 and their hands, H3027 and their wings, H3671 and the wheels, H212 were full H4392 of eyes H5869 round about, H5439 even the wheels H212 that they four H702 had.
13 As for the wheels, H212 it was cried H7121 unto them in my hearing, H241 O wheel. H1534
14 And every one H259 had four H702 faces: H6440 the first H259 face H6440 was the face H6440 of a cherub, H3742 and the second H8145 face H6440 was the face H6440 of a man, H120 and the third H7992 the face H6440 of a lion, H738 and the fourth H7243 the face H6440 of an eagle. H5404
15 And the cherubims H3742 were lifted up. H7426 This is the living creature H2416 that I saw H7200 by the river H5104 of Chebar. H3529
16 And when the cherubims H3742 went, H3212 the wheels H212 went H3212 by them: H681 and when the cherubims H3742 lifted up H5375 their wings H3671 to mount up H7311 from the earth, H776 the same wheels H212 also H1992 turned H5437 not from beside H681 them.
17 When they stood, H5975 these stood; H5975 and when they were lifted up, H7311 these lifted up H7426 themselves also: for the spirit H7307 of the living creature H2416 was in them.
18 Then the glory H3519 of the LORD H3068 departed H3318 from off the threshold H4670 of the house, H1004 and stood H5975 over the cherubims. H3742
19 And the cherubims H3742 lifted up H5375 their wings, H3671 and mounted up H7426 from the earth H776 in my sight: H5869 when they went out, H3318 the wheels H212 also were beside H5980 them, and every one stood H5975 at the door H6607 of the east H6931 gate H8179 of the LORD'S H3068 house; H1004 and the glory H3519 of the God H430 of Israel H3478 was over them above. H4605
20 This is the living creature H2416 that I saw H7200 under the God H430 of Israel H3478 by the river H5104 of Chebar; H3529 and I knew H3045 that they were the cherubims. H3742
21 Every one H259 had four H702 faces H6440 apiece, H259 and every one H259 four H702 wings; H3671 and the likeness H1823 of the hands H3027 of a man H120 was under their wings. H3671
22 And the likeness H1823 of their faces H6440 was the same H1992 faces H6440 which I saw H7200 by the river H5104 of Chebar, H3529 their appearances H4758 and themselves: they went H3212 every one H376 straight H5676 forward. H6440
1 Then I looked, and behold, in the firmament that was over the head of the cherubim there appeared above them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
2 And he spake unto the man clothed in linen, and said, Go in between the whirling `wheels', even under the cherub, and fill both thy hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.
3 Now the cherubim stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.
4 And the glory of Jehovah mounted up from the cherub, `and stood' over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of Jehovah's glory.
5 And the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of God Almighty when he speaketh.
6 And it came to pass, when he commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim, that he went in, and stood beside a wheel.
7 And the cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubim unto the fire that was between the cherubim, and took `thereof', and put it into the hands of him that was clothed in linen, who took it and went out.
8 And there appeared in the cherubim the form of a man's hand under their wings.
9 And I looked, and behold, four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside one cherub, and another wheel beside another cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like unto a beryl stone.
10 And as for their appearance, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel have been within a wheel.
11 When they went, they went in their four directions: they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.
12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, `even' the wheels that they four had.
13 As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, the whirling `wheels'.
14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third face the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
15 And the cherubim mounted up: this is the living creature that I saw by the river Chebar.
16 And when the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the wheels also turned not from beside them.
17 When they stood, these stood; and when they mounted up, these mounted up with them: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
18 And the glory of Jehovah went forth from over the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim.
19 And the cherubim lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight when they went forth, and the wheels beside them: and they stood at the door of the east gate of Jehovah's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar; and I knew that they were cherubim.
21 Every one had four faces, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
22 And as for the likeness of their faces, they were the faces which I saw by the river Chebar, their appearances and themselves; they went every one straight forward.
1 And I look, and lo, on the expanse that `is' above the head of the cherubs, as a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne, He hath been seen over them.
2 And He speaketh unto the man clothed with linen, and saith, `Go in unto the midst of the wheel, unto the place of the cherub, and fill thy hands with coals of fire from between the cherubs, and scatter over the city.' And he goeth in before mine eyes.
3 And the cherubs are standing on the right side of the house, at the going in of the man, and the cloud hath filled the inner court,
4 and become high doth the honour of Jehovah above the cherub, over the threshold of the house, and the house is filled with the cloud, and the court hath been filled with the brightness of the honour of Jehovah.
5 And a noise of the wings of the cherubs hath been heard unto the outer court, as the voice of God -- the Mighty One -- in His speaking.
6 And it cometh to pass, in His commanding the man clothed with linen, saying, `Take fire from between the wheel, from between the cherubs,' and he goeth in and standeth near the wheel,
7 that the `one' cherub putteth forth his hand from between the cherubs unto the fire that `is' between the cherubs, and lifteth up, and giveth into the hands of him who is clothed with linen, and he receiveth, and cometh forth.
8 And there appeareth in the cherubs the form of a hand of man under their wings,
9 and I look, and lo, four wheels near the cherubs, one wheel near the one cherub, and another wheel near the other cherub, and the appearance of the wheels `is' as the colour of a beryl stone.
10 As to their appearances, one likeness `is' to them four, as it were the wheel in the midst of the wheel.
11 In their going, on their four sides they go; they turn not round in their going, for to the place whither the head turneth, after it they go, they turn not round in their going.
12 And all their flesh, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, are full of eyes round about; to them four `are' their wheels.
13 To the wheels -- to them is one calling in mine ears, `O wheel!'
14 And four faces `are' to each; the face of the one `is' the face of the cherub, and the face of the second the face of man, and of the third the face of a lion, and of the fourth the face of an eagle.
15 And the cherubs are lifted up, it `is' the living creature that I saw by the river Chebar.
16 And in the going of the cherubs, the wheels go beside them; and in the cherubs lifting up their wings to be high above the earth, the wheels turn not round, even they, from being beside them.
17 In their standing they stand, and in their exaltation they are exalted with them: for the living spirit `is' in them.
18 And go forth doth the honour of Jehovah from off the threshold of the house, and standeth over the cherubs,
19 and the cherubs lift up their wings, and are lifted up from the earth before mine eyes; in their going forth, the wheels also `are' over-against them, and he standeth at the opening of the east gate of the house of Jehovah, and the honour of the God of Israel `is' over them from above.
20 It `is' the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar, and I know that they are cherubs.
21 Four faces `are' to each, and four wings to each, and the likeness of the hands of man `is' under their wings.
22 As to the likeness of their faces, they `are' the faces that I saw by the river Chebar, their appearances and themselves; each straight forward they go.
1 And I looked, and behold, in the expanse that was over the head of the cherubim there appeared above them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
2 And he spoke unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Come in between the wheels, under the cherub, and fill the hollow of thy hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.
3 And the cherubim stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.
4 And the glory of Jehovah mounted up from the cherub, [and came] over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of Jehovah's glory.
5 And the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty ùGod when he speaketh.
6 And it came to pass when he had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubim, then he went in, and stood beside the wheel.
7 And the cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubim unto the fire that was between the cherubim, and took and put it into the hands of him [that was] clothed with linen; who took [it], and went out.
8 And there appeared in the cherubim the form of a man's hand under their wings.
9 And I looked, and behold, four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside one cherub, and another wheel beside another cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was as the look of a chrysolite stone.
10 And as for their appearance, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel were in the midst of a wheel.
11 When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it: they turned not as they went.
12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels were full of eyes round about, in them four [and] their wheels.
13 As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, Galgal.
14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
15 And the cherubim mounted up. This was the living creature that I saw by the river Chebar.
16 And when the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them.
17 When they stood, these stood; and when they mounted up, these mounted up with them: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
18 And the glory of Jehovah departed from over the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim.
19 And the cherubim lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight, when they went out; and the wheels were beside them; and they stood at the door of the east gate of Jehovah's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar; and I knew that they were cherubim.
21 Each one had four faces, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
22 And as for the likeness of their faces, they were the faces which I had seen by the river Chebar -- their appearance and themselves: they went every one straight before them.
1 Then I looked, and see, in the expanse that was over the head of the cherubim there appeared above them as it were a sapphire{or, lapis lazuli} stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
2 He spoke to the man clothed in linen, and said, Go in between the whirling [wheels], even under the cherub, and fill both your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city. He went in as I watched.
3 Now the cherubim stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.
4 The glory of Yahweh mounted up from the cherub, [and stood] over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of Yahweh's glory.
5 The sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.
6 It came to pass, when he commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim, that he went in, and stood beside a wheel.
7 The cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubim to the fire that was between the cherubim, and took [of it], and put it into the hands of him who was clothed in linen, who took it and went out.
8 There appeared in the cherubim the form of a man's hand under their wings.
9 I looked, and behold, four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside one cherub, and another wheel beside another cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like a beryl stone.
10 As for their appearance, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel have been within a wheel.
11 When they went, they went in their four directions: they didn't turn as they went, but to the place where the head looked they followed it; they didn't turn as they went.
12 Their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, [even] the wheels that they four had.
13 As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, the whirling [wheels].
14 Every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third face the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
15 The cherubim mounted up: this is the living creature that I saw by the river Chebar.
16 When the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the wheels also didn't turn from beside them.
17 When they stood, these stood; and when they mounted up, these mounted up with them: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
18 The glory of Yahweh went forth from over the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim.
19 The cherubim lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight when they went forth, and the wheels beside them: and they stood at the door of the east gate of Yahweh's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar; and I knew that they were cherubim.
21 Every one had four faces, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
22 As for the likeness of their faces, they were the faces which I saw by the river Chebar, their appearances and themselves; they went every one straight forward.
1 Then looking, I saw that on the arch which was over the head of the winged ones there was seen over them what seemed like a sapphire stone, having the form of a king's seat.
2 And he said to the man clothed in linen, Go in between the wheels, under the winged ones, and get your two hands full of burning coals from between the winged ones and send them in a shower over the town. And he went in before my eyes.
3 Now the winged ones were stationed on the right side of the house when the man went in; and the inner square was full of the cloud.
4 And the glory of the Lord went up from the winged ones and came to rest over the doorstep of the house; and the house was full of the cloud and the open square was full of the shining of the Lord's glory.
5 And the sound of the wings of the winged ones was clear even in the outer square, like the voice of the Ruler of all.
6 And when he gave orders to the man clothed in linen, saying, Take fire from between the wheels, from between the winged ones, then he went in and took his place at the side of a wheel.
7 And stretching out his hand to the fire which was between the winged ones, he took some of it and went out.
8 And I saw the form of a man's hands among the winged ones under their wings.
9 And looking, I saw four wheels by the side of the winged ones, one wheel by the side of a winged one and another wheel by the side of another: and the wheels were like the colour of a beryl stone to the eye.
10 In form the four of them were all the same, they seemed like a wheel inside a wheel.
11 When they were moving, they went on their four sides without turning; they went after the head in the direction in which it was looking; they went without turning.
12 And the edges of the four wheels were full of eyes round about.
13 As for the wheels, they were named in my hearing, the circling wheels.
14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a winged one, and the second was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
15 And the winged ones went up on high: this is the living being which I saw by the river Chebar.
16 And when the winged ones went, the wheels went by their side: and when their wings were lifted to take them up from the earth, the wheels were not turned from their side.
17 When they were at rest in their place, these were at rest; when they were lifted up, these went up with them: for the spirit of life was in them.
18 Then the glory of the Lord went out from the doorstep of the house, and came to rest over the winged ones.
19 And the winged ones, lifting up their wings, went up from the earth before my eyes, with the wheels by their side: and they came to rest at the east doorway of the Lord's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them on high.
20 This is the living being which I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar; and it was clear to me that they were the winged ones.
21 Every one had four faces and every one had four wings; and hands like a man's hands were under their wings.
22 As for the form of their faces, they were the faces whose form I saw by the river Chebar; when they went, every one of them went straight forward.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Ezekiel 10
Commentary on Ezekiel 10 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
Burning of Jerusalem, and Withdrawal of the Glory of Jehovah from the Sanctuary
This chapter divides itself into two sections. In Ezekiel 10:1-8 the prophet is shown how Jerusalem is to be burned with fire. In Ezekiel 10:9-22 he is shown how Jehovah will forsake His temple.
The angel scatters coals of fire over Jerusalem. - Ezekiel 10:1. And I saw, and behold upon the firmament, which was above the cherubim, it was like sapphire-stone, to look at as the likeness of a throne; He appeared above them. Ezekiel 10:2. And He spake to the man clothed in white linen, and said: Come between the wheels below the cherubim, and fill thy hollow hands with fire-coals from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city: and he came before my eyes. Ezekiel 10:3. And the cherubim stood to the right of the house when the man came, and the cloud filled the inner court. Ezekiel 10:4. And the glory of Jehovah had lifted itself up from the cherubim to the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the splendour of the glory of Jehovah. Ezekiel 10:5. And the noise of the wings of the cherubim was heard to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when He speaketh. Ezekiel 10:6. And it came to pass, when He commanded the man clothed in white linen, and said, Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubim, and he came and stood by the side of the wheel, Ezekiel 10:7. That the cherub stretched out his hand between the cherubim to the fire, which was between the cherubim, and lifted (some) off and gave it into the hands of the man clothed in white linen. And he took it, and went out. Ezekiel 10:8. And there appeared by the cherubim the likeness of a man's hand under their wings. - Ezekiel 10:1 introduces the description of the second act of the judgment. According to Ezekiel 9:3, Jehovah had come down from His throne above the cherubim to the threshold of the temple to issue His orders thence for the judgment upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and according to Ezekiel 10:4 He goes thither once more. Consequently He had resumed His seat above the cherubim in the meantime. This is expressed in Ezekiel 10:1, not indeed in so many words, but indirectly or by implication. Ezekiel sees the theophany; and on the firmament above the cherubim, like sapphire-stone to look at, he beholds the likeness of a throne on which Jehovah appeared. To avoid giving too great prominence in this appearance of Jehovah to the bodily or human form, Ezekiel does not speak even here of the form of Jehovah, but simply of His throne, which he describes in the same manner as in Ezekiel 1:26. אל stands for על according to the later usage of the language. It will never do to take אל in its literal sense, as Kliefoth does, and render the words: “Ezekiel saw it move away to the firmament;” for the object to ואראה והנּה is not יהוה or כּבוד , but the form of the throne sparkling in sapphire-stone; and this throne had not separated itself from the firmament above the cherubim, but Jehovah, or the glory of Jehovah, according to Ezekiel 9:3, had risen up from the cherubim, and moved away to the temple threshold. The כּ before מראה is not to be erased, as Hitzig proposes after the lxx, on the ground that it is not found in Ezekiel 1:26; it is quite appropriate here. For the words do not affirm that Ezekiel saw the likeness of a throne like sapphire-stone; but that he saw something like sapphire-stone, like the appearance of the form of a throne. Ezekiel does not see Jehovah, or the glory of Jehovah, move away to the firmament, and then return to the throne. He simply sees once more the resemblance of a throne upon the firmament, and the Lord appearing thereon. The latter is indicated in נראה עליהם . These words are not to be taken in connection with ' כּמראה וגו , so as to form one sentence; but have been very properly separated by the athnach under כּסּא , and treated as an independent assertion. The subject to נראה might, indeed, be דּמוּת כּסּא , “the likeness of a throne appeared above the cherubim;” but in that case the words would form a pure tautology, as the fact of the throne becoming visible has already been mentioned in the preceding clause. The subject must therefore be Jehovah, as in the case of ויּאמר in Ezekiel 10:2, where there can be no doubt on the matter. Jehovah has resumed His throne, not “for the purpose of removing to a distance, because the courts of the temple have been defiled by dead bodies” (Hitzig), but because the object for which He left it has been attained.
He now commands the man clothed in white linen to go in between the wheels under the cherubim, and fill his hands with fire-coals from thence, and scatter them over the city (Jerusalem). This he did, so that Ezekiel could see it. According to this, it appears as if Jehovah had issued the command from His throne; but if we compare what follows, it is evident from Ezekiel 10:4 that the glory of Jehovah had risen up again from the throne, and removed to the threshold of the temple, and that it was not till after the man in white linen had scattered the coals over the city that it left the threshold of the temple, and ascended once more up to the throne above the cherubim, so as to forsake the temple (Ezekiel 10:18.). Consequently we can only understand Ezekiel 10:2-7 as implying that Jehovah issued the command in Ezekiel 10:2, not from His throne, but from the threshold of the temple, and that He had therefore returned to the threshold of the temple for this purpose, and for the very same reason as in Ezekiel 9:3. The possibility of interpreting the verses in this way is apparent from the fact that Ezekiel 10:2 contains a summary of the whole of the contents of this section, and that Ezekiel 10:3-7 simply furnish more minute explanations, or contain circumstantial clauses, which throw light upon the whole affair. This is obvious in the case of Ezekiel 10:3, from the form of the clause; and in Ezekiel 10:4 and Ezekiel 10:5, from the fact that in Ezekiel 10:6 and Ezekiel 10:7 the command (Ezekiel 10:2) is resumed, and the execution of it, which was already indicated in ויּבא לעיני (Ezekiel 10:2), more minutely described and carried forward in the closing words of the seventh verse, ויּקּח . הגּלגּל in Ezekiel 10:2 signifies the whirl or rotatory motion, i.e., the wheel-work, or the four ōphannim under the cherubim regarded as moving. The angel was to go in between these, and take coals out of the fire there, and scatter them over the city. “In the fire of God, the fire of His wrath, will kindle the fire for consuming the city” (Kliefoth). To depict the scene more clearly, Ezekiel observes in Ezekiel 10:3, that at this moment the cherubim were standing to the right of the house, i.e., on the south or rather south-east of the temple house, on the south of the altar of burnt-offering. According to the Hebrew usage the right side as the southern side, and the prophet was in the inner court, whither, according to Ezekiel 8:16, the divine glory had taken him; and, according to Ezekiel 9:2, the seven angels had gone to the front of the altar, to receive the commands of the Lord. Consequently we have to picture to ourselves the cherubim as appearing in the neighbourhood of the altar, and then taking up their position to the south thereof, when the Lord returned to the threshold of the temple. The reason for stating this is not to be sought, as Calvin supposes, in the desire to show “that the way was opened fore the angel to go straight to God, and that the cherubim were standing there ready, as it were, to contribute their labour.” The position in which the cherubim appeared is more probably given with prospective reference to the account which follows in Ezekiel 10:9-22 of the departure of the glory of the Lord from the temple. As an indication of the significance of this act to Israel, the glory which issued from this manifestation of divine doxa is described in Ezekiel 10:3-5. The cloud, as the earthly vehicle of the divine doxa , filled the inner court; and when the glory of the Lord stood upon the threshold, it filled the temple also, while the court became full of the splendour of the divine glory. That is to say, the brilliancy of the divine nature shone through the cloud, so that the court and the temple were lighted by the shining of the light-cloud. The brilliant splendour is a symbol of the light of the divine grace. The wings of the cherubim rustled, and at the movement of God (Ezekiel 1:24) were audible even in the outer court.
After this picture of the glorious manifestation of the divine doxa , the fetching of the fire-coals from the space between the wheels under the cherubim is more closely described in Ezekiel 10:6 and Ezekiel 10:7. One of the cherub's hands took the coals out of the fire, and put them into the hands of the man clothed in white linen. To this a supplementary remark is added in Ezekiel 10:8, to the effect that the figure of a hand was visible by the side of the cherubim under their wings. The word ויּצא , “and he went out,” indicates that the man clothed in white linen scattered the coals over the city, to set it on fire and consume it.
The Glory of the Lord Forsakes the Temple
Ezekiel 10:9. And I saw, and behold four wheels by the side of the cherubim, one wheel by the side of every cherub, and the appearance of the wheels was like the look of a chrysolith stone. Ezekiel 10:10. And as for their appearance, they had all four one form, as if one wheel were in the midst of the other. Ezekiel 10:11. When they went, they went to their four sides; they did not turn in going; for to the place to which the head was directed, to that they went; they did not turn in their going. Ezekiel 10:12. And their whole body, and their back, and their hands, and their wings, and wheels, were full of eyes round about: by all four their wheels. Ezekiel 10:13. To the wheels, to them was called, “whirl!” in my hearing. Ezekiel 10:14. And every one had four faces; the face of the first was the face of the cherub, the face of the second a man's face, and the third a lion's face, and the fourth an eagle's face. Ezekiel 10:15. And the cherubim ascended. This was the being which I saw by the river Chebar. Ezekiel 10:16. And when the cherubim went, the wheels went by them; and when the cherubim raised their wings to ascend from the earth, the wheels also did not turn from their side. Ezekiel 10:17. When those stood, they stood; and when those ascended, they ascended with them; for the spirit of the being was in them. Ezekiel 10:18. ; And the glory of Jehovah went out from the threshold of the house, and stood above the cherubim. Ezekiel 10:19. And the cherubim raised their wings, and ascended from the earth before my eyes on their going out, and the wheels beside them; and they stopped at the entrance of the eastern gate of the house of Jehovah; and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. Ezekiel 10:20. This was the being which I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar, and I perceived that they were cherubim. Ezekiel 10:21. Every one had four faces, each and every one four wings, and something like a man's hands under their wings. Ezekiel 10:22. And as for the likeness of their faces, they were the faces which I had seen by the river Chebar, their appearance and they themselves. They went every one according to its face. - With the words “I saw, and behold,” a new feature in the vision is introduced. The description of the appearance of the cherubim in these verses coincides for the most part verbatim with the account of the theophany in Ezekiel 1. It differs from this, however, not only in the altered arrangement of the several features, and in the introduction of certain points which serve to complete the former account; but still more in the insertion of a number of narrative sentence, which show that we have not merely a repetition of the first chapter here. On the contrary, Ezekiel is now describing the moving of the appearance of the glory of Jehovah from the inner court or porch of the temple to the outer entrance of the eastern gate of the outer court; in other words, the departure of the gracious presence of the Lord from the temple: and in order to point out more distinctly the importance and meaning of this event, he depicts once more the leading features of the theophany itself. The narrative sentences are found in Ezekiel 10:13, Ezekiel 10:15, Ezekiel 10:18, and Ezekiel 10:19. In Ezekiel 10:13 we have the exclamation addressed to the wheels by the side of the cherubim to set themselves in motion; in Ezekiel 10:15, the statement that the cherubim ascended; and in Ezekiel 10:18 and Ezekiel 10:19, the account of the departure of the glory of the Lord from the inner portion of the temple. To this we may add the repeated remark, that the appearance was the same as that which the prophet had seen by the river Chebar (Ezekiel 10:15, Ezekiel 10:20, Ezekiel 10:22). To bring clearly out to view both the independence of these divine manifestations and their significance to Israel, Ezekiel repeats the leading features of the former description; but while doing this, he either makes them subordinate to the thoughts expressed in the narrative sentences, or places them first as introductory to these, or lets them follow as explanatory. Thus, for example, the description of the wheels, and of the manner in which they moved (Ezekiel 10:9-12), serves both to introduce and explain the call to the wheels to set themselves in motion. The description of the wheels in Ezekiel 10:9-11 harmonizes with Ezekiel 1:16 and Ezekiel 1:17, with this exception, however, that certain points are given with greater exactness here; such, for example, as the statement that the movements of the wheels were so regulated, that in whichever direction the front one turned, the other did the same. הראשׁ , the head, is not the head-wheel, or the wheel which was always the first to move, but the front one, which originated the motion, drawing the others after it and determining their direction. For Ezekiel 10:12 and the fact that the wheels were covered with eyes, see Ezekiel 1:18. In Ezekiel 10:12 we have the important addition, that the whole of the body and back, as well as the hands and wings, of the cherubim were full of eyes. There is all the less reason to question this addition, or remove it (as Hitzig does) by an arbitrary erasure, inasmuch as the statement itself is apparently in perfect harmony with the whole procedure; and the significance possessed by the eyes in relation to the wheels was not only appropriate in the case of the cherubim, but necessarily to be assumed in such a connection. The fact that the suffixes in בּשׂרם , גּבּהם , etc., refer to the cherubim, is obvious enough, if we consider that the wheels to which immediate reference is made were by the side of the cherubim (Ezekiel 10:9), and that the cherubim formed the principal feature in the whole of the vision.
Ezekiel 10:13 does not point back to Ezekiel 10:2, and bring the description of the wheel-work to a close, as Hitzig supposes. This assumption, by which the meaning of the whole description has been obscured, is based upon the untenable rendering, “and the wheels they named before my ears whirl” (J. D. Mich., Ros., etc.). Hävernick has already pointed out the objection to this, namely, that with such a rendering בּאזני forms an unmeaning addition; whereas it is precisely this addition which shows that קרא is used here in the sense of addressing, calling, and not of naming. One called to the wheels הגּלגּל , whirl; i.e., they were to verify their name galgal , viz., to revolve or whirl, to set themselves in motion by revolving. This is the explanation given by Theodoret: ἀνακυκλεῖσθαι καὶ ἀνακινεῖσθαι προσετάχθησαν . These words therefore gave the signal for their departure, and accordingly the rising up of the cherubim is related in Ezekiel 10:15. Ezekiel 10:14 prepares the way for their ascent by mentioning the four faces of each cherub; and this is still further expanded in Ezekiel 10:16 and Ezekiel 10:17, by the statement that the wheels moved according to the movements of the cherubim. לאחד without an article is used distributively (every one), as in Ezekiel 1:6 and Ezekiel 1:10. The fact that in the description which follows only one face of each of the four cherubs is given, is not at variance with Ezekiel 1:10, according to which every one of the cherubs had the four faces named. It was not Ezekiel's intention to mention all the faces of each cherub here, as he had done before; but he regarded it as sufficient in the case of each cherub to mention simply the one face, which was turned toward him. The only striking feature which still remains is the statement that the face of the one, i.e., of the first, was the face of the cherub instead of the face of an ox (cf. Ezekiel 1:10), since the faces of the man, the lion, and the eagle were also cherubs' faces. We may, no doubt, get rid of the difficulty by altering the text, but this will not solve it; for it would still remain inexplicable how הכּרוּב could have grown out of שׁור by a copyist's error; and still more, how such an error, which might have been so easily seen and corrected, could have been not only perpetuated, but generally adopted. Moreover, we have the article in הכּרוּב , which would also be inexplicable if the word had originated in an oversight, and which gives us precisely the index required to the correct solution of the difficulty, showing as it does that it was not merely a cherub's face, but the face of the cherub, so that the allusion is to one particular cherub, who was either well known from what had gone before, or occupied a more prominent position than the rest. Such a cherub is the one mentioned in Ezekiel 10:7, who had taken the coals from the fire between the wheels, and stood nearest to Ezekiel. There did not appear to be any necessity to describe his face more exactly, as it could be easily seen from a comparison with Ezekiel 1:10. - In Ezekiel 10:15, the fact that the cherubim arose to depart from their place is followed by the remark that the cherubic figure was the being ( החיּה , singular, as in Ezekiel 1:22) which Ezekiel saw by the Chaboras, because it was a matter of importance that the identity of the two theophanies should be established as a help to the correct understanding of their real signification. But before the departure of the theophany from the temple is related, there follows in Ezekiel 10:16 and Ezekiel 10:17 a repetition of the circumstantial description of the harmonious movements of the wheels and the cherubim (cf. Ezekiel 1:19-21); and then, in Ezekiel 10:18, the statement which had such practical significance, that the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple, and resumed the throne above the cherubim; and lastly, the account in Ezekiel 10:19, that the glory of the God of Israel, seated upon this throne, took up its position at the entrance of the eastern gate of the temple. The entrance of this gate is not the gate of the temple, but the outer side of the eastern gate of the outer court, which formed the principal entrance to the whole of the temple-space. The expression “God of Israel” instead of “Jehovah” is significant, and is used to intimate that God, as the covenant God, withdrew His gracious presence from the people of Israel by this departure from the temple; not, indeed, from the whole of the covenant nation, but from the rebellious Israel which dwelt in Jerusalem and Judah; for the same glory of God which left the temple in the vision before the eyes of Ezekiel had appeared to the prophet by the river Chebar, and by calling him to be the prophet for Israel, had shown Himself to be the God who kept His covenant, and proved that, by the judgment upon the corrupt generation, He simply desired to exterminate its ungodly nature, and create for Himself a new and holy people. This is the meaning of the remark which is repeated in Ezekiel 10:20-22, that the apparition which left the temple was the same being as Ezekiel had seen by the Chaboras, and that he recognised the beings under the throne as cherubim.