1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth H7970 year, H8141 in the fourth H7243 month, in the fifth H2568 day of the month, H2320 as I was among H8432 the captives H1473 by the river H5104 of Chebar, H3529 that the heavens H8064 were opened, H6605 and I saw H7200 visions H4759 of God. H430
And G2532 said, G2036 Behold, G2400 I see G2334 the heavens G3772 opened, G455 and G2532 the Son G5207 of man G444 standing G2476 on G1537 the right hand G1188 of God. G2316
And G2532 Jesus, G2424 when he was baptized, G907 went up G305 straightway G2117 out of G575 the water: G5204 and, G2532 lo, G2400 the heavens G3772 were opened G455 unto him, G846 and G2532 he saw G1492 the Spirit G4151 of God G2316 descending G2597 like G5616 a dove, G4058 and G2532 lighting G2064 upon G1909 him: G846
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
And he put forth H7971 the form H8403 of an hand, H3027 and took H3947 me by a lock H6734 of mine head; H7218 and the spirit H7307 lifted me up H5375 between the earth H776 and the heaven, H8064 and brought H935 me in the visions H4759 of God H430 to Jerusalem, H3389 to the door H6607 of the inner H6442 gate H8179 that looketh H6437 toward the north; H6828 where was the seat H4186 of the image H5566 of jealousy, H7068 which provoketh to jealousy. H7069
And G2532 saw G2334 heaven G3772 opened, G455 and G2532 a certain G5100 vessel G4632 descending G2597 unto G1909 him, G846 as G5613 it had been a great G3173 sheet G3607 knit G1210 at the four G5064 corners, G746 and G2532 let down G2524 to G1909 the earth: G1093
And G2532 I saw G1492 heaven G3772 opened, G455 and G2532 behold G2400 a white G3022 horse; G2462 and G2532 he that sat G2521 upon G1909 him G846 was called G2564 Faithful G4103 and G2532 True, G228 and G2532 in G1722 righteousness G1343 he doth judge G2919 and G2532 make war. G4170
After G3326 this G5023 I looked, G1492 and, G2532 behold, G2400 a door G2374 was opened G455 in G1722 heaven: G3772 and G2532 the first G4413 voice G5456 which G3739 I heard G191 was as it were of G5613 a trumpet G4536 talking G2980 with G3326 me; G1700 which said, G3004 Come up G305 hither, G5602 and G2532 I will shew G1166 thee G4671 things which G3739 must G1163 be G1096 hereafter. G3326 G5023
And G2532 he saith G3004 unto him, G846 Verily, G281 verily, G281 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 Hereafter G737 G575 ye shall see G3700 heaven G3772 open, G455 and G2532 the angels G32 of God G2316 ascending G305 and G2532 descending G2597 upon G1909 the Son G5207 of man. G444
In the third H7969 year H8141 of the reign H4438 of king H4428 Belshazzar H1112 a vision H2377 appeared H7200 unto me, even unto me Daniel, H1840 after H310 that which appeared H7200 unto me at the first. H8462 And I saw H7200 in a vision; H2377 and it came to pass, when I saw, H7200 that I was at Shushan H7800 in the palace, H1002 which is in the province H4082 of Elam; H5867 and I saw H7200 in a vision, H2377 and I was by the river H180 of Ulai. H195
And it was according to the appearance H4758 of the vision H4758 which I saw, H7200 even according to the vision H4758 that I saw H7200 when I came H935 to destroy H7843 the city: H5892 and the visions H4759 were like the vision H4758 that I saw H7200 by the river H5104 Chebar; H3529 and I fell H5307 upon my face. H6440
The vision H2377 of Isaiah H3470 the son H1121 of Amoz, H531 which he saw H2372 concerning Judah H3063 and Jerusalem H3389 in the days H3117 of Uzziah, H5818 Jotham, H3147 Ahaz, H271 and Hezekiah, H3169 kings H4428 of Judah. H3063
After H310 these things H1697 the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came H1961 unto Abram H87 in a vision, H4236 saying, H559 Fear H3372 not, Abram: H87 I am thy shield, H4043 and thy exceeding H3966 great H7235 reward. H7939
And they saw H7200 the God H430 of Israel: H3478 and there was under his feet H7272 as it were a paved H3840 work H4639 of a sapphire stone, H5601 and as it were the body H6106 of heaven H8064 in his clearness. H2892
For all this I considered H5414 in my heart H3820 even to declare H952 all this, that the righteous, H6662 and the wise, H2450 and their works, H5652 are in the hand H3027 of God: H430 no man H120 knoweth H3045 either H1571 love H160 or hatred H8135 by all that is before H6440 them. All things come alike to all: there is one H259 event H4745 to the righteous, H6662 and to the wicked; H7563 to the good H2896 and to the clean, H2889 and to the unclean; H2931 to him that sacrificeth, H2076 and to him that H834 sacrificeth H2076 not: as is the good, H2896 so is the sinner; H2398 and he that sweareth, H7650 as he that feareth H3373 an oath. H7621
Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 the God H430 of Israel; H3478 Like these good H2896 figs, H8384 so will I acknowledge H5234 them that are carried away captive H1546 of Judah, H3063 whom I have sent H7971 out of this place H4725 into the land H776 of the Chaldeans H3778 for their good. H2896 For I will set H7760 mine eyes H5869 upon them for good, H2896 and I will bring them again H7725 to this land: H776 and I will build H1129 them, and not pull them down; H2040 and I will plant H5193 them, and not pluck them up. H5428 And I will give H5414 them an heart H3820 to know H3045 me, that I am the LORD: H3068 and they shall be my people, H5971 and I will be their God: H430 for they shall return H7725 unto me with their whole heart. H3820
And it shall come to pass afterward, H310 that I will pour out H8210 my spirit H7307 upon all flesh; H1320 and your sons H1121 and your daughters H1323 shall prophesy, H5012 your old men H2205 shall dream H2492 dreams, H2472 your young men H970 shall see H7200 visions: H2384
And G2532 Jesus G2424 himself G846 began G756 to be G2258 about G5616 thirty G5144 years of age, G2094 being G5607 (as G5613 was supposed G3543 ) the son G5207 of Joseph, G2501 which was the son of Heli, G2242
And G1161 there was G2258 a certain G5100 disciple G3101 at G1722 Damascus, G1154 named G3686 Ananias; G367 and G2532 to G4314 him G846 said G2036 the Lord G2962 in G1722 a vision, G3705 Ananias. G367 And G1161 he said, G2036 Behold, G2400 I G1473 am here, Lord. G2962 And G1161 the Lord G2962 said unto G4314 him, G846 Arise, G450 and go G4198 into G1909 the street G4505 which G3588 is called G2564 Straight, G2117 and G2532 enquire G2212 in G1722 the house G3614 of Judas G2455 for one called G3686 Saul, G4569 of Tarsus: G5018 for, G1063 behold, G2400 he prayeth, G4336 And G2532 hath seen G1492 in G1722 a vision G3705 a man G435 named G3686 Ananias G367 coming in, G1525 and G2532 putting G2007 his hand G5495 on G2007 him, G846 that G3704 he might receive his sight. G308
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ezekiel 1
Commentary on Ezekiel 1 Matthew Henry Commentary
An Exposition, With Practical Observations, of
The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel
Chapter 1
In this chapter we have,
And the more we are acquainted, and the more intimately we converse, with the glory of God in these three branches of it, the more commanding influence will divine revelation have upon us and the more ready shall we be to submit to it, which is the thing aimed at in prefacing the prophecies of this book with these visions. When such a God of glory speaks, it concerns us to hear with attention and reverence; it is at our peril if we do not.
Eze 1:1-3
The circumstances of the vision which Ezekiel saw, and in which he received his commission and instructions, are here very particularly set down, that the narrative may appear to be authentic and not romantic. It may be of use to keep an account when and where God has been pleased to manifest himself to our souls in a peculiar manner, that the return of the day, and our return to the place of the altar (Gen. 13:4), may revive the pleasing grateful remembrance of God's favour to us. "Remember, O my soul! and never forget what communications of divine love thou didst receive at such a time, at such a place; tell others what God did for thee.'
Eze 1:4-14
The visions of God which Ezekiel here saw were very glorious, and had more particulars than those which other prophets saw. It is the scope and intention of these vision,
Now, to answer these ends, we have in these verses the first part of the vision, which represents God as attended and served by an innumerable company of angels, who are all his messengers, his ministers, doing his commandments and hearkening to the voice of his word. This denotes his grandeur, as it magnifies an earthly prince to have a splendid retinue and numerous armies at his command, which engages his allies to trust him and his enemies to fear him.
Eze 1:15-25
The prophet is very exact in making and recording his observations concerning this vision. And here we have,
Eze 1:26-28
All the other parts of this vision were but a preface and introduction to this. God in them had made himself known as Lord of angels and supreme director of all the affairs of this lower world, whence it is easy to infer that whatever God by his prophets either promises or threatens to do he is able to effect it. Angels are his servants; men are his tools. But now that a divine revelation is to be given to a prophet, and by him to the church, we must look higher than the living creatures or the wheels, and must expect that from the eternal Word, of whom we have an account in these verses. Ezekiel, hearing a voice from the firmament, looked up, as John did, to see the voice that spoke with him, and he saw one like unto the Son of man, Rev. 1:12, 13. The second person sometimes tried the fashion of a man occasionally before he clothed himself with it for good and all; and the Spirit of prophecy is called the Spirit of Christ (1 Pt. 1:11) and the testimony of Jesus, Rev. 19:10.
Lastly, We have the conclusion of this vision. Observe,