3 The word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came expressly unto Ezekiel H3168 the priest, H3548 the son H1121 of Buzi, H941 in the land H776 of the Chaldeans H3778 by the river H5104 Chebar; H3529 and the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 was there upon him.
4 And I looked, H7200 and, behold, a whirlwind H7307 H5591 came H935 out of the north, H6828 a great H1419 cloud, H6051 and a fire H784 infolding H3947 itself, and a brightness H5051 was about H5439 it, and out of the midst H8432 thereof as the colour H5869 of amber, H2830 out of the midst H8432 of the fire. H784
5 Also out of the midst H8432 thereof came the likeness H1823 of four H702 living creatures. H2416 And this was their appearance; H4758 they H2007 had the likeness H1823 of a man. H120
6 And every one H259 had four H702 faces, H6440 and every one H259 had four H702 wings. H3671
7 And their feet H7272 were straight H3477 feet; H7272 and the sole H3709 of their feet H7272 was like the sole H3709 of a calf's H5695 foot: H7272 and they sparkled H5340 like the colour H5869 of burnished H7044 brass. H5178
8 And they had the hands H3027 of a man H120 under their wings H3671 on their four H702 sides; H7253 and they four H702 had their faces H6440 and their wings. H3671
9 Their wings H3671 were joined H2266 one H802 to another; H269 they turned H5437 not when they went; H3212 they went H3212 every one H376 straight H5676 forward. H6440
10 As for the likeness H1823 of their faces, H6440 they four H702 had the face H6440 of a man, H120 and the face H6440 of a lion, H738 on the right side: H3225 and they four H702 had the face H6440 of an ox H7794 on the left side; H8040 they four H702 also had the face H6440 of an eagle. H5404
11 Thus were their faces: H6440 and their wings H3671 were stretched H6504 upward; H4605 two H8147 wings of every one H376 were joined H2266 one H376 to another, H376 and two H8147 covered H3680 their bodies. H1472
12 And they went H3212 every one H376 straight H5676 forward: H6440 whither the spirit H7307 was to go, H3212 they went; H3212 and they turned H5437 not when they went. H3212
13 As for the likeness H1823 of the living creatures, H2416 their appearance H4758 was like burning H1197 coals H1513 of fire, H784 and like the appearance H4758 of lamps: H3940 it went up and down H1980 among the living creatures; H2416 and the fire H784 was bright, H5051 and out of the fire H784 went forth H3318 lightning. H1300
14 And the living creatures H2416 ran H7519 and returned H7725 as the appearance H4758 of a flash of lightning. H965
15 Now as I beheld H7200 the living creatures, H2416 behold one H259 wheel H212 upon the earth H776 by H681 the living creatures, H2416 with his four H702 faces. H6440
16 The appearance H4758 of the wheels H212 and their work H4639 was like unto the colour H5869 of a beryl: H8658 and they four H702 had one H259 likeness: H1823 and their appearance H4758 and their work H4639 was as it were a wheel H212 in the middle H8432 of a wheel. H212
17 When they went, H3212 they went H3212 upon their four H702 sides: H7253 and they turned H5437 not when they went. H3212
18 As for their rings, H1354 they were so high H1363 that they were dreadful; H3374 and their rings H1354 were full H4392 of eyes H5869 round about H5439 them four. H702
19 And when the living creatures H2416 went, H3212 the wheels H212 went H3212 by them: H681 and when the living creatures H2416 were lifted up H5375 from the earth, H776 the wheels H212 were lifted up. H5375
20 Whithersoever the spirit H7307 was to go, H3212 they went, H3212 thither was their spirit H7307 to go; H3212 and the wheels H212 were lifted up H5375 over against H5980 them: for the spirit H7307 of the living creature H2416 was in the wheels. H212
21 When those went, H3212 these went; H3212 and when those stood, H5975 these stood; H5975 and when those were lifted up H5375 from the earth, H776 the wheels H212 were lifted up H5375 over against H5980 them: for the spirit H7307 of the living creature H2416 was in the wheels. H212
22 And the likeness H1823 of the firmament H7549 upon the heads H7218 of the living creature H2416 was as the colour H5869 of the terrible H3372 crystal, H7140 stretched forth H5186 over their heads H7218 above. H4605
23 And under the firmament H7549 were their wings H3671 straight, H3477 the one H802 toward the other: H269 every one H376 had two, H8147 which covered H3680 on this side, H2007 and every one H376 had two, H8147 which covered H3680 on that side, H2007 their bodies. H1472
24 And when they went, H3212 I heard H8085 the noise H6963 of their wings, H3671 like the noise H6963 of great H7227 waters, H4325 as the voice H6963 of the Almighty, H7706 the voice H6963 of speech, H1999 as the noise H6963 of an host: H4264 when they stood, H5975 they let down H7503 their wings. H3671
25 And there was a voice H6963 from the firmament H7549 that was over their heads, H7218 when they stood, H5975 and had let down H7503 their wings. H3671
26 And above H4605 the firmament H7549 that was over their heads H7218 was the likeness H1823 of a throne, H3678 as the appearance H4758 of a sapphire H5601 stone: H68 and upon the likeness H1823 of the throne H3678 was the likeness H1823 as the appearance H4758 of a man H120 above H4605 upon it.
27 And I saw H7200 as the colour H5869 of amber, H2830 as the appearance H4758 of fire H784 round about H5439 within H1004 it, from the appearance H4758 of his loins H4975 even upward, H4605 and from the appearance H4758 of his loins H4975 even downward, H4295 I saw H7200 as it were the appearance H4758 of fire, H784 and it had brightness H5051 round about. H5439
28 As the appearance H4758 of the bow H7198 that is in the cloud H6051 in the day H3117 of rain, H1653 so was the appearance H4758 of the brightness H5051 round about. H5439 This was the appearance H4758 of the likeness H1823 of the glory H3519 of the LORD. H3068 And when I saw H7200 it, I fell H5307 upon my face, H6440 and I heard H8085 a voice H6963 of one that spake. H1696
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Ezekiel 1
Commentary on Ezekiel 1 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
First Half - The Prophecies of Judgment - Ezekiel 1-32
The Consecration and Calling of Ezekiel to the Office of Prophet - Ezekiel 1-3:21
In a vision of God, Ezekiel beholds in a great cloud, through which shone the splendour of fire, and which a tempestuous wind drives from the north, the glory of the Lord above the cherubim upon a majestic throne in human form (Ezekiel 1), and hears a voice, which sends him as a prophet to Israel, and inspires him with the subject-matter of his announcements (Ezekiel 2:1-3:3). He is thereafter transported in spirit to Tel-abib on the Chebar, into the midst of the exiles, and the duties and responsibilities of his calling laid before him (3:4-21). By this divine appearance and the commission therewith connected is he consecrated, called, and ordained to the prophetic office. The whole occurrences in the vision are subdivided into the copious description of the theophany, Ezekiel 1, by which he is consecrated for his calling; and into the revelation of the word, Ezekiel 2:1-3:21, which prepares him for the discharge of the same. From these contents it clearly appears that these chapters do not constitute the first section of the book, but the introduction to the whole, to which the circumstantial notices of the time and place of this revelation of God at the commencement, Ezekiel 1:1-3, also point.
The Appearance of the Glory of the Lord. - Ezekiel 1:1-3. Time and place of the same. - Ezekiel 1:1. Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth (month), on the fifth (day) of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. Ezekiel 1:2 . On the fifth day of the month, it was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, Ezekiel 1:3 . The word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Busi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him.