Ezekiel 8:2

2 And looking, I saw a form like fire; from the middle of his body and down there was fire: and up from the middle of his body a sort of shining, like electrum.

Ezekiel 8:2 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 8:2

And then one beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of
fire
The Septuagint and Arabic versions render it, "behold the likeness of a man"; reading (vya) , "a man", for (va) , "fire"; but without supposing such a reading, for which there is no foundation, this likeness may very well be understood of the likeness of a man; since mention is made of his joins in the next clause, and of his hand in ( Ezekiel 8:3 ) ; and the description agrees with the appearance of a man in ( Ezekiel 1:26 Ezekiel 1:27 ) ; it was usual for the Son of God, who doubtless is here meant, to appear in a human form; and so Junius and Tremellius supply the words,

``and lo a likeness "of a man", as in the appearance of fire:''

it was the form of a fiery man that was seen, as he is further described: from the appearance of his loins, even downward, fire;
his lower parts, thighs, legs, and feet; expressive either of the light of grace communicated from Christ to his people; or of his fervent love towards them, or flaming zeal for God and his house; or rather of his wrath against an idolatrous people; see ( Revelation 1:15 ) ; a like description is in ( Ezekiel 1:27 ) ; and from his loins, even upward, as the appearance of brightness;
his upper parts, back, belly, breast, shoulders, arms, head which may denote his incomprehensible majesty and glory; his glory being the glory of the only begotten, the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person. The Targum renders both the one and the other part of the description thus,

``and I saw, and twelve a likeness as the look of fire, the look of glory, which the eye cannot see, nor is it possible to look upon it; and beneath the look of fire, and the look of glory, which the eye cannot behold, nor is it possible to contemplate it; and above, as the look of brightness:''

as the colour of amber:
or "chasmal": which some take to be the name of an angel. The Syriac version is, "as the look of God"; (See Gill on Ezekiel 1:4); and (See Gill on Ezekiel 1:27).

Ezekiel 8:2 In-Context

1 Now in the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, when I was in my house and the responsible men of Judah were seated before me, the hand of the Lord came on me there.

2 And looking, I saw a form like fire; from the middle of his body and down there was fire: and up from the middle of his body a sort of shining, like electrum.

3 And he put out the form of a hand and took me by the hair of my head; and the wind, lifting me up between the earth and the heaven, took me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the way into the inner door facing to the north; where was the seat of the image of envy.

4 And I saw the glory of the Lord there, as in the vision which I saw in the valley.

5 Then he said to me, Son of man, now let your eyes be lifted up in the direction of the north; and on looking in the direction of the north, to the north of the doorway of the altar, I saw this image of envy by the way in.