Ezekiel 1:12

12 And each {went straight forward};[a] {wherever the spirit went}[b] they went, [and] {they did not turn as they went}.[c]

Ezekiel 1:12 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 1:12

And they went everyone straight forward
Or, "over against his face" F17; for, which way soever they went, whether forward or backward, or on either side, they had a face to go before them, to direct the way, and steer their course; so the ministers of the Gospel have a face to go by and follow after, the word of God, to look to and direct them, which way soever they go, or whatsoever service they are called unto; whither the spirit was to go they went;
which may be meant of their own spirit, will, and inclination; so the Targum,

``to the place where it was their good pleasure to go they went;''
so Jarchi and Kimchi; but this is not always the case, see ( Acts 16:6-9 ) ; rather the Holy Spirit of God is intended, by whom holy men of God were moved, and spoke formerly; and by whom Gospel ministers are led into the truth, as it is in Jesus; and by whom they are directed where to go, and what to do; and they are sent, and go where the Spirit of God is designed to go, in order to work upon the hearts of men and effectually call them by his grace, which is usually done by the ministry of the word; and therefore Gospel ministers must go, and they do go where the Spirit of God has work to do by them; see ( Acts 16:6 Acts 16:7 ) ; [and] they turned not when they went;
they had no occasion to turn their bodies, because, which way soever they went, they had a face to go before them, and direct the way; (See Gill on Ezekiel 1:9).
FOOTNOTES:

F17 (wynp rbe la) "coram facie sua", V. L. "in tractam faciei suae", [objectum], Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Polanus; "ante faciem suam", Starckius.

Ezekiel 1:12 In-Context

10 The likeness of their faces [was the] face of a human [in front], and [the] face of a lion on the right {of each of them}, and the face of an ox on the left {of each of them}, and [the] face of an eagle {for each of them}.
11 So [were] their faces; their wings [were] spread out {upward}; each [had] two touching one another and two covering their bodies.
12 And each {went straight forward}; {wherever the spirit went} they went, [and] {they did not turn as they went}.
13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance [was] like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches. It [was] moving to and fro between the living creatures, and {the fire was very bright} and lightning [was] going out from the fire.
14 And the living creatures {were speeding to and fro} like the appearance of lightning.

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Literally "toward the side of his face they went"
  • [b]. Literally "towards which it was there the spirit"
  • [c]. Literally "they did not turn at their going"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.