Ezekiel 1:23

23 And under the expanse their wings [were stretched out] straight {one toward the other};^[a] each had two [wings] covering them, and each had two [wings] covering their bodies.

Ezekiel 1:23 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 1:23

And under the firmament [were] their wings straight, the one
toward the other
A further account is here given of the wings of the living creatures, which were under the firmament: two of their wings were stretched straight upwards towards the firmament, and joined each other; (See Gill on Ezekiel 1:9); everyone had two, which covered on this side;
besides the two that were carried straight upright towards heaven, they had other two, which covered their back and belly: and everyone had two, which covered on that side, their bodies;
that is, on each side of their bodies; so that there were in all six wings, as in Isaiah's vision, and in that of the Revelation of John: as their wings in general denote the swiftness and readiness of Gospel ministers to do the work of Christ, for which they exact help and assistance from above, signified by two being stretched straight upwards; see ( Ezekiel 1:11 ) ; so covering the several parts of their bodies with the rest shows their modesty and humility, as being ashamed of themselves and their services, when performed in the best manor; it being altogether owing to the grace of God they are what they are, have and do; they themselves being the chief of sinners, and the least of saints, in their own account.

Ezekiel 1:23 In-Context

21 At their going, they go, and at their standing, they stood, and at their being lifted up from on the earth, the wheels rose, for the spirit of the living creatures [was] in the wheels.

22 Now [the] likeness above the heads of the living creatures [was] an expanse like the outward appearance of {awesome} {ice} spread out above their heads {upward}.

23 And under the expanse their wings [were stretched out] straight {one toward the other}; each had two [wings] covering them, and each had two [wings] covering their bodies.

24 And I heard the sound of their wings like [the] sound of many waters, like the voice of Shaddai, [and] {when they moved} [there was] a sound of tumult like [the] sound of an army; {when they stood still} they lowered their wings.

25 And there was a sound from above the expanse that [was] above their heads, {and when they stood} they lowered their wings.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "each towards its sister"