Ezekiel 1:12

12 Et chacun d'eux marchait droit devant soi; ils allaient partout où l'esprit les poussait à aller, et ne se détournaient point dans leur marche.

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 Quant à la forme de leurs faces, ils avaient tous quatre une face d'homme, une face de lion du côté droit, tous quatre une face de bœuf du côté gauche, et tous quatre une face d'aigle.

11 Leurs faces et leurs ailes étaient séparées par le haut; chacun avait deux ailes jointes l'une à l'autre, et deux qui couvraient leurs corps.

12 Et chacun d'eux marchait droit devant soi; ils allaient partout où l'esprit les poussait à aller, et ne se détournaient point dans leur marche.

13 L'aspect de ces animaux était semblable à celui de charbons de feu ardents et de torches enflammées; et ce feu flamboyait entre les animaux avec une éclatante splendeur, et il en sortait des éclairs.

14 Et ces animaux allaient et venaient avec l'aspect de la foudre.