Ezekiel 8:2

2 And I saw, and lo! a likeness as the beholding of fire; from the beholding of his loins and beneath was fire, and from his loins and above was as the beholding of shining, as the sight of electrum, [that is, metal made of gold and silver, brighter than gold]. (And I saw, and lo! a form with the appearance of fire; from his loins and beneath was like the appearance of fire, and from his loins and above was like the appearance of shining, like the sight of electrum, that is, a metal made of gold and silver, but even brighter than gold.)

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 And it was done in the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, I sat in mine house, and the eld men of Judah sat before me (I sat in my house, and the elders of Judah sat before me); and the hand of the Lord God fell there [up]on me.

2 And I saw, and lo! a likeness as the beholding of fire; from the beholding of his loins and beneath was fire, and from his loins and above was as the beholding of shining, as the sight of electrum, [that is, metal made of gold and silver, brighter than gold]. (And I saw, and lo! a form with the appearance of fire; from his loins and beneath was like the appearance of fire, and from his loins and above was like the appearance of shining, like the sight of electrum, that is, a metal made of gold and silver, but even brighter than gold.)

3 And the likeness of an hand was sent out, and took me by the hair, either locks, of mine head; and the spirit raised me [up] betwixt heaven and earth, and brought me into Jerusalem, in the sight of God, beside the inner door that beheld to the north (in the vision of God, beside the inner door that faced north), where the idol of envy was set, to stir indignation.

4 And lo! the glory of God of Israel was there, by the sight which I saw in the field. (And lo! the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the vision which I saw in the field.)

5 And he said to me, Thou, son of man, raise up thine eyes to the way of the north; and I raised (up) mine eyes to the way of the north, and lo! from the north of the gate of the altar, the idol of envy was in that entering (and lo! north of the gate of the altar, at the entrance, was that idol of envy).