Ezekiel 10

1 I looked at the dome over the heads of the living creatures and above them was something that seemed to be a throne made of sapphire. ¹

2 God said to the man wearing linen clothes, "Go between the wheels under the creatures and fill your hands with burning coals. Then scatter the coals over the city." ² I watched him go.

3 The creatures were standing to the south of the Temple when he went in, and a cloud filled the inner courtyard.

4 The dazzling light of the Lord's presence rose up from the creatures and moved to the entrance of the Temple. Then the cloud filled the Temple, and the courtyard was blazing with the light.

5 The noise made by the creatures' wings was heard even in the outer courtyard. It sounded like the voice of Almighty God.

6 When the Lord commanded the man wearing linen clothes to take some fire from between the wheels that were under the creatures, the man went in and stood by one of the wheels.

7 One of the creatures reached his hand into the fire that was there among them, picked up some coals, and put them in the hands of the man in linen. The man took the coals and left.

8 I saw that each creature had what looked like a human hand under each of its wings.

9 I also saw that there were four wheels, all alike, one beside each creature. The wheels shone like precious stones, and each one had another wheel which intersected it at right angles. ³

11 When the creatures moved, they could go in any direction without turning. They all moved together in the direction they wanted to go, without having to turn around.

12 Their bodies, backs, hands, wings, and wheels were covered with eyes. ⁴

13 I heard a voice calling out, "Whirling wheels."

14 Each creature had four faces. The first was the face of a bull, the second a human face, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. ⁵

15 (They were the same creatures that I had seen by the Chebar River.) When the creatures rose in the air

16 and moved, the wheels went with them. Whenever they spread their wings to fly, the wheels still went with them.

17 When the creatures stopped, the wheels stopped; and when the creatures flew, the wheels went with them, because the creatures controlled them.

18 Then the dazzling light of the Lord's presence left the entrance of the Temple and moved to a place above the creatures.

19 They spread their wings and flew up from the earth while I was watching, and the wheels went with them. They paused at the east gate of the Temple, and the dazzling light was over them.

20 I recognized them as the same creatures which I had seen beneath the God of Israel at the Chebar River.

21 Each of them had four faces, four wings, and what looked like a human hand under each wing.

22 Their faces looked exactly like the faces I had seen by the Chebar River. Each creature moved straight ahead.

Ezekiel 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

A vision of the burning of the city. (1-7) The Divine glory departing from the temple. (8-22)

Verses 1-7 The fire being taken from between the wheels, under the cherubim, ch. 1:13 , seems to have signified the wrath of God to be executed upon Jerusalem. It intimated that the fire of Divine wrath, which kindles judgment upon a people, is just and holy; and in the great day, the earth, and all the works that are therein, will be burnt up.

Verses 8-22 Ezekiel sees the working of Divine providence in the government of the lower world, and the affairs of it. When God is leaving a people in displeasure, angels above, and all events below, further his departure. The Spirit of life, the Spirit of God, directs all creatures, in heaven and on earth, so as to make them serve the Divine purpose. God removes by degrees from a provoking people; and, when ready to depart, would return to them, if they were a repenting, praying people. Let this warn sinners to seek the Lord while he may be found, and to call on him while he is near, and cause us all to walk humbly and watchfully with our God.

Cross References

• 1. 10.1Ezekiel 1.26;Revelation 4.2.
• 2. 10.2Revelation 8.5.
• 3. 10.9-13Ezekiel 1.15-21.
• 4. 10.12Revelation 4.8.
• 5. 10.14Ezekiel 1.10;Revelation 4.7.

Footnotes

• [a]. living creatures: [See 1.5-12.]
• [b]. [Probable text] the faces; [Hebrew] the faces and them.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 10

In this chapter is a vision, very much like that in the first chapter, with some difference, and with a different view, the design of it being to represent the wrath of God against Jerusalem, and his departure from the city and temple. A throne much like that in Eze 1:26 is described, Eze 10:1; orders are given from it to scatter coals over the city, Eze 10:2; the situation of the cherubim when these orders were given, Eze 10:3; the removal of the glory of the Lord from the cherub to the threshold of the house, and the consequences of it; the house filled with smoke; the court with the brightness of the Lord's glory; and the sound of the cherubim's wings heard to the outer court, as the voice of God, Eze 10:4,5; the orders of taking and scattering fire over the city executed, and the manner in which they were, Eze 10:6,7; a description of the cherubim and the wheels, much like that in the first chapter, Eze 10:8-17; the departure of the glory of God from the threshold to the east gate of the Lord's house, with the motion of the cherubim and wheels along with him, Eze 10:18,19; and the chapter is concluded with observing, that the cherubim are the same with the living creatures seen in the vision of the first chapter, and had the same form, likeness, and motion, Eze 10:20-22.