Ezekiel 10:3-13

3 forsooth cherubims stood at the right side of the house (of the Lord), when the man entered, and a cloud filled the inner foreyard. (and the cherubim stood on the right side of the House of the Lord, when the man entered, and a cloud filled the inner courtyard.)
4 And the glory of the Lord was raised [up] from above cherubims to the threshold of the house (of the Lord); and the house was filled with a cloud, and the foreyard was filled with shining of the glory of the Lord. (And the glory of the Lord was raised up from above the cherubim to the threshold of the House of the Lord; and the House was filled with a cloud, and the courtyard was filled with the shining of the glory of the Lord.)
5 And the sound of wings of cherubims was heard till to the outermore foreyard, as the voice of Almighty God speaking. (And the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard unto the outer courtyard, like the voice of Almighty God speaking.)
6 And when he had commanded to the man that was clothed in linen clothes, and had said, Take thou fire from the midst of the wheels, that be betwixt cherubims, he entered, and stood beside the wheel[s]. (And when he had commanded to the man who was clothed in linen clothes, and had said, Take thou fire from the midst of the wheels, that be between the cherubim/Take thou fire from between the wheels, that be under the cherubim, he entered, and stood beside the wheels.)
7 And cherub stretched forth his hand from the midst of cherubims, to the fire that was betwixt cherubims; and took, and gave into the hands of him that was clothed in linen clothes; and he took, and went out. (And a cherub stretched forth his hand from the midst of the cherubim, to the fire that was between the cherubim; and took it, and gave it into the hands of him who was clothed in linen clothes; and he took it, and went out.)
8 And the likeness of the hand of a man appeared in cherubims, under the wings of those. (And the likeness of a man's hand appeared among the cherubim, under their wings.)
9 And I saw, and lo! four wheels were beside cherubims; one wheel beside one cherub, and another wheel beside another cherub; forsooth the likeness of wheels was as the sight of the stone chrysolyte. (And I saw, and lo! four wheels were beside the cherubim; one wheel beside one cherub, and another wheel beside another cherub, that is, one wheel beside each cherub; and the likeness of the wheels was like the sight, or the appearance, of a chrysolyte stone.)
10 And the beholding of those was one likeness of four, as if a wheel be in the midst of a wheel. (And the appearance of those four was of one form, of a wheel in the midst of a wheel.)
11 And when they went, they went into (the) four parts; those turned not again going, but to the place to which that that was the first wheel bowed to go, also [the] others followed, and turned not again. (And when they went, in any of the four directions, they did not turn from where they went, but the place to which the first wheel turned to go, the others also followed, and did not turn away from there.)
12 And all the body of those wheels, and the necks, and hands, and wings of the beasts, and the circles, were full of eyes, in the compass of (the) four wheels. (And all their bodies, and the necks, and hands, and wings of the creatures, or of the cherubim, and the wheels, were full of eyes, yea, even all around the four wheels.)
13 And he called those wheels voluble, or able to go all about, in mine hearing.

Ezekiel 10:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.