Ezekiel 1:12

12 And each of those went before his face. Where (ever) the fierceness of the wind was, thither those went, and turned not again, when they went. (And each of them went straight ahead. Wherever the fierceness of the wind was, they went there, and they did not turn, from where they went.)

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).

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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 Forsooth the likeness of the face of those was the face of a man, and the face of a lion, at the right half of those four. Forsooth the face of an ox was at the left half of those four; and the face of an eagle was above those four. (And the likenesses of their faces were the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side of each of those four. And the face of an ox, or the face of a bull, and the face of an eagle, were on the left side of each of those four.)

11 And the faces of those and (the) wings of those were stretched forth above. Two wings of each were joined together, and twain covered the bodies of those. (And their wings were stretched forth above. Two wings of each touched the wings of its neighbours, and two wings covered their bodies.)

12 And each of those went before his face. Where (ever) the fierceness of the wind was, thither those went, and turned not again, when they went. (And each of them went straight ahead. Wherever the fierceness of the wind was, they went there, and they did not turn, from where they went.)

13 And the likeness of the beasts, and the beholding of them, was as of burning coals of fire, and as the beholding of lamps. This was the sight running about in the midst of [the] beasts, the shining of fire, and the lightning going out of the fire. (And the likeness of the creatures, and their appearance, was like burning coals of fire, or like the appearance of lamps. This was the sight running about in the midst of the creatures, the shining of the fire, and the lightning going out of the fire.)

14 And the beasts went, and turned again, at the likeness of lightning shining. (And the creatures went forth, and returned, in the form of a shining of lightning.)