Ezekiel 1:18

18 Also stature, and highness, and horrible beholding was to the wheels; and all the body (of them) was full of eyes in the compass of those four. (And stature, and highness, and a terrible, or a fearful, appearance was to the wheels; and all the bodies of the wheels were full of eyes, all around each of those four wheels.)

Ezekiel 1:18 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 1:18

As for their rings, they were so high, that they were
dreadful
The circles and circumferences of them were "high": which may denote the visibility and extensiveness of the churches of Christ, especially in the latter day; when they shall be exalted above the mountains and hills, the kingdoms and states of this world; and there shall be such numerous additions to them, that the place will be too strait for the members of them to dwell in, ( Isaiah 2:2 ) ( 49:20 ) ; and "they were dreadful"; terrible, as the churches of Christ will be to their enemies to look at, when they shall be in their exalted state, ( Revelation 11:12 Revelation 11:13 ) ; or the words may be rendered, "and they had fear" F19; there was fear and reverence in them; the fear of God, and a reverential affection for him; they were waiting on him, and attending his worship with great reverence and godly fear: and their rings [were] full of eyes round about them four;
everyone of the four wheels, and each of their four semicircles, were full of eyes; expressive of the knowledge of the Gospel, and the truths of it, in church members; their continual looking to Christ for fresh supplies of grace and strength; and their constant watchfulness over each other.


FOOTNOTES:

F19 (Mhl haryw) "et timor illis erat", Cocceius; "et timor ipis", Starckius; "and they were reverent", so Dr. Lightfoot, Prospect of the Temple c. 38. p. 2055.

Ezekiel 1:18 In-Context

16 And the beholding of the wheels and the work of those was as the sight of the sea; and one likeness was of those four; and the beholding and the works of those, as if a wheel be in the midst of a wheel. (And the appearance of the wheels and their work was like the colour of the sea; and those four were of one likeness; and their appearance and their work, as if a wheel be in the midst of a wheel.)
17 Those going went by four parts of those, and turned not again, when those went. (And they went straight ahead, in any of the four directions, and did not turn from where they went.)
18 Also stature, and highness, and horrible beholding was to the wheels; and all the body (of them) was full of eyes in the compass of those four. (And stature, and highness, and a terrible, or a fearful, appearance was to the wheels; and all the bodies of the wheels were full of eyes, all around each of those four wheels.)
19 And when the beasts went, the wheels also went together beside those. And when the beasts were raised [up] from the earth, the wheels also were raised [up] together. (And when the creatures went, the wheels also went together with them. And when the creatures were raised up from the ground, the wheels also were raised up together with them.)
20 Whither ever the spirit went, when the spirit went thither, also the wheels following it were raised [up] together (with them); for why the spirit of life was in the wheels. (Wherever the spirit went, when the spirit went there, the wheels following it also were raised up together with them, that is, with the creatures; for the spirit of life was in the wheels.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.