Ezekiel 1:22

22 And the likeness of the firmament was above the head[s] of the beasts, and as the beholding of horrible crystal, and stretched abroad on the heads of those beasts above. (And the likeness of the firmament was above the heads of the creatures, and it had the appearance of awe-full, or amazing, crystal, and it stretched abroad over the heads of those creatures.)

Ezekiel 1:22 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 1:22

And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living
creature
This was not a real firmament, but the likeness of one; it was like the firmament which God created on the second day, which divided between the waters above and below, and which he called Heaven; and is no other than the airy and starry heavens. Its name is in Hebrew (eyqr) , "an expanse"; from its being stretched out as a curtain, and a tent to dwell in; and a "firmament" from its firmness and continuance; and therefore called the firmament of his power, ( Genesis 1:8 ) ( Isaiah 40:22 ) ( Psalms 150:1 ) ; and this visionary one was "over the heads of the living creatures"; which shows that they could not be angels, for those have their habitation in the third heaven, above the firmament; much less in hieroglyphic of the trinity of Persons, who are the three that bear record in heaven, and are not under the firmament; but ministers of the Gospel, who are on earth, and are subject to Christ, whose throne is above the firmament, ( Ezekiel 1:26 ) ; and who receive their commission and gifts from him, and are accountable to him. This firmament [was] as the colony of the tenable crystal;
crystal is a very white, transparent, precious stone, resembling ice, from whence it has its name; hence Pliny ^F20 thought it was no other than ice vehemently frozen; and here it is called "terrible", because exceeding clear and bright, so that there was no looking upon it, without the eyes being dazzled with the glory of it. The sky is called a molten looking glass, in which the glory of God, and his handiwork, may be seen, ( Job 37:18 ) ( Psalms 19:1 ) ; and as the throne of Christ was over this crystal firmament, it shows that, though he is in heaven, he sees all that is done on earth, and in his churches, and by his ministers; and the saints also see him by faith, and through the glass of the Gospel: it is only a crystal firmament that is between them, stretched forth over their heads above;
that is, over the heads of the living creatures, as before; said to be stretched out, in allusion to its name, an expanse, as before observed.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 Nat. Hit. l. 37. c. 2.

Ezekiel 1:22 In-Context

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.)

21 Those went with the beasts going, and those stood with the beasts standing. And with the beasts raised (up) from [the] earth, also the wheels following those beasts were raised together; for the spirit of life was in the wheels. (They went when the creatures went, and they stood when the creatures stood. And when the creatures raised themselves up from the earth, the wheels following those creatures were also raised up together with them; for the spirit of life was in the wheels.)

22 And the likeness of the firmament was above the head[s] of the beasts, and as the beholding of horrible crystal, and stretched abroad on the heads of those beasts above. (And the likeness of the firmament was above the heads of the creatures, and it had the appearance of awe-full, or amazing, crystal, and it stretched abroad over the heads of those creatures.)

23 Forsooth under the firmament the wings of those beasts were straight (out), of one to another; each beast covered his body with two wings, and another was covered in like manner. (And under the firmament, or under the heavens, the wings of those creatures went straight out, touching one another; and each creature covered his body with two wings, yea, they all were covered in like manner.)

24 And I heard the sound of wings, as the sound of many waters, as the sound of (the) high God. When those went, there was as a sound of (a) multitude, as the sound of hosts of battle; and when those stood, the wings of those were let down. (And I heard the sound of their wings, and it was like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of the Most High God. When they went, there was a sound like a multitude, and like the sound of armies in battle; and when they stood, their wings were let down.)