Ezekiel 1:8

Translations

Modern

Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four living creatures had faces and wings,

Traditional

And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.

Literal

And the hands of a man were under their wings on four of their sides. And the faces and wings were unto the four of them,

Latin

Et manus hominis sub pennis eorum, in quatuor partibus: et facies et pennas per quatuor partes habebant.

Original

Hebrew

English

Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four living creatures had faces and wings,

Notes

Ezekiel 1:5–9

At the center of the fiery cloud were four living beings. Each one had four faces and four wings.

The number four often represents completeness in the Bible. These creatures, made up of different features, represented the whole created order (everything that God has made).

Ezekiel 1:4–28

The language of this opening vision describes a theophany (a visible appearance of God; see study note on Deuteronomy 1:33). Ezekiel found it hard to describe what he saw. He often used phrases such as "the appearance of," "looked like," and "the likeness of." These words show that the vision was beyond normal human experience.

Even so, the message is clear and serious. The vision combines movement with symbols of judgment. It warns that God’s judgment would surely come upon rebellious Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 1:1–3:27

Old Testament prophetic books often begin with a “call narrative.” A call narrative describes how God chose and sent a prophet to serve in this role (for example, Jeremiah 1:4–19).

This account showed that the prophet’s message was legitimate. It made clear that the prophet spoke as the Lord’s ambassador (a representative sent with authority). The call narrative also introduced important themes that the book would explain more fully later.

In Ezekiel, the call narrative focuses on the Lord’s coming judgment on his people.

Theme notes and profiles

God’s Glory with His People

Events

Prophecies of Ezekielc. 593 BC

Related verses

Ezekiel 10:21
Each had four faces and four wings, with what looked like human hands under their wings.
Isaiah 6:6
Then one of the seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a glowing coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar.
Ezekiel 8:3
He stretched out what looked like a hand and took me by the hair of my head. Then the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and carried me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court, where the idol that provokes jealousy was seated.
Ezekiel 10:2
And the LORD said to the man clothed in linen, “Go inside the wheelwork beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And as I watched, he went in.
Ezekiel 1:17
As they moved, they went in any of the four directions, without pivoting as they moved.
Ezekiel 10:7–8
Then one of the cherubim reached out his hand and took some of the fire that was among them. And he put it into the hands of the man clothed in linen, who received it and went out.
Ezekiel 10:18
Then the glory of the LORD moved away from the threshold of the temple and stood above the cherubim.
Ezekiel 10:11
When they moved, they would go in any of the four directions, without turning as they moved. For wherever the head faced, the cherubim would go in that direction, without turning as they moved.

Glossary

Amber Cherub, Cherubim Ezekiel (Person) Ezekiel, Book of Pillar of Fire and Cloud Prophet, Prophetess Throne Wheel

Topics

Angel (A Spirit): Unclassified Scriptures Relating To Cherubim: Form and Appearance of Visions: To Ezekiel (See Chapters 10, 40-48 of Ezekiel)

Ezekiel 1:8

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