Vision of God’s Glory Departing from the Temple

10 Then I looked, and behold, in the [a](A)expanse that was over the heads of the cherubim something like a (B)sapphire stone, in appearance resembling a (C)throne, appeared above them. And He spoke to the man clothed in linen and said, “Enter between the (D)whirling wheels under the [b]cherubim and fill your hands with (E)coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.” And he entered in my sight.

Now the cherubim were standing on the right side of the [c]temple when the man entered, and the cloud filled the (F)inner courtyard. Then the (G)glory of the Lord went up from the cherub to the threshold of the temple, and the (H)temple was filled with the cloud, and the courtyard was filled with the (I)brightness of the glory of the Lord. Moreover, the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard as far as the outer courtyard, like the (J)voice of [d]God Almighty when He speaks.

And it came about when He commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, “Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim,” he entered and stood beside a wheel. Then the cherub reached out with his hand from between the cherubim to the fire which was between the cherubim, took some coals and put them into the hands of the one clothed in linen; and he took them and went out. The cherubim appeared to have something like a human hand under their wings.

Then I looked, and behold, (K)four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside each cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like the gleam of a [e](L)Tarshish stone. 10 And as for their appearance, all four of them had the same likeness, as if one wheel were within another wheel. 11 When they moved, they went (M)in any of their four [f]directions without turning as they went; but they followed in the direction which [g]they faced, without turning as they went. 12 And their (N)whole body, their backs, their hands, their wings and the (O)wheels were [h]covered with eyes all around, the wheels belonging to all four of them. 13 The wheels were called, [i]as I heard, the [j]whirling wheels. 14 And (P)each one had four faces. The first face was the face of a cherub, the second face was the face of a human, the third, the face of a lion, and the fourth, the face of an eagle.

15 Then the cherubim rose up. They are the (Q)living beings that I saw by the river Chebar. 16 Now when the cherubim moved, the wheels would move beside them; also when the cherubim lifted up their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels themselves would not turn away from beside them. 17 When [k]the cherubim (R)stood still, [l]the wheels would stand still; and when they rose up, [m]the wheels would rise with them, because the spirit of the living beings was in them.

18 Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple and stood (S)over the cherubim. 19 When (T)the cherubim departed, they lifted their wings and rose up from the ground in my sight with the wheels beside them; and they stood still at the entrance of the east gate of the Lords house, and the glory of the God of Israel [n]hovered over them.

20 These are the (U)living beings that I saw beneath the God of Israel by (V)the river Chebar; so I knew that they were cherubim. 21 (W)Each one had four faces and each one four wings, and beneath their wings was the form of human hands. 22 As for the likeness of their faces, they were the same faces whose appearance I had seen by the river Chebar. Each one went straight ahead.

Evil Rulers to Be Judged

11 Now the (X)Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the Lords house which faced eastward. And behold, there were twenty-five men at the entrance of the gate, and among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur and (Y)Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people. Then He said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who devise wrongdoing and (Z)give evil advice in this city, who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses. [o]This (AA)city is the pot and we are the meat.’ Therefore, (AB)prophesy against them, prophesy, son of man!”

Then the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and He said to me, “Say, ‘This is what the Lord says: “This is how you think, house of Israel, for (AC)I know [p]your (AD)thoughts. You have (AE)multiplied your slain in this city, and filled its streets with [q]them.” Therefore, this is what the Lord [r]God says: “Your (AF)slain whom you have laid in the midst of [s]the city are the meat and this city is the pot; but [t]I will (AG)bring you out of it. You have (AH)feared a sword; so I will (AI)bring a sword upon you,” the Lord God declares. “And I will bring you out of the midst of [u]the city, and hand you over to (AJ)strangers, and (AK)execute judgments against you. 10 You will (AL)fall by the sword. I will judge you to the (AM)border of Israel; so you shall know that I am the Lord. 11 This city will (AN)not be a pot for you, nor will you be meat in the midst of it; I will judge you to the border of Israel. 12 So you will know that I am the Lord; for you have not walked in My statutes, nor have you (AO)executed My ordinances, but you have acted in accordance with the ordinances of the (AP)nations around you.”’”

13 Now it came about, as I prophesied, that (AQ)Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I fell on my face and cried out with a loud voice, and said, “(AR)Oh, Lord God! Will You bring the remnant of Israel to a complete destruction?”

Promise of Restoration

14 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 15 “Son of man, your brothers, your relatives, [v]your fellow exiles, and the entire house of Israel, all of them, are those to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Keep far from the Lord; this land has been given (AS)to us as a possession.’ 16 Therefore say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Though I had removed them far away among the nations, and though I had scattered them among the countries, yet I was a (AT)sanctuary for them for a little while in the countries where they had gone.”’ 17 Therefore say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “I will (AU)gather you from the peoples and assemble you from the countries among which you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”’ 18 When they come there, they will (AV)remove all its (AW)detestable things and all its abominations from it. 19 And I will (AX)give them one heart, and put a new spirit within [w]them. And I will remove the (AY)heart of stone from their flesh and give them a (AZ)heart of flesh, 20 so that they may (BA)walk in My statutes, and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be (BB)My people, and I shall be their God. 21 [x]But as for those whose hearts go after their (BC)detestable things and abominations, I will [y](BD)bring their conduct down on their heads,” declares the Lord God.

22 Then the cherubim (BE)lifted up their wings with the wheels beside them, and (BF)the glory of the God of Israel [z]hovered over them. 23 The (BG)glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and (BH)stood over the mountain which is east of the city. 24 And the (BI)Spirit lifted me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God to [aa]Chaldea, to the exiles. Then the vision that I had seen [ab](BJ)left me. 25 And I (BK)told the exiles all the things that the Lord had shown me.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 10:1 Or firmament; i.e., atmosphere and space
  2. Ezekiel 10:2 As in LXX; MT cherub
  3. Ezekiel 10:3 Lit house, and so throughout the ch
  4. Ezekiel 10:5 Heb El Shaddai
  5. Ezekiel 10:9 Perhaps topaz
  6. Ezekiel 10:11 Lit sides
  7. Ezekiel 10:11 Lit the head turned
  8. Ezekiel 10:12 Lit full of
  9. Ezekiel 10:13 Lit in my ears
  10. Ezekiel 10:13 Heb galgal
  11. Ezekiel 10:17 Lit they
  12. Ezekiel 10:17 Lit they
  13. Ezekiel 10:17 Lit they
  14. Ezekiel 10:19 Lit over them from above
  15. Ezekiel 11:3 Or This is
  16. Ezekiel 11:5 Lit what comes up in your spirit
  17. Ezekiel 11:6 Lit the slain
  18. Ezekiel 11:7 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  19. Ezekiel 11:7 Lit it
  20. Ezekiel 11:7 As in LXX; MT he will bring you out
  21. Ezekiel 11:9 Lit it
  22. Ezekiel 11:15 As in LXX and some ancient versions; MT the men of your redemption
  23. Ezekiel 11:19 As in LXX and many mss; MT you
  24. Ezekiel 11:21 Lit And to the heart of their detestable things and their abominations their heart goes
  25. Ezekiel 11:21 Lit give...conduct on
  26. Ezekiel 11:22 Lit over them from above
  27. Ezekiel 11:24 I.e., Babylonia
  28. Ezekiel 11:24 Lit went up from

God’s Glory Departs From the Temple

10 I looked, and I saw the likeness of a throne(A) of lapis lazuli(B) above the vault(C) that was over the heads of the cherubim.(D) The Lord said to the man clothed in linen,(E) “Go in among the wheels(F) beneath the cherubim. Fill(G) your hands with burning coals(H) from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And as I watched, he went in.

Now the cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple when the man went in, and a cloud filled the inner court. Then the glory of the Lord(I) rose from above the cherubim and moved to the threshold of the temple. The cloud filled the temple, and the court was full of the radiance of the glory of the Lord. The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard as far away as the outer court, like the voice(J) of God Almighty[a] when he speaks.(K)

When the Lord commanded the man in linen, “Take fire from among the wheels,(L) from among the cherubim,” the man went in and stood beside a wheel. Then one of the cherubim reached out his hand to the fire(M) that was among them. He took up some of it and put it into the hands of the man in linen, who took it and went out. (Under the wings of the cherubim could be seen what looked like human hands.)(N)

I looked, and I saw beside the cherubim four wheels, one beside each of the cherubim; the wheels sparkled like topaz.(O) 10 As for their appearance, the four of them looked alike; each was like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 11 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the cherubim faced; the wheels did not turn about[b] as the cherubim went. The cherubim went in whatever direction the head faced, without turning as they went. 12 Their entire bodies, including their backs, their hands and their wings, were completely full of eyes,(P) as were their four wheels.(Q) 13 I heard the wheels being called “the whirling wheels.” 14 Each of the cherubim(R) had four faces:(S) One face was that of a cherub, the second the face of a human being, the third the face of a lion,(T) and the fourth the face of an eagle.(U)

15 Then the cherubim rose upward. These were the living creatures(V) I had seen by the Kebar River.(W) 16 When the cherubim moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the cherubim spread their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels did not leave their side. 17 When the cherubim stood still, they also stood still; and when the cherubim rose, they rose with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in them.(X)

18 Then the glory(Y) of the Lord departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim.(Z) 19 While I watched, the cherubim spread their wings and rose from the ground, and as they went, the wheels went with them.(AA) They stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the Lord’s house, and the glory(AB) of the God of Israel was above them.

20 These were the living creatures I had seen beneath the God of Israel by the Kebar River,(AC) and I realized that they were cherubim. 21 Each had four faces(AD) and four wings,(AE) and under their wings was what looked like human hands. 22 Their faces had the same appearance as those I had seen by the Kebar River.(AF) Each one went straight ahead.

God’s Sure Judgment on Jerusalem

11 Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the gate of the house of the Lord that faces east. There at the entrance of the gate were twenty-five men, and I saw among them Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah(AG) son of Benaiah, leaders(AH) of the people.(AI) The Lord said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who are plotting evil(AJ) and giving wicked advice in this city.(AK) They say, ‘Haven’t our houses been recently rebuilt? This city is a pot,(AL) and we are the meat in it.’(AM) Therefore prophesy(AN) against them; prophesy, son of man.”

Then the Spirit of the Lord came on me, and he told me to say: “This is what the Lord says: That is what you are saying, you leaders in Israel, but I know what is going through your mind.(AO) You have killed many people in this city and filled its streets with the dead.(AP)

“Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: The bodies you have thrown there are the meat and this city is the pot,(AQ) but I will drive you out of it.(AR) You fear the sword,(AS) and the sword is what I will bring against you, declares the Sovereign Lord.(AT) I will drive you out of the city and deliver you into the hands(AU) of foreigners and inflict punishment on you.(AV) 10 You will fall by the sword, and I will execute judgment on you at the borders of Israel.(AW) Then you will know that I am the Lord. 11 This city will not be a pot(AX) for you, nor will you be the meat in it; I will execute judgment on you at the borders of Israel. 12 And you will know that I am the Lord,(AY) for you have not followed my decrees(AZ) or kept my laws but have conformed to the standards of the nations around you.(BA)

13 Now as I was prophesying, Pelatiah(BB) son of Benaiah died. Then I fell facedown and cried out in a loud voice, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! Will you completely destroy the remnant of Israel?(BC)

The Promise of Israel’s Return

14 The word of the Lord came to me: 15 “Son of man, the people of Jerusalem have said of your fellow exiles and all the other Israelites, ‘They are far away from the Lord; this land was given to us as our possession.’(BD)

16 “Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary(BE) for them in the countries where they have gone.’

17 “Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again.’(BF)

18 “They will return to it and remove all its vile images(BG) and detestable idols.(BH) 19 I will give them an undivided heart(BI) and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone(BJ) and give them a heart of flesh.(BK) 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.(BL) They will be my people,(BM) and I will be their God.(BN) 21 But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their vile images and detestable idols,(BO) I will bring down on their own heads what they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.(BP)

22 Then the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, spread their wings, and the glory(BQ) of the God of Israel was above them.(BR) 23 The glory(BS) of the Lord went up from within the city and stopped above the mountain(BT) east of it. 24 The Spirit(BU) lifted me up and brought me to the exiles in Babylonia[c] in the vision(BV) given by the Spirit of God.

Then the vision I had seen went up from me, 25 and I told the exiles everything the Lord had shown me.(BW)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 10:5 Hebrew El-Shaddai
  2. Ezekiel 10:11 Or aside
  3. Ezekiel 11:24 Or Chaldea

The Danger of Falling Away

Therefore (A)leaving (B)the [a]elementary teaching about the [b]Christ, let us press on to [c](C)maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from (D)dead works and of faith toward God, of (E)instruction about [d]washings and (F)laying on of hands, and about the (G)resurrection of the dead and (H)eternal judgment. And this we will do, (I)if God permits. For it is (J)impossible, in the case of those who have once been (K)enlightened and have tasted of (L)the heavenly gift and have been made (M)partakers of the Holy Spirit, and (N)have tasted the good (O)word of God and the powers of (P)the age to come, and then have [e]fallen away, to (Q)restore them again to repentance, [f](R)since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. For ground that drinks the rain which often [g]falls on it and produces vegetation useful to those (S)for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and [h](T)close to being cursed, and [i]it ends up being burned.

Better Things for You

But, (U)beloved, we are convinced of better things regarding you, and things that [j]accompany salvation, even though we are speaking in this way. 10 For (V)God is not unjust so as to forget (W)your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having (X)served and by still serving the [k]saints. 11 And we desire that each one of you demonstrate the same diligence [l]so as to realize the (Y)full assurance of (Z)hope until the end, 12 so that you will not be sluggish, but (AA)imitators of those who through (AB)faith and endurance (AC)inherit the promises.

13 For (AD)when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear an oath by no one greater, He (AE)swore by Himself, 14 saying, “(AF)indeed I will greatly bless you and I will greatly multiply you.” 15 And so, (AG)having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. 16 (AH)For people swear an oath by [m]one greater than themselves, and with them (AI)an oath serving as confirmation is an end of every dispute. 17 [n]In the same way God, desiring even more to demonstrate to (AJ)the heirs of the promise [o](AK)the fact that His purpose is unchangeable, [p]confirmed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things in which (AL)it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to hold firmly to (AM)the hope set before us. 19 [q]This (AN)hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and reliable and one which (AO)enters [r]within the veil, 20 (AP)where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a (AQ)high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 6:1 Lit word of the beginning
  2. Hebrews 6:1 I.e., Messiah
  3. Hebrews 6:1 Or perfection
  4. Hebrews 6:2 Or baptisms
  5. Hebrews 6:6 Or committed apostasy; i.e., renounced the faith
  6. Hebrews 6:6 Or while
  7. Hebrews 6:7 Lit comes
  8. Hebrews 6:8 Lit near to a curse
  9. Hebrews 6:8 Lit whose end is for burning
  10. Hebrews 6:9 Or belong to
  11. Hebrews 6:10 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  12. Hebrews 6:11 Lit to the full
  13. Hebrews 6:16 Or Him who is greater
  14. Hebrews 6:17 Lit In which
  15. Hebrews 6:17 Lit the unchangeableness of His
  16. Hebrews 6:17 Or mediated
  17. Hebrews 6:19 Lit Which hope we have
  18. Hebrews 6:19 Or inside

Therefore let us move beyond(A) the elementary teachings(B) about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death,[a](C) and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites,[b](D) the laying on of hands,(E) the resurrection of the dead,(F) and eternal judgment. And God permitting,(G) we will do so.

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened,(H) who have tasted the heavenly gift,(I) who have shared in the Holy Spirit,(J) who have tasted the goodness(K) of the word of God(L) and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen[c] away, to be brought back to repentance.(M) To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God(N) all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed.(O) In the end it will be burned.

Even though we speak like this, dear friends,(P) we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. 10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.(Q) 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope(R) for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate(S) those who through faith and patience(T) inherit what has been promised.(U)

The Certainty of God’s Promise

13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,(V) 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”[d](W) 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.(X)

16 People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.(Y) 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging(Z) nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised,(AA) he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie,(AB) we who have fled to take hold of the hope(AC) set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,(AD) 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf.(AE) He has become a high priest(AF) forever, in the order of Melchizedek.(AG)

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 6:1 Or from useless rituals
  2. Hebrews 6:2 Or about baptisms
  3. Hebrews 6:6 Or age, if they fall
  4. Hebrews 6:14 Gen. 22:17

16 And He (A)called for a famine upon the land;
He (B)broke the whole staff of bread.
17 He (C)sent a man before them,
Joseph, who was (D)sold as a slave.
18 They forced his (E)feet into shackles,
[a]He was put in irons;
19 Until the time that his (F)word came to pass,
The word of the Lord (G)refined him.
20 The (H)king sent and released him,
The ruler of peoples, and set him free.
21 He (I)made him lord of his house,
And ruler over all his possessions,
22 To [b]imprison his high officials [c](J)at will,
That he might teach his elders wisdom.
23 (K)Israel also came into Egypt;
So Jacob (L)lived in the land of Ham.
24 And He (M)made His people very fruitful,
And made them stronger than their enemies.

25 He (N)turned their heart to hate His people,
To (O)deal cunningly with His servants.
26 He (P)sent His servant Moses,
And (Q)Aaron, whom He had chosen.
27 They [d](R)performed His wondrous acts among them,
And miracles in the land of Ham.
28 He (S)sent darkness and made it dark;
And they did not (T)rebel against His words.
29 He (U)turned their waters into blood,
And caused their fish to die.
30 Their land swarmed with (V)frogs
Even in the (W)chambers of their kings.
31 He spoke, and a (X)swarm of flies
And (Y)gnats invaded all their territory.
32 He [e]gave them (Z)hail for rain,
And flaming fire in their land.
33 He also (AA)struck their vines and their fig trees,
And smashed the trees of their territory.
34 He spoke, and (AB)locusts came,
And creeping locusts, beyond number,
35 And they ate all the vegetation in their land,
And ate the fruit of their ground.
36 He also (AC)fatally struck all the firstborn in their land,
The (AD)first fruits of all their vigor.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 105:18 Lit His soul came into
  2. Psalm 105:22 Lit bind
  3. Psalm 105:22 Lit at his
  4. Psalm 105:27 Lit set the words of His signs
  5. Psalm 105:32 Or made their rain hail

16 He called down famine(A) on the land
    and destroyed all their supplies of food;
17 and he sent a man before them—
    Joseph, sold as a slave.(B)
18 They bruised his feet with shackles,(C)
    his neck was put in irons,
19 till what he foretold(D) came to pass,
    till the word(E) of the Lord proved him true.
20 The king sent and released him,
    the ruler of peoples set him free.(F)
21 He made him master of his household,
    ruler over all he possessed,
22 to instruct his princes(G) as he pleased
    and teach his elders wisdom.(H)

23 Then Israel entered Egypt;(I)
    Jacob resided(J) as a foreigner in the land of Ham.(K)
24 The Lord made his people very fruitful;
    he made them too numerous(L) for their foes,
25 whose hearts he turned(M) to hate his people,
    to conspire(N) against his servants.
26 He sent Moses(O) his servant,
    and Aaron,(P) whom he had chosen.(Q)
27 They performed(R) his signs(S) among them,
    his wonders(T) in the land of Ham.
28 He sent darkness(U) and made the land dark—
    for had they not rebelled against(V) his words?
29 He turned their waters into blood,(W)
    causing their fish to die.(X)
30 Their land teemed with frogs,(Y)
    which went up into the bedrooms of their rulers.
31 He spoke,(Z) and there came swarms of flies,(AA)
    and gnats(AB) throughout their country.
32 He turned their rain into hail,(AC)
    with lightning throughout their land;
33 he struck down their vines(AD) and fig trees(AE)
    and shattered the trees of their country.
34 He spoke,(AF) and the locusts came,(AG)
    grasshoppers(AH) without number;(AI)
35 they ate up every green thing in their land,
    ate up the produce of their soil.
36 Then he struck down all the firstborn(AJ) in their land,
    the firstfruits of all their manhood.

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Warnings and Instructions

27 (A)Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you (B)do not know what a day may bring.
Let (C)another praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.

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27 Do not boast(A) about tomorrow,
    for you do not know what a day may bring.(B)

Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;
    an outsider, and not your own lips.(C)

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