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10 Then I looked, and see, in the expanse that was over the head of the cherubim there appeared above them as it were a sapphire[a] stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne. He spoke to the man clothed in linen, and said, “Go in between the whirling wheels, even under the cherub, and fill both your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.”

He went in as I watched. Now the cherubim stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court. Yahweh’s glory mounted up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of Yahweh’s glory. The sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.

It came to pass, when he commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, “Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim,” that he went in, and stood beside a wheel. The cherub stretched out his hand from between the cherubim to the fire that was between the cherubim, and took some of it, and put it into the hands of him who was clothed in linen, who took it and went out. The form of a man’s hand appeared here in the cherubim under their wings.

I looked, and behold, there were four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside one cherub, and another wheel beside another cherub. The appearance of the wheels was like a beryl stone. 10 As for their appearance, the four of them had one likeness, like a wheel within a wheel. 11 When they went, they went in their four directions. They didn’t turn as they went, but to the place where the head looked they followed it. They didn’t turn as they went. 12 Their whole body, including their backs, their hands, their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes all around, even the wheels that the four of them had. 13 As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, “the whirling wheels”. 14 Every one them had four faces. The first face was the face of the cherub. The second face was the face of a man. The third face was the face of a lion. The fourth was the face of an eagle.

15 The cherubim mounted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river Chebar. 16 When the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the wheels also didn’t turn from beside them. 17 When they stood, these stood. When they mounted up, these mounted up with them; for the spirit of the living creature was in them.

18 Yahweh’s glory went out from over the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim. 19 The cherubim lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight when they went out, with the wheels beside them. Then they stood at the door of the east gate of Yahweh’s house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.

20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar; and I knew that they were cherubim. 21 Every one had four faces, and every one four wings. The likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings. 22 As for the likeness of their faces, they were the faces which I saw by the river Chebar, their appearances and themselves. They each went straight forward.

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Footnotes

  1. 10:1 or, lapis lazuli

The Vision of God’s Throne

10 As I continued to watch, there on the expanse above the heads of the cherubim was a massive[a] sapphire stone that resembled a throne in form and appearance. The Lord[b] spoke to the man who was clothed in white linen, telling him, “Go between the whirling wheels, under the cherubim, and fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim. Then scatter them[c] over the city.” So he entered as I watched.[d]

Now the cherubim were standing on the south[e] side of the entrance to the Temple, when the man entered and a cloud filled the inner court. The glory of the Lord rose above the cherub and moved to the threshold of the Temple. A cloud filled the Temple and the court was filled with the brilliance of the Lord’s glory. The sound of the wings of the cherubim, reminiscent of the voice of the Sovereign God when he speaks, could be heard as far as the outer court.

He issued this order to the man who was clothed in white linen: “Take fire from within the whirling wheels, among the cherubim.” So he went and stood beside the wheels.

Ezekiel’s Vision of the Cherubim

Then a cherub stretched out his hand to the fire, which was among the cherubim, took some of the fire, and placed it in the hands of the one clothed in white linen, who took it and left. There appeared to be human hands under the wings of the cherubim.

As I continued to watch, I observed four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside each cherub.[f] The wheels resembled beryl stone. 10 In appearance, the four wheels looked like they consisted of a wheel within a wheel. 11 Whenever they moved, they proceeded without turning around as they moved, but they followed in the direction where their head was facing, without looking around as they moved.

12 Their entire bodies, backs, hands, and wings were filled with eyes around, including each of their four wheels. 13 The wheels whose sound I was hearing were called “the whirling wheels”. 14 Each had four faces. The first one was the face of a cherub, the second the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

15 The cherubim arose. These were the same beings that I had seen at the Chebar River. 16 When the cherubim moved, the wheels went alongside them. But when the cherubim started to ascend, beating their wings to rise above the earth, the wheels beside them didn’t turn. 17 When they stood still, the wheels stood still. When they rose up, the wheels rose up, too, because they were alive.[g]

18 Then the glory of the Lord moved away from the threshold of the Temple and stood over the cherubim. 19 The cherubim lifted their wings and rose above the earth while I watched. They went out, along with their wheels, and stood at the entrance to the east gate of the Lord’s Temple as the glory of Israel’s God remained above, covering them.

20 These were the living beings that I had seen under the God of Israel on the bank of the Chebar River. I knew that they were cherubim. 21 Each one had four faces. Each one had four wings, and the form of human hands could be seen under their wings. 22 As to the likeness of their faces, they were like what I had seen on the bank of the Chebar River. They each moved straight ahead.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 10:1 The Heb. lacks massive
  2. Ezekiel 10:2 Lit. He
  3. Ezekiel 10:2 The Heb. lacks them
  4. Ezekiel 10:2 Lit. entered in my sight
  5. Ezekiel 10:3 Lit. right side
  6. Ezekiel 10:9 Lit. cherub and another wheel beside another cherub.
  7. Ezekiel 10:17 Lit. because the spirit of the living beings resided in the wheels