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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

God’s Glory Leaves the Temple

10 Then I looked, and there above the expanse over the heads(A) of the cherubim was something like sapphire[a] stone resembling the shape of a throne that appeared above them. The Lord spoke to the man clothed in linen and said, “Go inside the wheelwork beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with hot coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.”(B) So he went in as I watched.

Now the cherubim were standing to the south of the temple when the man went in, and the cloud(C) filled the inner court.(D) Then the glory of the Lord rose from above the cherub to the threshold of the temple.(E) The temple was filled with the cloud,(F) and the court was filled with the brightness of the Lord’s glory.(G) The sound of the cherubim’s wings could be heard as far as the outer court; it was like the voice of God Almighty when He speaks.

After the Lord commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, “Take fire from inside the wheelwork, from among the cherubim,” the man went in and stood beside a wheel. Then the cherub reached out his hand to the fire that was among them. He took some, and put it into the hands of the man clothed in linen, who took it and went out. The cherubim appeared to have the form of human hands under their wings.(H)

I looked, and there were four wheels beside the cherubim,(I) one wheel beside each cherub. The luster of the wheels was like the gleam of beryl.(J) 10 In appearance, all four had the same form, like a wheel within a wheel. 11 When they moved, they would go in any of the four directions,(K) without pivoting as they moved. But wherever the head faced, they would go in that direction,[b] without pivoting as they went. 12 Their entire bodies,(L) including their backs, hands, wings, and the wheels that the four of them had, were full of eyes all around.(M) 13 As I listened the wheels were called “the wheelwork.” 14 Each one had four faces:(N) the first face was that of a cherub, the second that of a man, the third that of a lion, and the fourth that of an eagle.

15 The cherubim ascended; these were the living creatures I had seen by the Chebar Canal.(O) 16 When the cherubim moved, the wheels moved beside them, and when they lifted their wings to rise from the earth, even then the wheels did not veer away from them. 17 When the cherubim stood still,(P) the wheels stood still, and when they ascended, the wheels ascended with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in them.

18 Then the glory of the Lord moved away from the threshold of the temple(Q) and stood above the cherubim.(R) 19 The cherubim lifted their wings and ascended from the earth right before my eyes;(S) the wheels were beside them as they went. The glory of the God of Israel was above them, and it stood at the entrance to the eastern gate of the Lord’s house.

20 These were the living creatures I had seen(T) beneath the God of Israel by the Chebar Canal,(U) and I recognized that they were cherubim. 21 Each had four faces and each had four wings,(V) with the form of human hands under their wings. 22 Their faces looked like the same faces I had seen(W) by the Chebar Canal. Each creature went straight ahead.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 10:1 Or lapis lazuli
  2. Ezekiel 10:11 Lit go after it