Ezekiel 1:5-14 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 1:4-14

The visions of God which Ezekiel here saw were very glorious, and had more particulars than those which other prophets saw. It is the scope and intention of these vision, 1. To possess the prophet's mind with very great, and high, and honourable thoughts of that God by whom he was commissioned and for whom he was employed. It is the likeness of the glory of the Lord that he sees (Ezek. 1:28), and hence he may infer that it is his honour to serve him, for he is one whom angels serve. He may... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 1:5

Also out of the midst thereof ,.... The fire; or out of the whole that was seen; the whirlwind, cloud, fire, and the brightness about it: came the likeness of four living creatures ; not really four living creatures; they appeared like to such they were in the form of such; by which we are to understand, not the four monarchies; nor the four Gospels; nor the angels; but ministers of the Gospel; the true key for the opening of this vision is that which John saw, Revelation 4:6 ; the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 1:6

And or but everyone had four faces ,.... Which are described; see Gill on Ezekiel 1:10 . The Targum multiplies the faces in a strange monstrous manner, paraphrasing the words thus, "each had four faces, and there were four faces to everyone "of them", and every creature had sixteen faces; the number of the faces of the four creatures was sixty and four;' and everyone had four wings ; the seraphim in Isaiah 6:2 ; and the four beasts or living creatures in Revelation 4:8 ; had six... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 1:7

And their feet were straight feet ,.... And they went straight forward, as in Ezekiel 1:12 ; they made straight paths for their feet, and walked uprightly, according to the truth of the Gospel; did not go into crooked paths, or turn to the right hand, or the left; and having put their hand to the plough of the Gospel neither looked back, nor turned back. And or "for" the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot ; round, and the hoof divided, and fit for treading... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 1:8

And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides ,.... "Hands of a man" denote action, according to knowledge; ministers of the Gospel are men of practice and business, as well as have the theory and knowledge of things; and they act like men in a rational way, according to the will of God revealed in the word: and these being "on their four sides", show that they have much work to do all around, on every side; in ministering the word, administering ordinances;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 1:9

Their wings were joined one to another ,.... "A woman to her sister" F14 אשה אל אחותה "foemina adsororem suam", Montanus, Polanus; "vira, sive mulier ad sociam suam", so some in Vatablus. , in the Hebrew; denoting the concord, harmony, and agreement of Gospel ministers, and their affection to one another; they preach the same Gospel; administer the same ordinances; do the same work of the Lord; have the same zeal for the glory of God; the same love for Christ, and affection... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 1:10

As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man ,.... For these living creatures are men, redeemed from among men by the blood of Christ; their business lies with men, to preach the Gospel to them: and they should be humane, kind, and tender in their behaviour towards them; wounded consciences of weak believers, distressed and disconsolate souls, requiring such usage; and they should be men in understanding, have a large knowledge of the Scriptures, of the truths of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 1:11

Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward ,.... The former clause, "thus were their faces", either belongs to Ezekiel 1:10 ; and the meaning is, this, as now represented, was the likeness of their faces, and this the position of them: or it may be read in connection with the following clause, and be rendered, "and their faces and their wings were stretched upwards"; as they are in the Chaldee paraphrase, the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions: "their faces... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 1:12

And they went everyone straight forward ,.... Or, "over against his face" F17 אל עבר פניו "coram facie sua", V. L. "in tractam faciei suae", objectum , Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Polanus; "ante faciem suam", Starckius. ; for, which way soever they went, whether forward or backward, or on either side, they had a face to go before them, to direct the way, and steer their course; so the ministers of the Gospel have a face to go by and follow after, the word of God, to look... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 1:13

As for the likeness of the living creatures ,.... That is, of their bodies; for their faces, feet, hands, and wings are described before: their appearance was like burning coals of fire : because of their ministerial gifts; the gifts of the Spirit are compared to fire, and like coals of fire are to be stirred up, and not covered or quenched; Acts 2:3 ; and because of their clear shining light in the truths of the Gospel; and because of their ardent love to Christ, and the souls of... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 1:4-14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 1:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 1:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 1:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 1:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 1:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 1:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 1:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 1:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 1:13

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