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 to and direct them, which way soever they go, or whatsoever service they are called unto;

whither the spirit was to go they went ; which may be meant of their own spirit, will, and inclination; so the Targum,

"to the place where it was their good pleasure to go they went;'

so Jarchi and Kimchi; but this is not always the case, see Acts 16:6 ; rather the Holy Spirit of God is intended, by whom holy men of God were moved, and spoke formerly; and by whom Gospel ministers are led into the truth, as it is in Jesus; and by whom they are directed where to go, and what to do; and they are sent, and go where the Spirit of God is designed to go, in order to work upon the hearts of men and effectually call them by his grace, which is usually done by the ministry of the word; and therefore Gospel ministers must go, and they do go where the Spirit of God has work to do by them; see Acts 16:6 ;

and they turned not when they went ; they had no occasion to turn their bodies, because, which way soever they went, they had a face to go before them, and direct the way; See Gill on Ezekiel 1:9 .