Ezekiel 10

1 And I looked [behold, gazed intently] and saw above the expanse [firmament, the sky], above the heads [the topmost part of the body] of the cherubim [angelic beings, guardians], the likeness [resemblance, similar to] of a throne [seat of power, authority] of sapphire [a precious blue gemstone]. word study 2 And the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] said to the man [a male person, a human] clothed in linen [a type of fabric], “Go inside [enter, come into] the wheelwork [a whirlwind, a spinning wheel] beneath [under, below] the cherubim [angelic beings, guardians of God’s throne]. Fill your hands [the palms of your hands, your grasp] with burning coals [hot embers, fiery coals] from among [between, in the midst of] the cherubim [heavenly creatures, God’s attendants] and scatter [disperse, spread abroad] them over [upon, above] the city [a populated area, a community].” And as I watched [saw, observed], he went in [entered, came into]. word study 3 Now when the man [the prophet, a male person] went in, the cherubim [angelic beings, heavenly guardians] were standing [in a strong sense, firmly positioned] on the south [right] side of the temple [a dwelling place, the house of God], and a cloud filled [to make full, complete] the inner [interior, most sacred] court [an enclosed area, a village]. word study 4 Then the glory [great honor, splendor] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] rose from above the cherubim [angelic beings, guardians] and stood over the threshold [the base of a door] of the temple [the dwelling place, house of God]. The temple was filled [to make full, complete] with the cloud, and the court [the open square, outer area] was filled with the brightness [nogah, shining, radiance] of the glory [great honor, majesty] of the LORD. word study 5 The sound [noise, loud voice] of the wings [extremities, edges] of the cherubim [angelic beings, heavenly guardians] could be heard [perceived, listened to] as far as [until, reaching] the outer [external, outside] court [village, settlement], like [resembling, similar to] the voice [sound, expression] of God [Elohim, the Almighty] Almighty [Shadday, all-powerful] when He speaks [communicates, declares]. word study 6 When the LORD [the sovereign God, Yehovah] commanded the man [a male person, an individual] clothed in linen [a type of fabric], saying, “Take fire [burning, flame] from within the wheelwork [the whirling wheels, a complex system], from among the cherubim [angelic beings, guardians of God’s throne],” the man went in and stood [to stand in a strong sense, like a sentinel] beside a wheel [a chariot wheel, a circle]. word study 7 Then one of the cherubim [angelic beings, heavenly guardians] reached out his hand [the palm or hollow of the hand] and took some of the fire [burning, flame] that was among them [between the winged creatures]. And he put it into the hands of the man clothed in linen [wearing a garment of purity], who received it and went out [departed, left the scene]. word study 8 (The cherubim [angelic beings, heavenly guardians] appeared to have the form [pattern, likeness] of human [a man’s, Adam’s] hands [an open hand; strength, a side or share] under [beneath, underneath] their wings [edges, extremities].) word study 9 Then I looked [behold, gazed intently] and saw four wheels [like chariot wheels, circular and turning] beside [near, adjacent to] the cherubim [angelic beings, heavenly guardians], one wheel [a single, individual wheel] beside [next to, accompanying] each cherub [a unique, heavenly creature]. And the wheels [the circular, turning wheels] gleamed [shone brightly, radiated light] like [resembling, similar to] a beryl [tarshish, a precious stone, possibly jasper] stone [a gem, a precious rock]. word study 10 As for their appearance [sight or supernatural vision], all four had the same form [likeness or resemblance], like a wheel [chariot wheel or divine wheel] within [in the midst of] a wheel [another wheel, a concentric circle]. word study 11 When they moved [went forth, walked], they would go in any of the four [cardinal] directions, without turning [changing course] as they moved [walked, proceeded]. For wherever the head [the topmost part of the body] faced [looked, turned], the cherubim would go in that direction [followed, pursued], without turning [deviating, changing] as they moved [proceeded, went]. word study 12 Their entire bodies [flesh, entire being], including their backs [rounded parts], hands [an open hand; strength, a side or share], and wings [edges or extremities], were full [completely filled] of eyes [sources of vision, understanding] all around [encompassing, surrounding], as were their four [a specific quantity] wheels [circular objects, chariot wheels]. word study 13 I heard the wheels [the whirling wheels, chariot wheels] being called [to cry out, summoned by name] “the whirling wheels [a wheel or whirlwind].” word study 14 Each of the cherubim [heavenly guardians, winged creatures] had four faces: the first face was that of a cherub [a celestial being], the second that of a man [a human, Adam], the third that of a lion, and the fourth that of an eagle [a large bird of prey]. word study 15 Then the cherubim [angelic beings, heavenly guardians] rose upward [be exalted, lifted up]. These were the living creatures [alive, full of life] I had seen [looked after, gazed at] by the River [a flood] Kebar [in Mesopotamia, a place of exile]. word study 16 When the cherubim [angelic beings, heavenly guardians] moved, the wheels [chariot wheels, divine conveyance] moved beside them, and even when they spread their wings [to mount up, for spiritual ascent] to rise from the ground, the wheels did not veer away from their side [stay close, remain nearby]. word study 17 When the cherubim [winged creatures, heavenly beings] stood still [came to a stop, ceased moving], the wheels also stood still [were at rest, motionless], and when they ascended [were lifted up, exalted], the wheels ascended [rose, were lifted] with them, for the spirit [breath of life, divine energy] of the living creatures [beings with life, alive] was in the wheels [within them, guiding them]. word study 18 Then the glory [splendor, great honor] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] moved away [departed, went out] from the threshold [doorstep, entrance] of the temple [house, dwelling place] and stood [came to rest, remained] above [upon, over] the cherubim [angelic beings, guardians]. word study 19 As I watched, the cherubim [angelic beings, guardians of God’s throne] lifted their wings [extremities] and rose up from the ground [the earth, the physical realm], with the wheels [circular objects] beside them as they went. And they stopped at the entrance [doorway, threshold] of the east [direction of sunrise] gate of the house [dwelling place, temple] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], with the glory [great honor, splendor] of the God [Elohim, the supreme deity] of Israel [the chosen people, descendants of Jacob] above them [in a position of authority, overseeing]. word study 20 These were the living creatures [beings, winged ones] I had seen beneath [underneath, below] the God [Elohim, the supreme God] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob] by the River [canal] Kebar, and I knew [ascertained, perceived] that they were cherubim [angelic beings, guardians of God’s throne]. word study 21 Each had four [exactly, precisely] faces and four [the same number] wings, with what looked like [resembling, similar to] human [of a man, Adam] hands [the open hand] under [beneath, underneath] their wings [the edge or extremity, like a bird’s wing]. word study 22 Their faces [the likeness of their countenances, appearance] looked like the faces [the same faces, visage] I had seen [beheld, looked upon] by the River [stream, watercourse] Kebar [Chebar, a river in Mesopotamia]. Each creature [living being, cherub] went straight [directly, forward] ahead [toward their destination, in a straight line]. word study