Ezekiel 10

King James Version

Full text for Ezekiel Chapter 10

1¶ Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.

2And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, [even] under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter [them] over the city. And he went in in my sight.

3Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.

4Then the glory of the LORD went 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 the LORD'S glory.

5And the sound of the cherubims' wings was heard [even] to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.

6And it came to pass, [that] when he had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubims; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels.

7And [one] cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that [was] between the cherubims, and took [thereof], and put [it] into the hands of [him that was] clothed with linen: who took [it], and went out.

8¶ And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man's hand under their wings.

9And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels [was] as the colour of a beryl stone.

10And [as for] their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel.

11When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.

12And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, [were] full of eyes round about, [even] the wheels that they four had.

13As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel.

14And every one had four faces: the first face [was] the face of a cherub, and the second face [was] the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

15And the cherubims were lifted up. This [is] the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar.

16And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them.

17When they stood, [these] stood; and when they were lifted up, [these] lifted up themselves [also]: for the spirit of the living creature [was] in them.

18Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims.

19And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also [were] beside them, and [every one] stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD'S house; and the glory of the God of Israel [was] over them above.

20This [is] the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they [were] the cherubims.

21Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man [was] under their wings.

22And the likeness of their faces [was] the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: they went every one straight forward.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Ezekiel witnesses a command for a man clothed in linen to scatter coals of fire over Jerusalem, symbolizing divine judgment. The glory of the LORD then ascends from the cherubim to the temple threshold, filling the house with its brightness. Subsequently, the glory departs from the threshold and ascends with the cherubim and their accompanying wheels. They ultimately move towards and stand at the east gate of the temple.

Medium Summary

The prophet Ezekiel observes a vision where a sapphire-like throne appears above the cherubim, from which a man clothed in linen is commanded to take coals of fire and scatter them over the city, signifying impending judgment. As this occurs, the glory of the LORD moves from the cherub and stands over the threshold of the temple, filling the inner court with a brilliant cloud. The cherubim, described with four faces and full of eyes, are accompanied by beryl-colored wheels that move in intricate unison. The sound of their wings resonates powerfully, akin to the voice of Almighty God. The man in linen takes the fire from a cherub's hand and departs. Finally, the glory of the LORD departs from the threshold, resting upon the cherubim as they lift their wings and, with their wheels, ascend and stand at the east gate of the temple.

Long Summary

Ezekiel's vision begins with the appearance of a sapphire-like throne above the cherubim in the firmament. From this divine presence, a command is given to a man clothed in linen to gather coals of fire from between the cherubim and their wheels, and to scatter them over the city, an act symbolizing divine judgment. As the man carries out this instruction, the cherubim stand on the right side of the house, and the inner court is filled with a cloud. The glory of the LORD then moves from its position above the cherub to the threshold of the house, causing the entire temple to be filled with its radiant cloud and brightness. The powerful sound of the cherubim's wings is heard even in the outer court, likened to the voice of Almighty God. The man clothed in linen receives the fire from the hand of a cherub and goes out. The cherubim are further described, revealing the form of a man's hand under their wings. They are accompanied by four intricate wheels, each appearing as a beryl stone and structured as a wheel within a wheel, enabling movement in any direction without turning. Both the cherubim and their wheels are depicted as being full of eyes. Each cherub possesses four faces: that of a cherub, a man, a lion, and an eagle, consistent with Ezekiel's earlier vision by the river Chebar. The cherubim are then lifted up, and their wheels move in perfect synchronicity with them, for the spirit of the living creature is within the wheels. Finally, the glory of the LORD departs from the temple threshold and stands over the cherubim. The cherubim then lift their wings and ascend from the earth, with their wheels moving alongside them, ultimately coming to rest at the east gate of the LORD's house, with the glory of the God of Israel positioned above them.

Core Concepts

  • Glory of the LORDThis refers to the visible manifestation of God's presence and majesty, which is seen moving within the temple and ultimately departing from it in this chapter.
  • CherubimThese are the living creatures described with multiple faces (cherub, man, lion, eagle), wings, and hands, serving as bearers of the divine throne and instrumental in the movement of God's glory.
  • Divine JudgmentSymbolized by the scattering of coals of fire over the city, this act signifies God's impending wrath and punishment upon Jerusalem for its iniquities.
  • Departure of GloryA central theme, depicting the glory of the LORD progressively moving out of the temple, first to the threshold, then over the cherubim, and finally exiting the east gate, indicating God's abandonment of the defiled sanctuary.
  • Wheels (Ophanim)Intricate, beryl-colored structures full of eyes, moving in conjunction with the cherubim, symbolizing their divine origin and the all-seeing, omnipresent nature of God's movement.
  • Man Clothed with LinenAn angelic or priestly figure commanded by God to execute the act of judgment by scattering fire, serving as an agent of divine will.
  • Vision of ChebarThis chapter explicitly connects the cherubim and their appearance to the earlier vision Ezekiel experienced by the river Chebar, confirming the identity of these complex celestial beings.