18 And I saw that they had edges, and their edges, even of the four, were full of eyes round about.
A bright light comes out of the north; God's glory is greatly to be feared. There is no searching out of the Ruler of all: his strength and his judging are great; he is full of righteousness, doing no wrong. For this cause men go in fear of him; he has no respect for any who are wise in heart.
The waters saw you, O God; the waters saw you, they were in fear: even the deep was troubled. The clouds sent out water; the skies gave out a sound; truly, your arrows went far and wide. The voice of your thunder went rolling on; the world was flaming with the light of the storm; the earth was shaking. Your way was in the sea, and your road in the great waters; there was no knowledge of your footsteps.
Dark clouds are round him; his kingdom is based on righteousness and right judging. Fire goes before him, burning up all those who are against him round about. His bright flames give light to the world; the earth saw it with fear. The mountains became like wax at the coming of the Lord, at the coming of the Lord of all the earth.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Ezekiel 1
Commentary on Ezekiel 1 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
First Half - The Prophecies of Judgment - Ezekiel 1-32
The Consecration and Calling of Ezekiel to the Office of Prophet - Ezekiel 1-3:21
In a vision of God, Ezekiel beholds in a great cloud, through which shone the splendour of fire, and which a tempestuous wind drives from the north, the glory of the Lord above the cherubim upon a majestic throne in human form (Ezekiel 1), and hears a voice, which sends him as a prophet to Israel, and inspires him with the subject-matter of his announcements (Ezekiel 2:1-3:3). He is thereafter transported in spirit to Tel-abib on the Chebar, into the midst of the exiles, and the duties and responsibilities of his calling laid before him (3:4-21). By this divine appearance and the commission therewith connected is he consecrated, called, and ordained to the prophetic office. The whole occurrences in the vision are subdivided into the copious description of the theophany, Ezekiel 1, by which he is consecrated for his calling; and into the revelation of the word, Ezekiel 2:1-3:21, which prepares him for the discharge of the same. From these contents it clearly appears that these chapters do not constitute the first section of the book, but the introduction to the whole, to which the circumstantial notices of the time and place of this revelation of God at the commencement, Ezekiel 1:1-3, also point.
The Appearance of the Glory of the Lord. - Ezekiel 1:1-3. Time and place of the same. - Ezekiel 1:1. Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth (month), on the fifth (day) of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. Ezekiel 1:2 . On the fifth day of the month, it was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, Ezekiel 1:3 . The word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Busi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him.