18 As to their rings, they are both high and fearful, and their rings `are' full of eyes round about them four.
And all their flesh, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, are full of eyes round about; to them four `are' their wheels.
and before the throne `is' a sea of glass like to crystal, and in the midst of the throne, and round the throne, `are' four living creatures, full of eyes before and behind;
From the golden north it cometh, Beside God `is' fearful honour. The Mighty! we have not found Him out, High in power and judgment, He doth not answer! And abundant in righteousness, Therefore do men fear Him, He seeth not any of the wise of heart.
The waters have seen Thee, O God, The waters have seen Thee, They are afraid -- also depths are troubled. Poured out waters have thick clouds, The skies have given forth a noise, Also -- Thine arrows go up and down. The voice of Thy thunder `is' in the spheres, Lightnings have lightened the world, The earth hath trembled, yea, it shaketh. In the sea `is' Thy way, And Thy paths `are' in many waters, And Thy tracks have not been known.
Cloud and darkness `are' round about Him, Righteousness and judgment the basis of His throne. Fire before Him goeth, And burneth round about His adversaries. Lightened have His lightnings the world, The earth hath seen, and is pained. Hills, like wax, melted before Jehovah, Before the Lord of all the earth.
In every place are the eyes of Jehovah, Watching the evil and the good.
For high have the heavens been above the earth, So high have been My ways above your ways, And My thoughts above your thoughts.
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.