Christian Standard Bible
Ezekiel 1:27
27From what seemed to be his waist up, I saw a gleam like amber, with what looked like fire enclosing it all around. From what seemed to be his waist down, I also saw what looked like fire. There was a brilliant light all around him.
Ezekiel 1:27 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.
- New International Version (NIV)I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around.
Context of Ezekiel 1:27
25A voice came from above the expanse over their heads; when they stopped, they lowered their wings. 26Something like a throne with the appearance of lapis lazuli was above the expanse over their heads. On the throne, high above, was someone who looked like a human. From what seemed to be his waist up, I saw a gleam like amber, with what looked like fire enclosing it all around. From what seemed to be his waist down, I also saw what looked like fire. There was a brilliant light all around him. 28The appearance of the brilliant light all around was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the Lord’s glory. When I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking.
Read all of Ezekiel 1Ezekiel 1:27 word by word
וָאֵ֣רֶא׀ כְּעֵ֣ין חַשְׁמַ֗ל כְּמַרְאֵה־אֵ֤שׁ בֵּֽית־לָהּ֙ סָבִ֔יב מִמַּרְאֵ֥ה מָתְנָ֖יו וּלְמָ֑עְלָה וּמִמַּרְאֵ֤ה מָתְנָיו֙ וּלְמַ֔טָּה רָאִ֙יתִי֙ כְּמַרְאֵה־אֵ֔שׁ וְנֹ֥גַֽהּ ל֖וֹ סָבִֽיב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And I sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- as the colourעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: appearanceH5869
- of amberחַשְׁמַלchashmal · amberH2830
- as the appearanceמַרְאֶהmar'eh · appearanceH4758
- of fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
- round aboutסָבִיבsâbîyb sebîybâh · aroundH5439
- withinבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: insideH1004
- of his loinsמׇתְנַ֫יִםmôthen · loinH4975
- even upwardמַ֫עַלma‛al · aboveH4605
- even downwardמַ֫טָּהmaţţâh · beneathH4295
- and it had brightnessנֹ֫גַהּnôgahh · brightnessH5051
Cross-references for Ezekiel 1:27
- Ezekiel 1:4I looked, and there was a whirlwind coming from the north, a huge cloud with fire flashing back and forth and brilliant light all around it. In the center of the fire, there was a gleam like amber.
- Ezekiel 8:2I looked, and there was someone who looked like a man. From what seemed to be his waist down was fire, and from his waist up was something that looked bright, like the gleam of amber.
- Deuteronomy 4:24For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
- Psalms 50:3Our God is coming; he will not be silent! Devouring fire precedes him, and a storm rages around him.
- Psalms 97:2Clouds and total darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:8when he takes vengeance with flaming fire on those who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
- Hebrews 12:29for our God is a consuming fire.
- Revelation 1:14The hair of his head was white as wool — white as snow — and his eyes like a fiery flame.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 1:27
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 27The color of amber - There are specimens of amber which are very pure and beautifully transparent. One which I now hold up to the light gives a most beautiful bright yellow color. Such a splendid appearance had the august Being who sat upon this throne from the reins upward; but from thence downward he had the appearance of fire, burning with a clear and brilliant flame. For farther particulars see the notes on Ezekiel 10 (note).Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 26-28Verses 26-28 The eternal Son, the second Person in the Trinity, who afterwards took the human nature, is here denoted. The first thing observed was a throne. It is a throne of glory, a throne of grace, a throne of triumph, a throne of government, a throne of judgment. It is good news to men, that the throne above the firmament is filled with One who appears, even there, in the likeness of a man. The throne is surrounded with a rainbow, the well-known…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26-27On God's throne was a figure that looked like a man. Ezekiel struggled to describe the scene because it was so magnificent. This human form showed the Lord's bright glory, which had once filled the tabernacle and the temple as a visible sign of God's presence (see Daniel 7:9–10; Revelation 1:12–17). God's presence in human form comforts his faithful people but warns of judgment for those who disobey him. This vision foretells God coming to earth as a man…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2727. colour of amber--"the glitter of chasmal" [Fairbairn]. See on Eze 1:4; rather, "polished brass" [Henderson]. Messiah is described here as in Da 10:5, 6; Re 1:14, 15.Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 1:27
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezekiel 1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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