God’s Word Translation
Ezekiel 1:10
10Their faces looked like this: From the front, each creature had the face of a human. From the right, each one had the face of a lion. From the left, each one had the face of a bull. And from the back, each one had the face of an eagle.
Ezekiel 1:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
- New International Version (NIV)Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.
- English Standard Version (ESV)As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle.
- New King James Version (NKJV)As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.
Context of Ezekiel 1:10
8They had human hands under their wings on each of their four sides. All four of them had faces and wings. 9Their wings touched each other. The creatures went straight ahead, and they did not turn as they moved. Their faces looked like this: From the front, each creature had the face of a human. From the right, each one had the face of a lion. From the left, each one had the face of a bull. And from the back, each one had the face of an eagle. 11That is what their faces looked like. Their wings were spread out, pointing upward. Each creature had two wings with which they touched each other. The other two wings covered their bodies. 12Each of the creatures went straight ahead. They went wherever their spirit wanted to go, and they didn’t turn as they moved.
Read all of Ezekiel 1Ezekiel 1:10 word by word
וּדְמ֣וּת פְּנֵיהֶם֮ פְּנֵ֣י אָדָם֒ וּפְנֵ֨י אַרְיֵ֤ה אֶל־הַיָּמִין֙ לְאַרְבַּעְתָּ֔ם וּפְנֵי־שׁ֥וֹר מֵֽהַשְּׂמֹ֖אול לְאַרְבַּעְתָּ֑ן וּפְנֵי־נֶ֖שֶׁר לְאַרְבַּעְתָּֽן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- As for the likenessדְּמוּתdemûth · likenessH1823
- of their facesפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- they fourאַרְבַּע'arba‛ 'arbâ‛âh · fourH702
- of a manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- of a lionאַרְיֵה'ărîy 'aryêh · lionH738
- on the right sideיָמִיןyâmîyn · rightH3225
- of an oxשׁוֹרshôr · cattleH7794
- on the left sideשְׂמֹאלώemô'l ώem'ôl · leftH8040
- of an eagleנֶשֶׁרnesher · eagleH5404
Cross-references for Ezekiel 1:10
- Ezekiel 10:14Each of the angels had four faces. The first was the face of an angel, the second was the face of a human, the third was the face of a lion, and the fourth was the face of an eagle.
- Revelation 4:7The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like a young bull, the third had a face like a human, and the fourth was like a flying eagle.
- Numbers 2:10“On the south side the armies led by Reuben will camp under their flag. The leader for the people of Reuben is Elizur, son of Shedeur.
- Isaiah 46:8Remember this, and take courage. Recall your rebellious acts.
- Luke 15:10So I can guarantee that God’s angels are happy about one person who turns to God and changes the way he thinks and acts.”
- 1 Corinthians 14:20Brothers and sisters, don’t think like children. When it comes to evil, be like babies, but think like mature people.
- Numbers 2:3“On the east side, facing the rising sun, the armies led by Judah will camp under their flag. The leader for the people of Judah is Nahshon, son of Amminadab.
- Judges 14:18So before sundown on the seventh day, the men of the city said to him, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” Samson replied, “If you hadn’t used my cow to plow, you wouldn’t know my riddle now.”
- 1 Chronicles 12:8Some men left Gad to join David at the fortified camp in the desert. They were warriors, trained soldiers, able to fight with shields and spears. They looked like lions and were as fast as gazelles on the hills.
- Revelation 5:5Then one of the leaders said to me, “Stop crying! The Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has won the victory. He can open the scroll and the seven seals on it.”
- Numbers 2:18“On the west side the armies led by Ephraim will camp under their flag. The leader for the people of Ephraim is Elishama, son of Ammihud.
- Proverbs 14:4Where there are no cattle, the feeding trough is empty, but the strength of an ox produces plentiful harvests.
- 1 Corinthians 9:9Moses’ Teachings say, “Never muzzle an ox when it is threshing grain.” God’s concern isn’t for oxen.
- Numbers 2:25“On the north side the armies led by Dan will camp under their flag. The leader for the people of Dan is Ahiezer, son of Ammishaddai.
- Deuteronomy 28:49The Lord will bring against you a nation from far away, from the ends of the earth. The nation will swoop down on you like an eagle. It will be a nation whose language you won’t understand.
- Job 39:27Is it by your order that the eagle flies high and makes its nest on the heights?
Commentaries on Ezekiel 1:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10As for the likeness of their faces - There was but one body to each of those compound animals: but each body had four faces; the face of a man and of a lion on the right side; the face of an ox and an eagle on the left side. Many of these compound images appear in the Asiatic idols. Many are now before me: some with the head and feet of a monkey, with the body, arms, and legs of a man. Others with the head of the dog; body, arms, and legs human. Some with…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10Each living creature had four faces, in front the face of a man, that of a lion on the right side, that of an ox on the left side, and that of an eagle behind, and the “chariot” would present to the beholder two faces of a man, of a lion, of an eagle, and of an ox, according to the quarter from which he looked upon it.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10Each living being had four faces. One face was a lion, the strongest of the wild animals. One face was an ox, the strongest of the domestic animals. One face was an eagle, the strongest of the birds. One face was human, representing the highest part of God’s creation. In Mesopotamia, the guardians placed at palace entrances also combined features of these same creatures. However, those figures did not have four faces.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. they ... had the face of a man--namely, in front. The human face was the primary and prominent one and the fundamental part of the composite whole. On its right was the lion's face; on the left, the ox's (called "cherub," Eze 10:14); at the back from above was the eagle's.Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 1:10
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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