Ezekiel 1:13

Ezekiel 1:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
• New International Version (NIV)The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
• New King James Version (NKJV)As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning.

Context of Ezekiel 1:13

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. The living creatures looked like burning coals and torches. Fire moved back and forth between the living creatures. The fire was bright, and lightning came out of the fire. 14The living creatures ran back and forth like lightning. 15As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each of them.

Ezekiel 1:13 word by word

וּדְמ֨וּת הַחַיּ֜וֹת מַרְאֵיהֶ֣ם כְּגַחֲלֵי־אֵ֗שׁ בֹּֽעֲרוֹת֙ כְּמַרְאֵ֣ה הַלַּפִּדִ֔ים הִ֕יא מִתְהַלֶּ֖כֶת בֵּ֣ין הַחַיּ֑וֹת וְנֹ֣גַהּ לָאֵ֔שׁ וּמִן־הָאֵ֖שׁ יוֹצֵ֥א בָרָֽק׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• As for the likenessדְּמוּתdemûth · likenessH1823
• of the living creaturesחַיָּהchay · living thingH2416
• their appearanceמַרְאֶהmar'eh · appearanceH4758
• like burningבָּעַרbâ‛ar · to burn: burnH1197
• coalsגַּחֶ֫לֶתgechel gacheleth · coalH1513
• of fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
• of lampsלַפִּידlappîyd lappid · torchH3940
• it went up and downהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
• was brightנֹ֫גַהּnôgahh · brightnessH5051
• went forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• lightningבָּרָקbârâq · lightningH1300

Cross-references for Ezekiel 1:13

• Ezekiel 1:7Their legs were straight, their feet were like those of calves, and they glittered like polished bronze.
• Genesis 15:17The sun had gone down, and it was dark. Suddenly a smoking oven and a flaming torch passed between the animal pieces.
• Psalms 104:4You make your angels winds and your servants flames of fire.
• Daniel 10:5When I looked up, I saw a man dressed in linen, and he had a belt made of gold from Uphaz around his waist.
• Matthew 28:3He was as bright as lightning, and his clothes were as white as snow.
• Revelation 4:5Lightning, noise, and thunder came from the throne. Seven flaming torches were burning in front of the throne. These are the seven spirits of God.
• Revelation 10:1I saw another powerful angel come down from heaven. He was dressed in a cloud, and there was a rainbow over his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet were like columns of fire.
• Revelation 18:1After these things I saw another angel come from heaven. He had tremendous power, and his glory lit up the earth.

Commentaries on Ezekiel 1:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Like burning coals of fire - The whole substance appeared to be of flame; and among them frequent coruscations of fire, like vibrating lamps, often emitting lightning, or rather sparks of fire, as we have seen struck out of strongly ignited iron in a forge. The flames might be something like what is called warring wheels in pyrotechny. They seemed to conflict together.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Lamps - “like the appearance of” flames. Omit the “and” before “like.” The “bright flames” resembled “coals of fire.” It went up - i. e. “fire went up.”Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-14These fiery creatures had wings and legs. They could move very quickly in any direction, like lightning. No one could escape from such powerful beings. In a similar vision in Ezekiel 10, Ezekiel identifies them as cherubim. Cherubim are heavenly beings who carry out God’s judgment.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. likeness ... appearance--not tautology. "Likeness" expresses the general form; "appearance," the particular aspect. coals of fire--denoting the intensely pure and burning justice wherewith God punishes by His angels those who, like Israel, have hardened themselves against His long-suffering. So in Is 6:2, 6, instead of cherubim, the name "seraphim," the burning ones, is applied, indicating God's consuming righteousness; whence their cry to Him is…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 1:13

• Angel (a Spirit)
• Lightning
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• Living creatures
• Assyria
• Cherubim (1)
• Creature
• Creature, Living
• Living Creature
• Luke, the Evangelist
• Prophecy; Prophets
• Torch

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