God’s Word Translation
Ezekiel 1:28
28The brightness all around him looked like a rainbow in the clouds. It was like the Lord’s glory. When I saw it, I immediately bowed down, and I heard someone speaking.
Ezekiel 1:28 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.
- New International Version (NIV)Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.
Context of Ezekiel 1:28
26Above the dome over their heads was something that looked like a throne made of sapphire. On the throne was a figure that looked like a human. 27Then I saw what he looked like from the waist up. He looked like glowing bronze with fire all around it. From the waist down, he looked like fire. A bright light surrounded him. The brightness all around him looked like a rainbow in the clouds. It was like the Lord’s glory. When I saw it, I immediately bowed down, and I heard someone speaking.
Read all of Ezekiel 1Ezekiel 1:28 word by word
כְּמַרְאֵ֣ה הַקֶּ֡שֶׁת אֲשֶׁר֩ יִֽהְיֶ֨ה בֶעָנָ֜ן בְּי֣וֹם הַגֶּ֗שֶׁם כֵּ֣ן מַרְאֵ֤ה הַנֹּ֙גַהּ֙ סָבִ֔יב ה֕וּא מַרְאֵ֖ה דְּמ֣וּת כְּבוֹד־יְהוָ֑ה וָֽאֶרְאֶה֙ וָאֶפֹּ֣ל עַל־פָּנַ֔י וָאֶשְׁמַ֖ע ק֥וֹל מְדַבֵּֽר׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- As the appearanceמַרְאֶהmar'eh · appearanceH4758
- of the bowקֶ֫שֶׁתqesheth · bowH7198
- that is in the cloudעָנָן‛ânân · cloudH6051
- in the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- of rainגֶּ֫שֶׁםgeshem · rainH1653
- of the brightnessנֹ֫גַהּnôgahh · brightnessH5051
- round aboutסָבִיבsâbîyb sebîybâh · aroundH5439
- of the likenessדְּמוּתdemûth · likenessH1823
- of the gloryכָּבוֹדkâbôd kâbôd · gloryH3519
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- And when I sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- I fellנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
- upon my faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- and I heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- a voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
- of one that spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
Cross-references for Ezekiel 1:28
- Genesis 9:13I will put my rainbow in the clouds to be a sign of my promise to the earth.
- Isaiah 54:8I hid my face from you for a moment in a burst of anger, but I will have compassion on you with everlasting kindness,” says the Lord your defender.
- Revelation 4:3The one sitting there looked like gray quartz and red quartz. There was a rainbow around the throne which looked like an emerald.
- 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.
- Ezekiel 8:4There I saw the glory of Israel’s God as I did in the vision that I saw in the valley.
- Ezekiel 10:19The angels lifted their wings and rose from the ground. I was watching them as they left with the wheels beside them. The angels stood at the door to the east gate of the Lord’s temple, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.
- Ezekiel 43:3This vision was like the one I saw when he came to destroy Jerusalem and like the one I saw by the Chebar River. I immediately bowed down.
- Exodus 16:7In the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard you complaining about him. Why are you complaining about us?”
- Exodus 24:16The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered it, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from inside the cloud.
- Exodus 33:18Then Moses said, “Please let me see your glory.”
- Numbers 12:6He said, “Listen to my words: When there are prophets of the Lord among you, I make myself known to them in visions or speak to them in dreams.
- 1 Kings 8:10When the priests left the holy place, a cloud filled the Lord’s temple.
- 1 Corinthians 13:12Now we see a blurred image in a mirror. Then we will see very clearly. Now my knowledge is incomplete. Then I will have complete knowledge as God has complete knowledge of me.
- Ezekiel 3:23I got up and went to the plain. The Lord’s glory was standing there like the glory I saw by the Chebar River, and I immediately bowed down.
- Genesis 17:3Immediately, Abram bowed with his face touching the ground, and again God spoke to him,
- Leviticus 9:24Fire came out from the Lord’s presence and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar. When all the people saw this, they shouted and bowed with their faces touching the ground.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 1:28
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 28As the appearance of the bow - Over the canopy on which this glorious personage sat there was a fine rainbow, which, from the description here, had all its colors vivid, distinct, and in perfection - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. In all this description we must understand every metal, every color, and every natural appearance, to be in their utmost perfection of shape, color, and splendor. "And this," as above described, "was the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28The rainbow is not simply a token of glory and splendor. The “cloud” and the “day of rain” point to its original message of forgiveness and mercy, and this is especially suited to Ezekiel‘s commission, which was first to denounce judgment, and then promise restoration.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. 28rainbow in a cloud: This image mixes the idea of judgment with a hint of mercy. The storm clouds were ready to bring judgment on God's sinful people, but a rainbow, the sign of hope God established after the flood (Genesis 9:12–17), would also appear. Although the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of its people to Babylon would be a severe disaster where many would die, God would remember his promise to keep a remnant alive. Judgment would not be…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2828. the bow ... in ... rain--the symbol of the sure covenant of mercy to God's children remembered amidst judgments on the wicked; as in the flood in Noah's days (Re 4:3). "Like hanging out from the throne of the Eternal a fing of peace, assuring all that the purpose of Heaven was to preserve rather than to destroy. Even if the divine work should require a deluge of wrath, still the faithfulness of God would only shine forth the more brightly at last to…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 1:28
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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