God’s Word Translation
Ezekiel 1:5
5In the center of the cloud I saw what looked like four living creatures. They were shaped like humans,
Ezekiel 1:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
- New International Version (NIV)and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was human,
- English Standard Version (ESV)And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.
Context of Ezekiel 1:5
3the Lord spoke his word to the priest Ezekiel, son of Buzi, in Babylon by the Chebar River. The power of the Lord came over Ezekiel. 4As I looked, I saw a storm coming from the north. There was an immense cloud with flashing lightning surrounded by a bright light. The middle of the lightning looked like glowing metal. In the center of the cloud I saw what looked like four living creatures. They were shaped like humans, 6but each of them had four faces and four wings. 7Their legs were straight, their feet were like those of calves, and they glittered like polished bronze.
Read all of Ezekiel 1Ezekiel 1:5 word by word
וּמִ֨תּוֹכָ֔הּ דְּמ֖וּת אַרְבַּ֣ע חַיּ֑וֹת וְזֶה֙ מַרְאֵֽיהֶ֔ן דְּמ֥וּת אָדָ֖ם לָהֵֽנָּה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ezekiel 1:5
- Revelation 4:6In front of the throne, there was something like a sea of glass as clear as crystal. In the center near the throne and around the throne were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back.
- Revelation 6:6I heard what sounded like a voice from among the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s pay or three quarts of barley for a day’s pay. But do not damage the olive oil and the wine.”
Commentaries on Ezekiel 1:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Also out on the midst thereof came - four living creatures - As the amber-coloured body was the center of the fire, and this fire was in the center of the cloud; so out of this amber-coloured igneous center came the living creatures just mentioned.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Living creatures - The Hebrew word answers very nearly to the English “beings,” and denotes those who live, whether angels, men (in whom is the breath of life), or inferior creatures.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-9At the center of the fiery cloud were four living beings. Each one had four faces and four wings. The number four often represents completeness in the Bible. These creatures, made up of different features, represented the whole created order (everything that God has made).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. Ezekiel was himself of a "gigantic nature, and thereby suited to counteract the Babylonish spirit of the times, which loved to manifest itself in gigantic, grotesque forms" [Hengstenberg]. living creatures--So the Greek ought to have been translated in the parallel passage, Re 4:6, not as English Version, "beasts"; for one of the "four" is a man, and man cannot be termed "beast." Eze 10:20 shows that it is the cherubim that are meant. likeness of a…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 1:5
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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