God’s Word Translation
Ezekiel 10:20
20These are the living creatures that I saw under the God of Israel at the Chebar River. I realized that they were angels.
Ezekiel 10:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.
- New International Version (NIV)These were the living creatures I had seen beneath the God of Israel by the Kebar River, and I realized that they were cherubim.
- English Standard Version (ESV)These were the living creatures that I saw underneath the God of Israel by the Chebar canal; and I knew that they were cherubim.
- New King James Version (NKJV)This is the living creature I saw under the God of Israel by the River Chebar, and I knew they were cherubim.
Context of Ezekiel 10:20
18Then the glory of the Lord left the temple’s entrance and stood over the angels. 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. These are the living creatures that I saw under the God of Israel at the Chebar River. I realized that they were angels. 21Each had four faces and four wings, and under their wings were what looked like human hands. 22Their faces looked exactly like the faces that I saw by the Chebar River. Each one went straight ahead.
Read all of Ezekiel 10Ezekiel 10:20 word by word
הִ֣יא הַחַיָּ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר רָאִ֛יתִי תַּ֥חַת אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בִּֽנְהַר־כְּבָ֑ר וָאֵדַ֕ע כִּ֥י כְרוּבִ֖ים הֵֽמָּה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- the living creatureחַיָּהchay · living thingH2416
- that I sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- under the Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- by the riverנָהָרnâhâr · riverH5104
- of Chebarכְּבָרkebâr · ChebarH3529
- and I knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- the cherubimsכְּרוּבkerûb · cherubH3742
Cross-references for Ezekiel 10:20
- Ezekiel 10:15The angels rose. These were the living creatures that I saw at the Chebar River.
- Ezekiel 1:22Something like a dome was spread over the heads of the living creatures. It looked like dazzling crystal.
- 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.
- Ezekiel 1:1On the fifth day of the fourth month in the thirtieth year, while I was living among the exiles by the Chebar River, the sky opened, and I saw visions from God.
- 1 Kings 6:29He carved angels, palm trees, and flowers into the walls all around the inner and outer rooms of the temple.
- 1 Kings 7:36Hiram engraved angels, lions, palm trees, and designs in every available space on the supports and panels.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 10:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20And I knew that they were the cherubims - This formation of the plural is quite improper. In general, Hebrew nouns of the masculine gender end in ים im, in the plural; the s, therefore, should never be added to such. Cherub is singular; cherubim is plural. The s should be uniformly expunged. I have already referred to the end of this chapter for farther information relative to this glorious chariot of Jehovah; but I must say that I have met with nothing…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20In this departure of the glory of the Lord from the temple, the seer recognizes for the first time the full meaning of the vision which he had seen on the banks of Chebar Ezekiel 1. What he had seen there (did indeed imply that Yahweh had forsaken His house; but now this is made clear. The Glory has left the holy of holies, has appeared in the court, has been enthroned on the Living Four, and with them has departed from the temple. It is now clear that…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-22Verses 8-22 Ezekiel sees the working of Divine providence in the government of the lower world, and the affairs of it. When God is leaving a people in displeasure, angels above, and all events below, further his departure. The Spirit of life, the Spirit of God, directs all creatures, in heaven and on earth, so as to make them serve the Divine purpose. God removes by degrees from a provoking people; and, when ready to depart, would return to them, if they…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-22From this point on, the city was doomed. God had shown his powerful and fearsome glory in the opening chapter of Ezekiel. Now that same God had left the city. Without his presence, Jerusalem no longer had protection or hope. Judgment would surely come.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. I knew ... cherubim--By the second sight of the cherubim, he learned to identify them with the angelic forms situated above the ark of the covenant in the temple, which as a priest, he "knew" about from the high priest.Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezekiel 10
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries