New English Translation
Ezekiel 1:28
28like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds after the rain. This was the appearance of the surrounding brilliant light; it looked like the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I threw myself face down, and I heard a voice 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 platform over their heads was something like a sapphire shaped like a throne. High above on the throne was a form that appeared to be a man. 27I saw an amber glow like a fire enclosed all around from his waist up. From his waist down I saw something that looked like fire. There was a brilliant light around it, like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds after the rain. This was the appearance of the surrounding brilliant light; it looked like the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I threw myself face down, and I heard a voice 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 place my rainbow in the clouds, and it will become a guarantee of the covenant between me and the earth.
- Isaiah 54:8In a burst of anger I rejected you momentarily, but with lasting devotion I will have compassion on you,” says your protector, the Lord.
- Revelation 4:3And the one seated on it was like jasper and carnelian in appearance, and a rainbow looking like it was made of emerald encircled the throne.
- Revelation 10:1Then I saw another powerful angel descending from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun and his legs were like pillars of fire.
- Ezekiel 8:4Then I perceived that the glory of the God of Israel was there, as in the vision I had seen earlier in the valley.
- Ezekiel 10:19The cherubim spread their wings, and they rose up from the earth while I watched (when they went the wheels went alongside them). They stopped at the entrance to the east gate of the Lord’s temple as the glory of the God of Israel hovered above them.
- Ezekiel 43:3It was like the vision I saw when he came to destroy the city, and the vision I saw by the Kebar River. I threw myself face down.
- Exodus 16:7and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your murmurings against the Lord. As for us, what are we, that you should murmur against us?”
- Exodus 24:16The glory of the Lord resided on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day he called to Moses from within the cloud.
- Exodus 33:18And Moses said, “Show me your glory.”
- Numbers 12:6The Lord said, “Hear now my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known to him in a vision; I will speak with him in a dream.
- 1 Kings 8:10Once the priests left the holy place, a cloud filled the Lord’s temple.
- 1 Corinthians 13:12For now we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known.
- Ezekiel 3:23So I got up and went out to the valley, and the glory of the Lord was standing there, just like the glory I had seen by the Kebar River, and I threw myself face down.
- Genesis 17:3Abram bowed down with his face to the ground, and God said to him,
- Leviticus 9:24Then fire went out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat parts on the altar, and all the people saw it, so they shouted loudly and fell down with their faces to 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
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