Ezekiel 1:4

Ezekiel 1:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
• English Standard Version (ESV)As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
• New Living Translation (NLT)As I looked, I saw a great storm coming from the north, driving before it a huge cloud that flashed with lightning and shone with brilliant light. There was fire inside the cloud, and in the middle of the fire glowed something like gleaming amber.

Context of Ezekiel 1:4

2On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin— 3the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. There the hand of the Lord was on him. I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, 5and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was human, 6but each of them had four faces and four wings.

Ezekiel 1:4 word by word

וָאֵ֡רֶא וְהִנֵּה֩ ר֨וּחַ סְעָרָ֜ה בָּאָ֣ה מִן־הַצָּפ֗וֹן עָנָ֤ן גָּדוֹל֙ וְאֵ֣שׁ מִתְלַקַּ֔חַת וְנֹ֥גַֽהּ ל֖וֹ סָבִ֑יב וּמִ֨תּוֹכָ֔הּ כְּעֵ֥ין הַחַשְׁמַ֖ל מִתּ֥וֹךְ הָאֵֽשׁ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And I lookedרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• and, behold, a whirlwindסְעָרָהsa‛ar se‛ârâh · tempestH5591
• and, behold, a whirlwindרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
• cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• out of the northצָפוֹןtsâphôn tsâphôn · northH6828
• a greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• cloudעָנָן‛ânân · cloudH6051
• and a fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
• infoldingלָקַחlâqach · to take: fireH3947
• itself, and a brightnessנֹ֫גַהּnôgahh · brightnessH5051
• aboutסָבִיבsâbîyb sebîybâh · aroundH5439
• it, and out of the midstתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
• thereof as the colourעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: appearanceH5869
• of amberחַשְׁמַלchashmal · amberH2830

Cross-references for Ezekiel 1:4

• Isaiah 21:1A prophecy against the Desert by the Sea: Like whirlwinds sweeping through the southland, an invader comes from the desert, from a land of terror.
• Jeremiah 1:13The word of the Lord came to me again: “What do you see?” “I see a pot that is boiling,” I answered. “It is tilting toward us from the north.”
• Jeremiah 4:6Raise the signal to go to Zion! Flee for safety without delay! For I am bringing disaster from the north, even terrible destruction.”
• Jeremiah 6:1“Flee for safety, people of Benjamin! Flee from Jerusalem! Sound the trumpet in Tekoa! Raise the signal over Beth Hakkerem! For disaster looms out of the north, even terrible destruction.
• Jeremiah 23:19See, the storm of the Lord will burst out in wrath, a whirlwind swirling down on the heads of the wicked.
• Jeremiah 25:9I will summon all the peoples of the north and my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon,” declares the Lord, “and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy them and make them an object of horror and scorn, and an everlasting ruin.
• Habakkuk 1:8Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. Their cavalry gallops headlong; their horsemen come from afar. They fly like an eagle swooping to devour;
• Ezekiel 10:2The Lord said to the man clothed in linen, “Go in among the wheels beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And as I watched, he went in.
• Exodus 19:16On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled.
• Exodus 24:16and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud.
• Deuteronomy 4:11You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness.
• 2 Chronicles 5:13The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang: “He is good; his love endures forever.” Then the temple of the Lord was filled with the cloud,
• 2 Chronicles 6:1Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud;
• 2 Chronicles 7:1When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
• Psalms 18:11He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him— the dark rain clouds of the sky.
• Psalms 50:3Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages.

Commentaries on Ezekiel 1:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4A whirlwind came out of the north - Nebuchadnezzar, whose land, Babylonia, lay north of Judea. Chaldea is thus frequently denominated by Jeremiah. A great cloud, and a fire infolding itself - A mass of fire concentrated in a vast cloud, that the flames might be more distinctly observable, the fire never escaping from the cloud, but issuing, and then returning in upon itself. It was in a state of powerful agitation; but always involving itself, or…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Out of the north - From this quarter the Assyrian conquerors came upon the holy land. The vision, though seen in Chaldaea, had reference to Jerusalem, and the seer is to contemplate judgment as it is coming upon the holy land. Others consider the words expressive of the special seat of the power of Yahweh. The high mountain range of Lebanon that closed in the holy land on the north naturally connected to the inhabitants of that country the northern region…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4I … saw a whirlwind: This language describes a theophany (a visible manifestation of God; see study note on Ezekiel 1:4–28) as God appears in judgment. The fiery presence coming from the north, the direction from which Israel’s enemies traditionally came, increases the sense of danger. God was coming as a mighty warrior, not to rescue his people, but to bring judgment against them.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. whirlwind--emblematic of God's judgments (Jr 23:19; 25:32). out of the north--that is, from Chaldea, whose hostile forces would invade Judea from a northerly direction. The prophet conceives himself in the temple. fire infolding itself--laying hold on whatever surrounds it, drawing it to itself, and devouring it. Literally, "catching itself," that is, kindling itself [Fairbairn]. The same Hebrew occurs in Ex 9:24, as to the "fire mingled with the…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 1:4

• Amber
• Angel (a Spirit)
• Whirlwind

In the dictionaries

• Amber
• Fire
• Living creatures
• Assyria
• Bush, Burning
• Cherubim (1)
• Cloud
• Creature
• Electrum
• Jehoahaz

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