New Living Translation
Ezekiel 1:28
28All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me. When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground, and I heard someone’s voice speaking to me.
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 this surface was something that looked like a throne made of blue lapis lazuli. And on this throne high above was a figure whose appearance resembled a man. 27From what appeared to be his waist up, he looked like gleaming amber, flickering like a fire. And from his waist down, he looked like a burning flame, shining with splendor. All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me. When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground, and I heard someone’s voice speaking to me.
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 have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth.
- Isaiah 54:8In a burst of anger I turned my face away for a little while. But with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord, your Redeemer.
- Revelation 4:3The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow.
- Revelation 10:1Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, surrounded by a cloud, with a rainbow over his head. His face shone like the sun, and his feet were like pillars of fire.
- Ezekiel 8:4Suddenly, the glory of the God of Israel was there, just as I had seen it before in the valley.
- Ezekiel 10:19And as I watched, the cherubim flew with their wheels to the east gate of the Lord’s Temple. And the glory of the God of Israel hovered above them.
- Ezekiel 43:3This vision was just like the others I had seen, first by the Kebar River and then when he came to destroy Jerusalem. I fell face down on the ground.
- Exodus 16:7In the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaints, which are against him, not against us. What have we done that you should complain about us?”
- Exodus 24:16And the glory of the Lord settled down on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from inside the cloud.
- Exodus 33:18Moses responded, “Then show me your glorious presence.”
- Numbers 12:6And the Lord said to them, “Now listen to what I say: “If there were prophets among you, I, the Lord, would reveal myself in visions. I would speak to them in dreams.
- 1 Kings 8:10When the priests came out of the Holy Place, a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 13:12Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
- Ezekiel 3:23So I got up and went, and there I saw the glory of the Lord, just as I had seen in my first vision by the Kebar River. And I fell face down on the ground.
- Genesis 17:3At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him,
- Leviticus 9:24Fire blazed forth from the Lord’s presence and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When the people saw this, they shouted with joy and fell face down on 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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