Tree of Life Version
Ezekiel 1:4
4I looked, and behold, a storm wind came from the north, a great cloud with flashing fire and brightness all around it, and something like a glowing alloy out of the fire.
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.
- New International Version (NIV)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,
- 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.
Context of Ezekiel 1:4
2In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, 3the word of Adonai came to Ezekiel the kohen, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar. (The hand of Adonai was upon him there.) I looked, and behold, a storm wind came from the north, a great cloud with flashing fire and brightness all around it, and something like a glowing alloy out of the fire. 5From within it came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had a likeness of a human, 6but each one had four faces and each one of them had four wings.
Read all of Ezekiel 1Ezekiel 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 21:1The burden of the desert by the sea: As windstorms sweep over the South, so it comes from the desert, a terrifying land.
- Jeremiah 1:13The word of Adonai came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” I replied, “I see a boiling pot that is tilting away from the north.”
- Jeremiah 4:6“Raise a banner toward Zion! Take refuge! Do not delay! For I bring calamity from the north, even terrible destruction.
- Jeremiah 6:1Flee for refuge, children of Benjamin, from the midst of Jerusalem! Blow the shofar in Tekoa and raise a signal in Beth-cherem! For disaster looms from the north, even terrible destruction.
- Jeremiah 23:19Look, a storm of Adonai goes out in fury, yes, a whirling tempest will swirl down on the head of the wicked.
- Jeremiah 25:9I will soon send for and bring all the families of the north”—it is a declaration of Adonai—“and I will send for King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, and against its inhabitants, and against all these nations round about, and I will utterly destroy them, and make them a horror, and a hissing, an enduring desolation.
- Habakkuk 1:8Its horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. Its horsemen come galloping. Its horsemen are coming from afar. They fly like a vulture, swooping down to eat.
- Ezekiel 10:2He spoke to the man clothed in linen and said, “Go in between the whirling wheels underneath the cheruvim. Fill your hands with glowing coals from between the cheruvim and scatter them over the city.” So he went in before my eyes.
- Exodus 19:16In the morning of the third day, there was thundering and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and the blast of an exceedingly loud shofar. All the people in the camp trembled.
- Exodus 24:16The glory of Adonai settled upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. Then on the seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
- Deuteronomy 4:11“You came near and stood at the bottom of the mountain while the mountain was blazing with fire up to the heart of the heavens—darkness, cloud, and fog.
- 2 Chronicles 5:13Then it came to pass that when the trumpeters and singers joined as one to extol and praise Adonai, and when the sound of the trumpets, cymbals and musical instruments and the praise of Adonai—“For He is good, for His mercy endures forever”—grew louder, the Temple, the House of Adonai, was filled with a cloud.
- 2 Chronicles 6:1Then Solomon declared, “Adonai has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud;
- 2 Chronicles 7:1Now when Solomon finished praying the fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of Adonai filled the House.
- Psalms 18:11He rode upon a cheruv and flew. He soared on the wings of the wind.
- Psalms 50:3Our God comes, and does not keep silent. A fire is devouring before Him, and it storms around Him mightily.
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
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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