Ezekiel10chapter 10

Ezekiel 10:9

“The color of a beryl stone - אבן תרשיש eben Tarshish, “the stone of Tarshish.” The Vulgate translates it chrysolith; Symmachus, the jacinct; the Septuagint, the carbuncle. In the parallel place, Eze 1:16, it is כעין תרשיש keeyn Tarshish, “like the eye of Tarshish;” i.e., the color of tarshish, or the stone so called, which the Vulgate translates visio maris, “like the sea,” i.e., azure. The beryl is a gem of a green color, passing from one side into blue, on the other side into yellow.”

Ezekiel 10:10

“A wheel had been in the midst of a wheel - It is difficult to comprehend this description. It is generally supposed to mean one wheel within another, cutting each other at right angles. This, in my opinion, will not account for the motions attributed to these wheels; nor can I see how, on this supposition, they could have any motion; for if one was moved on its axis, the other must be dragged contrary to its axis.”

Ezekiel 10:11

“The head - Either “the leading wheel which the others followed,” or more probably, the head of a cherub (one for all), the description passing from the wheels to the cherubim Eze 10:12.”

Ezekiel 10:12

“Wherefore those who are over others are to be admonished, that through earnestness of circumspection they have eyes watchful within and round about, and strive to become living creatures of heaven. For the living creatures of heaven are described as full of eyes round about and within. And so it is meet that those who are over others should have eyes within and round about, so as both in themselves to study to please the inward judge, and also, affording outwardly examples of life, to detect the things that should be corrected in others.”

Ezekiel 10:13

“O wheel--rather, "they were called, whirling," that is, they were most rapid in their revolutions [MAURER]; or, better, "It was cried unto them, The whirling" [FAIRBAIRN]. Galgal here used for "wheel," is different from ophan, the simple word for "wheel." Galgal is the whole wheelwork machinery with its whirlwind-like rotation.”

Ezekiel 10:14

“The first - was the face of a cherub - In Eze 1:10, this is called the “face of an ox;” here, the “face of a cherub:” hence, a cherub was in the likeness of an ox, at least, as to its head. כרוב kerub never occurs as a verb; and its meaning cannot be precisely ascertained. Parkhurst thinks the כ caph to be here the note of similitude; and then translates כ ke, “like,” רב rab or רוב rob, “the mighty one;” and, in consequence, makes the cherubim an emblem of the Holy Trinity.”

Ezekiel 10:15

“The repeated declaration of the identity of the vision with that at the Chebar is to arouse attention to it (Eze 10:22; 3:23). the living creature--used collectively, as in Eze 10:17, 20;”

Ezekiel 10:17

“Events are not determined by the wheel of fortune, which is blind, but by the wheels of Providence, which are full of eyes. Ezekiel sees the glory of God removing out of the sanctuary, the place where God's honour had long dwelt, and this sight is as sad as the other was grateful.”

Ezekiel 10:18

“The departure of the symbol of God's presence from the temple preparatory to the destruction of the city. Woe be to those from whom God departs (Ho 9:12)! 4:21: "I-chabod, Thy glory is departed." Successive steps are marked in His departure; so slowly and reluctantly does the merciful God leave His house.”

Ezekiel 10:19

The cherubim (or chariot) had stood first on the threshold of the temple-door, and there received the glory of the Lord. They then lifted their wings, rose, and left the temple by “the east gate” of the outer court at “the entrance” of which they now for a time stood. It was by the east gate of the outer court that the glory of the Lord returned to the new temple Eze 43:4. And every one stood - Or, “and” they “stood.” The Cheruibim and wheels are viewed as “one living creature.”

Ezekiel 10:19

“And every one - The glory, the cherubim, the wheels, all stood, respiting execution, and giving opportunity of preventing the approaching misery. The east gate - The last court, the court of the people.”

Ezekiel 10:20

“And 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 on the subject that entirely satisfies myself.”

Ezekiel 10:20

“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.”

Ezekiel 10:20

“And this first appearing in the proper figure of a cherub, and yet it being proper to retain the number of four, that of the ox is left out and dropped, because the face of the cherub had been most abused by the worship of an ox.”

Ezekiel 10:21

“Every one had four faces apiece,.... Every one of the four living creatures, or cherubim, had four faces; which were the face of a man, of a lion, of an ox, and of an eagle, Eze 1:10; and everyone four wings: the Septuagint version reads eight wings; and the Syriac version "six"; so many in all indeed they had; see Gill on Eze 1:23; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings; See Gill on Eze 10:8.”

Ezekiel 10:21

“The repetition is in order that the people about to live without the temple might have, instead, the knowledge of the temple mysteries, thus preparing them for a future restoration of the covenant. So perverse were they that they would say, "Ezekiel fancies he saw what has no existence." He, therefore, repeats it over and over again.”