Ezekiel 1:20
in Ezekiel 1Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise alongside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went; thither was the spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
KJV
Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
⋯
This verse in Ezekiel 1
Commentary
13 notes on this verse"Wherever the spirit went, the wheels were equally lifted as the spirit went there, following it." For wherever the spirit of the reader tends, there the divine utterances are also lifted up, because if you seek something lofty in them by seeing and understanding, these same sacred utterances grow with you, ascend with you to higher things. And it is well said of these same wheels: Following him. For if the spirit of the reader seeks to know something moral or historical in them, the moral sense of history follows him. If something typological, the figurative speech is immediately recognized.
This site's exposition
the wheels moved beside them
on Ezekiel 1:19-21
The wheels followed the creatures in every motion: “When the creatures moved, the wheels moved; when the creatures stood still, the wheels stood still.” Twice, in verses 20 and 21, the text gives the one reason, “because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.”
This site's exposition
the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels
The wheels moved only as the creatures moved. They rose and went with the creatures, and the verse gives the reason: the spirit of the creatures was in them. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read that phrase as a way of naming all the cherubim together.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
The prophet also claims that the spirit of life was in the wheels, its movement was spontaneous and of its own free will. For the chariot was not placed on some living creatures or on a yoke, but violent clouds went before, and that mighty …
(Vers. 19 seqq.) When the animals walked, the wheels walked alongside them. And when the animals were lifted up from the ground, the wheels were also lifted up. Wherever the spirit went, the wheels went there too, for the spirit of life was in the wheels. As the animals went, the wheels went, and as they stood, the wheels stood. And when the animals were lifted up from the ground, the wheels were lifted up as well, following them, for the spirit of life was in the wheels. Four animals followed the spirit, and the cloud that was in the spirit. And again, the wheels lifted themselves off the ground, not the animals, but the spirit followed, to show its own will: because the spirit of life was in the wheels. Three, however, are indicated both in the animals and in the wheels, when they stood, when they walked, when they were lifted up, which both the animals and the wheels did in common. For neither could animals that were standing walk on wheels, nor could animals walking on the ground lift themselves on wheels, but of those actions, one was rest, one was motion, and elevation. And secondly it is said, because the spirit of life was in the wheels: so that we should in no way consider the wheels as vessels, which we see in the carts of wagons and chariots, but as living beings, indeed above living beings. For the animal man does not perceive those things that are spirits. Therefore, these wheels, in which the spirit of life was, do all things in order and measure, and they have harmony with animals, following them, and through them, the Holy Spirit; indeed, having skipped the middle, they enjoy the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. All of which, according to the earlier understanding, a wise reader can fit into various interpretations.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
These angels in their ministry punctually observed both his impulse and conduct. They - The wheels, inferior agents and second causes. Their spirit - The wheels concurred with the spirit of the living creatures, so that there was an hearty accord between those superior and inferior causes.
Whithersoever the spirit was to go they went,....
The glory of God appears not only in the splendour of his retinue in the upper world, but in the steadiness of his government here in this lower world.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The reason given of this is because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels; the same wisdom, power, and holiness of God, the same will and counsel of his, that guides and governs the angels and all their performances, does, by them, order and dispose of all the motions of the creatures in this lower world and the events and issues of them.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
The spirit of the living creature was in the wheels - That is, the wheels were instinct with a vital spirit; the wheels were alive, they also were animals, or endued with animal life, as the creatures were that stood upon them. Here then is the chariot of Jehovah.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the spirit was to go--that is, their will was for going whithersoever the Spirit was for going. over against them--rather, beside or in conjunction with them. spirit of the living creature--put collectively for "the living creatures"; the cherubim.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Whithersoever the spirit of the four living creatures was to go, the wheels went - there was the spirit of the wheels to go. All four creatures together with their wheels are here called “the living creature,” because they formed a whole, one in motion, and in will, for one spirit was in them.
Modern Voices1 voice
For wheels are the mark of a man quite as much as wings are the mark of an angel. Wheels are the things that are as old as mankind and yet are strictly peculiar to man, that are prehistoric but not pre-human. A distinguished psychologist, …
The words behind it
17 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| עַ֣ל | ʾal | to | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אֲשֶׁר֩ | ʾasher | where | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יִֽהְיֶה־ | yihyeh- | it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| שָּׁ֨ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| הָר֤וּחַ | haruach | the spirit | H7307 → | 378 times |
| לָלֶ֙כֶת֙ | lalekhet | [about] to go | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| יֵלֵ֔כוּ | yelekhu | they moved | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| שָׁ֥מָּה | shamah | there towards | H8033 → | 834 times |
| הָר֖וּחַ | haruach | the spirit | H7307 → | 378 times |
| לָלֶ֑כֶת | lalekhet | to go | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| וְהָאוֹפַנִּ֗ים | vehaofanim | and the wheels | H212 → | 35 times |
| יִנָּשְׂאוּ֙ | yinaseu | they were lifted up | H5375 → | 656 times |
| לְעֻמָּתָ֔ם | leumatam | <to> close by them | H5980 → | 32 times |
| כִּ֛י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| ר֥וּחַ | ruach | [the] spirit of | H7307 → | 378 times |
| הַחַיָּ֖ה | hachaiyah | the living creature | H2416 → | 498 times |
| בָּאוֹפַנִּֽים׃ | baofanim | [was] in the wheels | H212 → | 35 times |
עַ֣לto
ʾalH5921 →5755 times
אֲשֶׁר֩where
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יִֽהְיֶה־it was
yihyeh-H1961 →3559 times
שָּׁ֨םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
הָר֤וּחַthe spirit
haruachH7307 →378 times
לָלֶ֙כֶת֙[about] to go
lalekhetH1980 →1546 times
יֵלֵ֔כוּthey moved
yelekhuH1980 →1546 times
שָׁ֥מָּהthere towards
shamahH8033 →834 times
הָר֖וּחַthe spirit
haruachH7307 →378 times
לָלֶ֑כֶתto go
lalekhetH1980 →1546 times
וְהָאוֹפַנִּ֗יםand the wheels
vehaofanimH212 →35 times
יִנָּשְׂאוּ֙they were lifted up
yinaseuH5375 →656 times
לְעֻמָּתָ֔ם<to> close by them
leumatamH5980 →32 times
כִּ֛יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
ר֥וּחַ[the] spirit of
ruachH7307 →378 times
הַחַיָּ֖הthe living creature
hachaiyahH2416 →498 times
בָּאוֹפַנִּֽים׃[was] in the wheels
baofanimH212 →35 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ezekiel 10:17When the cherubim stood still, the wheels also stood still, and when they ascended, the wheels ascended with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 1:20–21
Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise alongside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Romans 8:2
For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death.
- Ezekiel 1:20–21
Through
1 Corinthians 14:32The spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.
it leads to
- 1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
- Acts 4:19–20
But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than God.
- 1 Corinthians 14:29–30
Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.
- 2 Kings 2:3
Then the sons of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the LORD will take your master away from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he replied. “Do…
- Jeremiah 20:9
If I say, “I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name,” His message becomes a fire burning in my heart, shut up in my bones, and I become weary of…
- 1 John 4:1
Through
Ezekiel 1:12Each creature went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they moved.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 1:9
and their wings were touching one another. They did not turn as they moved; each one went straight ahead.
- Ezekiel 1:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
About Ezekiel
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); GK Chesterton, Alarms and Discursions, The Wheel (1910); Gregory the Dialogist, Homilies on Ezekiel, Book 1, Homily 7; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON EZEKIEL 1:1.