Ezekiel 10

God’s Glory Departs From the Temple

1 I looked, and I saw the likeness of a throne of lapis lazuli above the vault that was over the heads of the cherubim.

2 The 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.

3 Now the cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple when the man went in, and a cloud filled the inner court.

4 Then the glory of the LORD rose from above the cherubim and moved to the threshold of the temple. The cloud filled the temple, and the court was full of the radiance of the glory of the LORD.

5 The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard as far away as the outer court, like the voice of God Almighty^[a] when he speaks.

6 When the LORD commanded the man in linen, “Take fire from among the wheels, from among the cherubim,” the man went in and stood beside a wheel.

7 Then one of the cherubim reached out his hand to the fire that was among them. He took up some of it and put it into the hands of the man in linen, who took it and went out.

8 (Under the wings of the cherubim could be seen what looked like human hands.)

9 I looked, and I saw beside the cherubim four wheels, one beside each of the cherubim; the wheels sparkled like topaz.

10 As for their appearance, the four of them looked alike; each was like a wheel intersecting a wheel.

11 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the cherubim faced; the wheels did not turn about^[b] as the cherubim went. The cherubim went in whatever direction the head faced, without turning as they went.

12 Their entire bodies, including their backs, their hands and their wings, were completely full of eyes, as were their four wheels.

13 I heard the wheels being called “the whirling wheels.”

14 Each of the cherubim had four faces: One face was that of a cherub, the second the face of a human being, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

15 Then the cherubim rose upward. These were the living creatures I had seen by the Kebar River.

16 When the cherubim moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the cherubim spread their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels did not leave their side.

17 When the cherubim stood still, they also stood still; and when the cherubim rose, they rose with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in them.

18 Then the glory of the LORD departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim.

19 While I watched, the cherubim spread their wings and rose from the ground, and as they went, the wheels went with them. They stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the LORD’s house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.

20 These were the living creatures I had seen beneath the God of Israel by the Kebar River, and I realized that they were cherubim.

21 Each had four faces and four wings, and under their wings was what looked like human hands.

22 Their faces had the same appearance as those I had seen by the Kebar River. Each one went straight ahead.

Ezekiel 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

A vision of the burning of the city. (1-7) The Divine glory departing from the temple. (8-22)

Verses 1-7 The fire being taken from between the wheels, under the cherubim, ch. 1:13 , seems to have signified the wrath of God to be executed upon Jerusalem. It intimated that the fire of Divine wrath, which kindles judgment upon a people, is just and holy; and in the great day, the earth, and all the works that are therein, will be burnt up.

Verses 8-22 Ezekiel sees the working of Divine providence in the government of the lower world, and the affairs of it. When God is leaving a people in displeasure, angels above, and all events below, further his departure. The Spirit of life, the Spirit of God, directs all creatures, in heaven and on earth, so as to make them serve the Divine purpose. God removes by degrees from a provoking people; and, when ready to depart, would return to them, if they were a repenting, praying people. Let this warn sinners to seek the Lord while he may be found, and to call on him while he is near, and cause us all to walk humbly and watchfully with our God.

Cross References

• 1. S Revelation 4:2
• 2. S Exodus 24:10
• 3. Ezekiel 1:22
• 4. S Genesis 3:24
• 5. S Ezekiel 9:2
• 6. S Ezekiel 1:15
• 7. Revelation 8:5
• 8. S 2 Samuel 22:9
• 9. S Exodus 24:16; Ezekiel 1:28; Ezekiel 9:3; Ezekiel 44:4
• 10. S Job 40:9; Ezekiel 1:24
• 11. S Ezekiel 3:13
• 12. Daniel 7:9
• 13. S Ezekiel 5:4
• 14. Ezekiel 1:8
• 15. S Exodus 28:20; Ezekiel 1:15-16; Revelation 21:20
• 16. Revelation 4:6-8
• 17. Ezekiel 1:15-21
• 18. 1 Kings 7:36
• 19. Ezekiel 1:6
• 20. 1 Kings 7:29
• 21. Ezekiel 1:10; Ezekiel 41:19; Revelation 4:7
• 22. S Isaiah 6:2; Ezekiel 1:3,5
• 23. S Psalms 137:1
• 24. S Ezekiel 3:13; Ezekiel 1:20-21
• 25. S 1 Samuel 4:21
• 26. S Psalms 18:10
• 27. Ezekiel 11:1,22
• 28. Ezekiel 43:4
• 29. Ezekiel 1:1
• 30. Ezekiel 41:18
• 31. Ezekiel 1:6
• 32. Ezekiel 1:1

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew "El-Shaddai"
• [b]. Or "aside"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 10

In this chapter is a vision, very much like that in the first chapter, with some difference, and with a different view, the design of it being to represent the wrath of God against Jerusalem, and his departure from the city and temple. A throne much like that in Eze 1:26 is described, Eze 10:1; orders are given from it to scatter coals over the city, Eze 10:2; the situation of the cherubim when these orders were given, Eze 10:3; the removal of the glory of the Lord from the cherub to the threshold of the house, and the consequences of it; the house filled with smoke; the court with the brightness of the Lord's glory; and the sound of the cherubim's wings heard to the outer court, as the voice of God, Eze 10:4,5; the orders of taking and scattering fire over the city executed, and the manner in which they were, Eze 10:6,7; a description of the cherubim and the wheels, much like that in the first chapter, Eze 10:8-17; the departure of the glory of God from the threshold to the east gate of the Lord's house, with the motion of the cherubim and wheels along with him, Eze 10:18,19; and the chapter is concluded with observing, that the cherubim are the same with the living creatures seen in the vision of the first chapter, and had the same form, likeness, and motion, Eze 10:20-22.