30 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Ezekiel 1 This chapter contains a vision, which is the introduction to the prophet's call and commission to perform his office; in the account of which may be observed the time when it was seen, Ezekiel 1:1; and the place both where the prophet was when he saw it, and the object or things that were beheld by him; and the original,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year,.... Either from the last jubilee, as R. Joseph Kimchi (r), Jarchi, and Abendana; or from the time that the book of the law was found by Hilkiah the priest (s); so the Targum, which paraphrases the words thus, "and it was in the thirtieth year after Hilkiah the high priest found the book of the law, in the...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
Ezekiel's First Vision by the River Chebar. (b. c. 595.) 1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. 2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
In the fifth [day] of the month,.... The month Tammuz, as before: (which [was] the fifth year of Jehoiachin's captivity); the same with Jeconiah and Coniah, as he is sometimes called; he was taken by the king of Babylon, when he had reigned but three months, and his captivity held seven and thirty years, 2 Kings 24:8.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
The word of the Lord came expressly,.... Or, "in being was" (d); which phrase denotes the reality, certainty, substantiality and evidence of the word of the Lord to him: unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi; which Buzi, some say, was Jeremiah. Kimchi observes, that, in the Jerusalem Targum, the Prophet Ezekiel is called the son of Jeremiah the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And I looked,.... Being under the influence of the Spirit and power of God: and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north; which some understand of Nebuchadnezzar and his army coming from Babylon, which lay north of Judea: see Jeremiah 1:14; but it seems to me to be, with what follows, only an apparatus to the following vision: and is designed to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Also out of the midst thereof,.... The fire; or out of the whole that was seen; the whirlwind, cloud, fire, and the brightness about it: [came] the likeness of four living creatures; not really four living creatures; they appeared like to such they were in the form of such; by which we are to understand, not the four monarchies; nor the four...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And or but everyone had four faces,.... Which are described, [See comments on Ezekiel 1:10]. The Targum multiplies the faces in a strange monstrous manner, paraphrasing the words thus, "each had four faces, and there were four faces to everyone "of them", and every creature had sixteen faces; the number of the faces of the four creatures was sixty...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And their feet [were] straight feet,.... And they went straight forward, as in Ezekiel 1:12; they made straight paths for their feet, and walked uprightly, according to the truth of the Gospel; did not go into crooked paths, or turn to the right hand, or the left; and having put their hand to the plough of the Gospel neither looked back, nor...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And [they had] the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides,.... "Hands of a man" denote action, according to knowledge; ministers of the Gospel are men of practice and business, as well as have the theory and knowledge of things; and they act like men in a rational way, according to the will of God revealed in the word: and these...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Their wings [were] joined one to another,.... "A woman to her sister" (n), in the Hebrew; denoting the concord, harmony, and agreement of Gospel ministers, and their affection to one another; they preach the same Gospel; administer the same ordinances; do the same work of the Lord; have the same zeal for the glory of God; the same love for Christ,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man,.... For these living creatures are men, redeemed from among men by the blood of Christ; their business lies with men, to preach the Gospel to them: and they should be humane, kind, and tender in their behaviour towards them; wounded consciences of weak believers, distressed and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thus [were] their faces: and their wings [were] stretched upward,.... The former clause, "thus [were] their faces", either belongs to Ezekiel 1:10; and the meaning is, this, as now represented, was the likeness of their faces, and this the position of them: or it may be read in connection with the following clause, and be rendered, "and their...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they went everyone straight forward,.... Or, "over against his face" (q); for, which way soever they went, whether forward or backward, or on either side, they had a face to go before them, to direct the way, and steer their course; so the ministers of the Gospel have a face to go by and follow after, the word of God, to look to and direct...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
As for the likeness of the living creatures,.... That is, of their bodies; for their faces, feet, hands, and wings are described before: their appearance [was] like burning coals of fire: because of their ministerial gifts; the gifts of the Spirit are compared to fire, and like coals of fire are to be stirred up, and not covered or quenched; Acts...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the living creatures ran,.... Did their work with great readiness and swiftness; so, especially in the latter day, ministers of the Gospel shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased, Daniel 12:4; and returned; for though before it is said, "they turned not when they went", they kept straight on till they had done their work; but...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now as I beheld the living creatures,.... While he had the vision of them, and when he was considering their form and likeness, and what should be the meaning of them: behold, one wheel upon the earth; the Jews (r) understand this of an angel, who stood upon the earth, and his head reached to the living creatures, and his name is Sandalphon; and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
The appearance of the wheels, and their work, [was] like unto the colour of a beryl,.... Which is a precious stone; see Exodus 28:20; the Syriac version renders it a chrysolite; the Arabic, a jasper; and so may denote the preciousness, glory, and excellency of the churches, and the true members of them, which are as jewels and pearls of great...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
When they went, they went upon their four sides,.... On either of their crossing rings, as they were directed by the living creatures, at whose side they stood: [and] they returned not when they went; they had no need to turn about when they were to go east, west, north, or south, as wheels usually do; but they turned upon the crossing ring, which...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
As for their rings, they were so high, that they were dreadful,.... The circles and circumferences of them were "high": which may denote the visibility and extensiveness of the churches of Christ, especially in the latter day; when they shall be exalted above the mountains and hills, the kingdoms and states of this world; and there shall be such...