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Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

Ezekiel 1:14

A flash of lightning. — Not only was the appearance of the cherubim thus glittering, but also their speed as they “ran and returned” was that of the lightning.

The vision up to this point, so far as we may venture to interpret its object, seems designed to show forth the power and activity, the irresistible energy of the agencies employed for the fulfilment of the Divine purposes, and at the same time their perfectly harmonious action, controlled by one supreme will. We now enter upon a fresh phase of the vision, in which the same things are represented still further by an additional and peculiar symbolism.

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See also Ezekiel 1:14 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Ezekiel 1:14. _THE LIVING CREATURES RAN AND RETURNED_] They had a circular movement; they were in rapid motion, but did not increase their distance from the spectator. So I think this should be...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. PREDICTIONS BEFORE THE FALL OF JERUSALEM A. judgment Predictions Concerning Jerusalem (1-24) Chapter S 1:1-3:14 The Vision of Glory and the Call of the Prophet _ 1. The...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    EZEKIEL 1-3. EZEKIEL ENTERS UPON HIS MINISTRY. Ezekiel 1:1. Ezekiel's Vision. Ezekiel 1:1. Like the prophets generally, Ezekiel enters upon his ministry only after he has had a vision of God and a ca...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    RAN AND RETURNED: or kept running and returning. Hebrew is Inf. by _Heterosis_ (of Mood), App-6....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The theophany, or, vision of God This is described first generally, as a whirlwind and great cloud coming from the North, with a luminous splendour around it, due to a fire sending out continuous fla...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The four living creatures These are described as having in general the human form; they were erect and had apparently two feet (Ezekiel 1:5_; Ezekiel 1:7_); they had four faces, one looking each way:...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Jerome testifies that this verse was not found in LXX. The verse both in regard to terminology and construction is untranslateable. The word rendered "ran" has no existence, and that translated "flash...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    B. The Cherubim 1:5-14 TRANSLATION (5) And from its midst the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they possessed the likeness of a man. (6) And each of them had four fac...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning. THE LIVING CREATURES RAN AND RETURNED. Incessant restless motion indicates the plenitude of life in these cherub...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    § 1. EZEKIEL'S CALL AND CONSECRATION AS A PROPHET (EZEKIEL 1-3) Date, June-July, 592 b.c. Ezekiel's call and consecration to his prophetic work took place by means of a vision of God's glory (Ezekiel...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    EZEKIEL: ‘THEY SHALL KNOW THAT I AM GOD’ THE *SIN OF JUDAH AND THE JUDGEMENT OF GOD EZEKIEL CHAPTER S 1 TO 24 _IAN MACKERVOY_ ABOUT THIS BOOK 1. HISTORY After the death of King Solomon, the *I...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וְ הַ חַיֹּ֖ות רָצֹ֣וא וָ שֹׁ֑וב כְּ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE VISION OF THE GLORY OF GOD Ezekiel 1:1 IT might be hazardous to attempt, from the general considerations advanced in the last two Chapter s, to form a conception of Ezekiel's state of mind during...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    A VISION OF GOD'S MAJESTY Ezekiel 1:1-21 A dark storm-cloud approaches the prophet, from which an incessant blaze of lightning scintillated. As it drew near, the forms of four living creatures became...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The Book opens with the account of the prophet's preparation, and falls into two sections, the first describing the visions he saw, and the second the voice he heard. Verses Eze 1:2-3 in this chapter...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And the living beings ran and (i) returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning. (i) That is, when they had executed God's will: for before they returned not till God had changed the state of th...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Flashes. Hebrew Bazak. (Haydock) --- Theodotion retains the original. His version seems to have been inserted in the Septuagint, (Calmet) who omitted this verse, as seeming to contradict ver. 9., and...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    It is worthy the Reader's closest attention, how often during this account the appearance of a man is spoken of. Was it, (for I only ask the question, and do not presume to decide), to lead the Prophe...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    Here the Prophet explains more clearly what would otherwise be obscure. He says that _the living creatures ran, and returned like lightning: _by which words he doubtless signifies their amazing swiftn...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    In chapter 1 we find a date which refers to the year of Josiah's passover, but with what intent I do not know. It has been thought that the thirty years relate to the jubilee. On this point I cannot s...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    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,...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning. Ver. 14. _And the living creatures ran and returned._] As soon as ever their work was done, they came back to him...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _As for the likeness of the living creatures_ Their colour, or aspect; _their appearance was like burning coals_ They were inflamed by the Spirit of God with a holy zeal for his glory, and with indign...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And the living creatures ran and returned, always straight before them, AS THE APPEARANCE OF A FLASH OF LIGHTNING, with the suddenness of an electric flash. The Lord, if he so chooses, is able to reve...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-14 It is a mercy to have the word of God brought to us, and a duty to attend to it diligently, when we are in affliction. The voice of God came in the fulness of light and power, by the Holy Spirit...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THE LIVING CREATURES; angels, ministers of the Divine pleasure, as above, EZEKIEL 1:5. RAN; were speedy in their motions; this signified by this expression figuratively applied to angels. RETURNED; ye...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Ezekiel 1:14 creatures H2416 ran H7519 (H8800) forth H7725 (H8800) appearance H4758 lightning H965...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches. It went up and down among the living creatures, and the fire was bright,...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Vision of the glory. CHARACTERS: God, Holy Spirit, Christ, Ezekiel, Jehoiachin, (Ezekiel 1:26). CONCLUSION: While no man has seen God at any time, many have had visions of Him, displays of...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Ezekiel 1:1. _In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, and fifth day of the month._ The Jews were accustomed to reckon time from great and auspicious events, as the call of Abraham, the exodus from...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 1:1 Inaugural Vision. The story of Ezekiel’s call as a prophet is the most complex of all the “prophetic call stories” in the OT. It is also one of the most carefully structure...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    2. THE VIEW GIVEN TO EZEKIEL OF “THE LIKENESS OF THE GLORY OF THE LORD” (Chap. Ezekiel 1:4) EXEGETICAL NOTES.— Ezekiel 1:4. THE STORM-CLOUD. “A WHIRLWIND,” a tempest such as Job perceived (Ezekiel 38:...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION For the life of the prophet prior to the vision which this chapter relates, and which constituted his call to that office, see Introduction. EZEKIEL 1:1 NOW; literally, _and. _The use of...

  • The Typology of Scripture by Patrick Fairbairn

    Ezekiel 1:4. _And I looked, and behold a whirlwind coming from the north, a great cloud, and a fire kindling itself, and a brightness round about it (the cloud), and from out of it (the fire) like the...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Shall we turn at this time to the prophecy of Ezekiel. Ezekiel said, It came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month (Ezekiel 1:1), So that would be July th...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Daniel 9:21; Mark 13:27; Matthew 24:27; Matthew 24:31; Psalms 147:15

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Ran — They ran into the lower world, to do what was to be done there: and when they had done, returned as a flash of lightning, to the upper world, to the vision of God. Thus we should be in the affai...

  • When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe, 1960

    Is this a manifestation of UFOs and extraterrestrial intelligence? PROBLEM: Ezekiel speaks here of “living creatures” whose faces were in “the likeness of a man” which moved “like a flash of lightnin...

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