New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Ezekiel 10
1
I looked up and saw something that appeared to be a throne made out of sapphire. It was above the huge space that was spread out over the heads of the cherubim.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 24:10
2
The Lord spoke to the man who was wearing linen clothes. He said, "Go in among the wheels beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from the fire that is among the cherubim. Scatter the coals over the city." As I watched, he went in.
Reference
3
The cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple when the man went in. A cloud filled the inner courtyard.
Reference
4
Then the glory of the Lord rose from above the cherubim. It moved to the doorway of the temple. The cloud filled the temple. And the courtyard was full of the brightness of the glory of the Lord.
Reference
5
The sound the wings of the cherubim made could be heard as far away as the outer courtyard. It was like the voice of the Mighty God when he speaks.
Reference
6
The Lord gave a command to the man who was dressed in linen clothes. He said, "Get some coals of fire from among the wheels. Take them from among the cherubim." So the man went in and stood beside a wheel.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 10:2
7
Then one of the cherubim reached out his hand. He picked up some of the burning coals that were among the wheels. He handed them to the man who was wearing linen clothes. The man took them and left.
9
I looked up and saw four wheels beside the cherubim. One wheel was beside each of them. The wheels gleamed like chrysolite.
Reference
10
All four of them looked alike. Each wheel appeared to be inside another wheel at right angles.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 1:16
11
The wheels could go in any one of the four directions the cherubim faced. The wheels didn't change their direction as the cherubim moved. The cherubim went in the direction their heads faced. They didn't change their direction as they moved.
Reference
12
Their whole bodies were completely covered with eyes. That included their backs, hands and wings. Their four wheels were covered with eyes too.
Reference
13
I heard someone tell the wheels to start spinning around.
14
Each of the cherubim had four faces. One face was the face of a cherub. The second was a man's face. The third was the face of a lion. And the fourth was an eagle's face.
Reference
15
The cherubim rose from the ground. They were the same living creatures I had seen by the Kebar River.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 1:5
16
When the cherubim moved, the wheels beside them moved. The cherubim spread their wings to rise from the ground. As they did, the wheels didn't leave their side.
17
When the cherubim stood still, the wheels also stood still. When the cherubim rose, the wheels rose along with them. That's because the spirits of the living creatures were in the wheels.
Reference
Spirit
Romans 8:2
18
Then the glory of the Lord moved away from the doorway of the temple. It stopped above the cherubim.
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 18:10
19
While I watched, they spread their wings. They rose from the ground. As they went, the wheels went along 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
Those were the same living creatures I had seen by the Kebar River. I had seen them beneath the God of Israel. I realized that they were cherubim.
Reference
21
Each one had four faces and four wings. Under their wings was what looked like a man's hands.
Reference
Summary of Ezekiel 10
Ezekiel 10 continues the vision of Jerusalem's judgment by revealing God's glory departing from the Temple, while the mysterious cherubim and their wheels move with the divine presence and the man dressed in linen receives burning coals to scatter over Jerusalem, creating a powerful picture in which the same divine glory that once signified God's presence in the sanctuary is now associated with the judgment that will soon fall upon the city.
The chapter begins with Ezekiel seeing what resembles a sapphire throne above the cherubim, immediately placing the events within the setting of God's heavenly authority. The man dressed in linen is then commanded to take burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over Jerusalem, symbolizing the destructive judgment that is approaching.
The fire is particularly significant because it comes from the same heavenly setting associated with God's glory.
The judgment is therefore portrayed as coming under God's authority, rather than simply being the result of ordinary political or military events.
As the vision continues, Ezekiel sees the glory of the Lord moving away from the Temple. The cloud, brilliant appearance, cherubim, and mysterious wheels create an overwhelming picture of divine majesty, while the movement of the glory toward the eastern gate indicates that God's presence is progressively withdrawing from the sanctuary that has been polluted by idolatry.
The chapter also provides additional details about the cherubim and their wheels, including their four faces, wings, human-like hands, eyes, and extraordinary movement. The wheels move together with the cherubim in complete coordination, suggesting that the heavenly throne is not restricted by ordinary physical limitations and that God's presence can move freely wherever He chooses.
The repeated references to eyes emphasize awareness and perception, reinforcing the message from the previous chapter that God sees what is happening inside Jerusalem, including the hidden corruption that the people may have believed was unnoticed.
One of the most important elements of the chapter is Ezekiel's recognition that these are the same living creatures he saw beside the Kebar River at the beginning of his prophetic ministry.
This connection is important because it shows that the vision of judgment is directly connected to the vision of God's glory that originally called Ezekiel to his prophetic mission.
The God who revealed His glory to Ezekiel among the exiles is now showing him why Jerusalem cannot assume that the Temple will permanently contain or guarantee God's presence.
The movement of the glory is therefore deeply symbolic.
God's presence is leaving the sanctuary because the sanctuary has been defiled.
The chapter does not portray God as being defeated or forced away by Babylon.
Instead, the movement of the glory demonstrates that God Himself is sovereignly withdrawing His presence while preparing judgment against the city.
The central message is that Ezekiel 10 presents a majestic and unsettling vision of God's heavenly throne, the cherubim, and the mysterious wheels while showing the glory of the Lord progressively moving away from the Temple, with the man dressed in linen receiving burning coals to scatter over Jerusalem as a symbol of the coming judgment, thereby demonstrating that the destruction of the city will occur under God's authority rather than because God has been overcome by its enemies, while the repeated connection between the cherubim seen in Jerusalem and the living creatures Ezekiel previously encountered by the Kebar River confirms that the God who called Ezekiel among the exiles is the same God whose glory is now withdrawing from the polluted sanctuary, making the chapter a powerful picture of divine holiness, complete awareness, sovereign movement, and judgment against a people who had turned the place of worship into a center of idolatry and rebellion.
The chapter begins with Ezekiel seeing what resembles a sapphire throne above the cherubim, immediately placing the events within the setting of God's heavenly authority. The man dressed in linen is then commanded to take burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over Jerusalem, symbolizing the destructive judgment that is approaching.
The fire is particularly significant because it comes from the same heavenly setting associated with God's glory.
The judgment is therefore portrayed as coming under God's authority, rather than simply being the result of ordinary political or military events.
As the vision continues, Ezekiel sees the glory of the Lord moving away from the Temple. The cloud, brilliant appearance, cherubim, and mysterious wheels create an overwhelming picture of divine majesty, while the movement of the glory toward the eastern gate indicates that God's presence is progressively withdrawing from the sanctuary that has been polluted by idolatry.
The chapter also provides additional details about the cherubim and their wheels, including their four faces, wings, human-like hands, eyes, and extraordinary movement. The wheels move together with the cherubim in complete coordination, suggesting that the heavenly throne is not restricted by ordinary physical limitations and that God's presence can move freely wherever He chooses.
The repeated references to eyes emphasize awareness and perception, reinforcing the message from the previous chapter that God sees what is happening inside Jerusalem, including the hidden corruption that the people may have believed was unnoticed.
One of the most important elements of the chapter is Ezekiel's recognition that these are the same living creatures he saw beside the Kebar River at the beginning of his prophetic ministry.
This connection is important because it shows that the vision of judgment is directly connected to the vision of God's glory that originally called Ezekiel to his prophetic mission.
The God who revealed His glory to Ezekiel among the exiles is now showing him why Jerusalem cannot assume that the Temple will permanently contain or guarantee God's presence.
The movement of the glory is therefore deeply symbolic.
God's presence is leaving the sanctuary because the sanctuary has been defiled.
The chapter does not portray God as being defeated or forced away by Babylon.
Instead, the movement of the glory demonstrates that God Himself is sovereignly withdrawing His presence while preparing judgment against the city.
The central message is that Ezekiel 10 presents a majestic and unsettling vision of God's heavenly throne, the cherubim, and the mysterious wheels while showing the glory of the Lord progressively moving away from the Temple, with the man dressed in linen receiving burning coals to scatter over Jerusalem as a symbol of the coming judgment, thereby demonstrating that the destruction of the city will occur under God's authority rather than because God has been overcome by its enemies, while the repeated connection between the cherubim seen in Jerusalem and the living creatures Ezekiel previously encountered by the Kebar River confirms that the God who called Ezekiel among the exiles is the same God whose glory is now withdrawing from the polluted sanctuary, making the chapter a powerful picture of divine holiness, complete awareness, sovereign movement, and judgment against a people who had turned the place of worship into a center of idolatry and rebellion.