Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.
Parallel translations
- WEB Now as I saw the living creatures, behold, one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it.
- BSB When I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces.
- NKJV Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces.
- NASB Now as I looked at the living beings, behold, there was one wheel on the ground beside the living beings, for each of the four of them.
- NLT As I looked at these beings, I saw four wheels touching the ground beside them, one wheel belonging to each.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Beside each creature Ezekiel sees a wheel on the earth. The wheels link the heavenly throne to movement throughout the earth.
Overview
The wheels connect the vision to the ground, suggesting God's glory is mobile and present on earth, not fixed in one place. This was crucial comfort for exiles who feared God remained behind in Jerusalem. The wheels imply God's throne can go wherever His purposes require. The vision affirms the LORD's sovereign presence even in Babylon.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Ezek 10:9And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone.
- Dan 7:9I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
- Ezek 1:6And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
- Rev 4:7And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
- Ezek 1:19–21And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
- Ezek 10:13–17As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 1:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.