As for their rims, they were high and awesome, and the rims of all four of them were covered with eyes all around.
Parallel translations
- WEB As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and the four of them had their rims full of eyes all around.
- KJV As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.
- BSB Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.
- NKJV As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them.
- NLT The rims of the four wheels were tall and frightening, and they were covered with eyes all around.
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
The wheels' rims are tall, awesome, and full of eyes all around. The eyes signify God's all-seeing knowledge.
Overview
Eyes covering the rims symbolize comprehensive vision and awareness, fitting the throne of the omniscient God. Nothing escapes His sight, in Jerusalem or in exile. The 'dreadful' height conveys the awesome majesty of the whole apparatus. This assures the faithful that God sees all injustice and every hidden faithfulness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Ezek 10:12Their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes all around, even the wheels that the four of them had.
- Rev 4:6Before the throne was something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal. In the middle of the throne, and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind.
- Rev 4:8The four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within. They have no rest day and night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come!”
- Isa 55:9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
- Job 37:22–24Out of the north comes golden splendor. With God is awesome majesty.
- Zech 4:10Indeed, who despises the day of small things? For these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are Yahweh’s eyes, which run back and forth through the whole earth.”
- Ps 77:16–19The waters saw you, God. The waters saw you, and they writhed. The depths also convulsed.
- Prov 15:3Yahweh’s eyes are everywhere, keeping watch on the evil and the good.
- Ps 97:2–5Clouds and darkness are around him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 1:18 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.