When the cherubim stood still, the wheels stood still, and when one was lifted up, the other lifted itself up, for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
Parallel translations
- WEB When they stood, these stood; and when they mounted up, these mounted up with them: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
- KJV When they stood, these stood; and when they were lifted up, these lifted up themselves also: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
- BSB When the cherubim stood still, the wheels also stood still, and when they ascended, the wheels ascended with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
- NASB When the cherubim stood still, the wheels would stand still; and when they rose up, the wheels would rise with them, because the spirit of the living beings was in them.
- NLT When the cherubim stopped, the wheels stopped. When they flew upward, the wheels rose up, for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.
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
When the cherubim stop or rise, the wheels do likewise, for the spirit of the living creatures is in them. It shows a single animating life directs the whole throne.
Overview
The shared "spirit" unifies the throne-chariot, so cherubim and wheels act as one living whole. This animating life points to the Spirit of God who governs all. The throne moves not mechanically but by the will of the living God. The same Spirit who animates God's throne is given to believers, uniting them to Christ and to one another.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Ezek 1:20–21Wherever the spirit was to go, they went; there was the spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
- Rom 8:2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.
- Rev 11:11After the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered into them, and they stood on their feet. Great fear fell on those who saw them.
- Gen 2:7Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
- Ezek 1:12Each one went straight forward: where the spirit was to go, they went; they didn’t turn when they went.
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 10:17 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.