Their faces looked like the faces I had seen by the River Kebar. Each creature went straight ahead.
Parallel translations
- WEB As for the likeness of their faces, they were the faces which I saw by the river Chebar, their appearances and themselves; they went every one straight forward.
- KJV And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: they went every one straight forward.
- NKJV And the likeness of their faces was the same as the faces which I had seen by the River Chebar, their appearance and their persons. They each went straight forward.
- NASB As for the likeness of their faces, they were the same faces whose appearance I had seen by the river Chebar. Each one went straight ahead.
- NLT And their faces were just like the faces of the beings I had seen at the Kebar, and they traveled straight ahead, just as the others had.
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
Their faces are the same ones seen at the Chebar, and each moves straight forward. It confirms the identity and purposeful movement of the cherubim.
Overview
By matching these faces to the earlier vision, Ezekiel affirms that the God who appeared in exile is now departing Jerusalem. The straight-forward movement conveys resolute, undeviating purpose. God's withdrawal is not hesitant but determined, the just response to persistent sin. Yet the same determined God pursues the salvation of His people, accomplished surely in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Ezek 10:11When they moved, they would go in any of the four directions, without turning as they moved. For wherever the head faced, the cherubim would go in that direction, without turning as they moved.
- Ezek 1:10The form of their faces was that of a man, and each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and also the face of an eagle.
- Hos 14:9Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them but the rebellious stumble in them.
- Ezek 1:12Each creature went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they moved.
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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 10:22 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.