The moving wings of the cherubim sounded like the voice of God Almighty and could be heard even in the outer courtyard.
Parallel translations
- WEB The sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.
- KJV And the sound of the cherubims’ wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.
- BSB The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard as far as the outer court, like the voice of God Almighty when He speaks.
- NKJV And the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even in the outer court, like the voice of Almighty God when He speaks.
- NASB Moreover, the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard as far as the outer courtyard, like the voice of God Almighty when He speaks.
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 sound of the cherubim's wings is heard to the outer court, like the voice of Almighty God. It conveys the awesome power accompanying the glory's movement.
Overview
The thunderous sound, compared to God's own voice, communicates the overwhelming majesty of the heavenly beings serving the throne. Even the outer court trembles with the sound of God's approach and departure. Such power underscores that the God being abandoned by Jerusalem is the Almighty. To reject so great a God is folly, and to be reconciled to Him, as we are through Christ, is the highest blessing.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Ezek 1:24When they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of an army: when they stood, they let down their wings.
- Job 40:9Or do you have an arm like God? Can you thunder with a voice like him?
- Job 37:2–5Hear, oh, hear the noise of his voice, the sound that goes out of his mouth.
- Deut 4:12–13Yahweh spoke to you out of the middle of the fire: you heard the voice of words, but you saw no form; you only heard a voice.
- 1 Kgs 7:9All these were of costly stones, even of cut stone, according to measure, sawed with saws, inside and outside, even from the foundation to the coping, and so on the outside to the great court.
- Exod 20:18–19All the people perceived the thunderings, the lightnings, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking. When the people saw it, they trembled, and stayed at a distance.
- Exod 19:16On the third day, when it was morning, there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain, and the sound of an exceedingly loud trumpet; and all the people who were in the camp trembled.
- Exod 19:19When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice.
- Heb 12:18–19For you have not come to a mountain that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and to blackness, darkness, storm,
- John 12:28–29Father, glorify your name!” Then there came a voice out of the sky, saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
- Ps 68:33To him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which are of old; behold, he utters his voice, a mighty voice.
- Ps 77:17The clouds poured out water. The skies resounded with thunder. Your arrows also flashed around.
- Ezek 46:21Then he brought me out into the outer court, and caused me to pass by the four corners of the court; and behold, in every corner of the court there was a court.
- Ps 29:3–9Yahweh’s voice is on the waters. The God of glory thunders, even Yahweh on many waters.
- Rev 10:3–4He cried with a loud voice, as a lion roars. When he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices.
- 2 Chr 4:9Furthermore he made the court of the priests, the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid their doors with brass.
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 10:5 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.