Then one of the cherubim reached out his hand and took some live coals from the fire burning among them. He put the coals into the hands of the man in linen clothing, and the man took them and went out.
Parallel translations
- WEB The cherub stretched out his hand from between the cherubim to the fire that was between the cherubim, and took some of it, and put it into the hands of him who was clothed in linen, who took it and went out.
- KJV And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out.
- BSB Then one of the cherubim reached out his hand and took some of the fire that was among them. And he put it into the hands of the man clothed in linen, who received it and went out.
- NKJV And the cherub stretched out his hand from among the cherubim to the fire that was among the cherubim, and took some of it and put it into the hands of the man clothed with linen, who took it and went out.
- NASB Then the cherub reached out with his hand from between the cherubim to the fire which was between the cherubim, took some coals and put them into the hands of the one clothed in linen; and he took them and went out.
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
A cherub hands fire from among the cherubim into the man's hands, and he goes out. It completes the transfer of judgment-fire for the city.
Overview
The cherub mediates the fire from the very heart of God's throne to the agent who will scatter it, underscoring that judgment originates with God. The man's going out signals the imminent execution of the sentence on Jerusalem. The fire's source in the holy presence shows judgment as an expression of God's holiness. Holiness that consumes sin here points to the cross, where holiness and mercy meet for sinners.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Ezek 1:13As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches: the fire went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and lightning went out of the fire.
- Matt 13:41–42The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do iniquity,
- Ezek 41:23–26The temple and the sanctuary had two doors.
- Matt 24:34–35Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away, until all these things are accomplished.
- Ezek 10:6It came to pass, when he commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, “Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim,” that he went in, and stood beside a wheel.
- Matt 13:49–50So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked from among the righteous,
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Original language
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