Ezekiel 10:11 kjv
When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.
Ezekiel 10:11 nkjv
When they went, they went toward any of their four directions; they did not turn aside when they went, but followed in the direction the head was facing. They did not turn aside when they went.
Ezekiel 10:11 niv
As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the cherubim faced; the wheels did not turn about as the cherubim went. The cherubim went in whatever direction the head faced, without turning as they went.
Ezekiel 10:11 esv
When they went, they went in any of their four directions without turning as they went, but in whatever direction the front wheel faced, the others followed without turning as they went.
Ezekiel 10:11 nlt
The cherubim could move in any of the four directions they faced, without turning as they moved. They went straight in the direction they faced, never turning aside.
Ezekiel 10 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 1:15 | "And as I looked at the living creatures, I saw wheels on the ground beside each living creature" | Immediate context, visual connection |
| Ezekiel 1:17 | "When they moved, they moved in any of the four directions and did not turn as they moved" | Repetition of directional movement |
| Ezekiel 10:10 | "I looked, and behold, four wheels beside the cherubim" | Wheels associated with cherubim |
| Ezekiel 10:11 | "when they moved, they moved in any of their four directions without turning as they moved" | This verse itself |
| Ezekiel 10:16 | "The cherubim moved forward. The wheels went beside them. The cherubim lifted themselves up" | Cherubim and wheels moving together |
| Ezekiel 10:17 | "When they moved, they moved forward. The wheels went beside them. When they lifted themselves" | Emphasis on forward, synchronized movement |
| Ezekiel 1:12 | "they went wherever the Spirit was intent on going, and the wheels were lifted alongside them" | Spirit guiding the movement |
| Numbers 7:9 | "But to the sons of Kohath he gave no carts or oxen, because their service was to be in the sanctuary" | Holy objects not carried by ordinary means |
| Joshua 3:3-4 | "and when the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the LORD, the LORD of all the earth, rested in the waters of the Jordan" | Ark of the covenant’s prescribed movement |
| 2 Samuel 6:3-4 | "and they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out from the house of Abinadab" | Improper transport of the ark (contrasted) |
| Psalm 18:11 | "He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him, the thick clouds of the heavens" | God’s presence associated with heavenly phenomena |
| Revelation 4:6-8 | "around the throne were four living creatures..." | Similar description of heavenly creatures |
| Revelation 14:7 | "...and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.” | Worship directed to the Creator |
| Acts 1:2 | "...after he had given commandments through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen" | Holy Spirit's authoritative direction |
| John 14:26 | "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things" | Holy Spirit as guide and teacher |
| Exodus 33:14 | "And he said, 'My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.'" | God's presence leading His people |
| Psalm 23:2 | "He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters." | God's leadership and provision |
| Isaiah 42:16 | "I will lead the blindșa the way that they do not know" | God's guidance of the lost |
| Genesis 1:2 | "The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep." | Spirit’s movement over the waters in creation |
| 1 Kings 8:27 | "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you" | Transcendence of God's dwelling |
Ezekiel 10 verses
Ezekiel 10 11 Meaning
This verse describes the specific, ordered movements of the cherubim and the wheels that accompanied them. Their movement was not random; they went in the direction indicated by the divine presence, and they did not turn aside. This highlights the perfection, order, and obedience inherent in God's glorious presence and the workings of His divine will.
Ezekiel 10 11 Context
Ezekiel chapter 10 is a continuation of the vision of God's glory and the cherubim presented in chapter 1. In this chapter, the prophet sees the glory of God depart from Jerusalem, specifically from the temple, due to the sin of the people and the leaders. The cherubim, intricately linked with God's throne and presence, are depicted moving from the sanctuary, signifying God's judgment and impending removal. This particular verse details the specific movements of these celestial beings and the accompanying wheels, emphasizing the controlled and divinely directed nature of their departure. The historical context is the Babylonian exile, a period of intense judgment for Israel, with Jerusalem and the temple already in ruins. Ezekiel's vision serves to explain the reason for this devastation – the withdrawal of God's manifest presence due to persistent disobedience.
Ezekiel 10 11 Word analysis
"and when they moved," (וּבְשׂוּעָם - u'vesu'am) - Connects this specific movement to their previous action, showing a sequence of divine activity. "when they moved" points to their operational capacity, their function.
"they moved forward" (הָלְכוּ - hal'chu) - A straightforward verb indicating forward motion. This is consistent with the cherubim and wheels functioning as a cohesive unit under divine command, emphasizing directed progress rather than aimless wandering.
"in any of their four directions" (אֶל־כָּל־רוּחַ פָּנָיו - el-kol-ruach panav) - This phrase, literally "to all wind of his faces" or "to all direction of its faces," emphasizes their ability to move instantly in any cardinal direction (north, south, east, west) without any hindrance or need to turn. The plural "faces" likely refers to the multifaceted nature of the cherubim, or the multiple directions the structure could face, as seen in chapter 1 where they had four faces.
"without turning as they moved." (וְלֹא־יִסַּבּוּ בְּסוּעָם - v'lo-yisobu b'su'am) - The negation "without turning" highlights the extraordinary and unnatural mechanics of their movement. It wasn't a typical turning maneuver; their orientation changed instantly with their direction of travel. The word yisobu (to turn, turn around) is key here, emphasizing a lack of preparatory turning or gradual direction change. This demonstrates divine omnipotence in motion.
"when they moved, they moved in any of their four directions" - This group of words underscores their freedom and capacity to traverse space in any orientation. It's a divine characteristic, unbound by earthly physics.
"and the wheels were lifted up beside them" (וְהָאוֹפַנִּים עִמָּהֶם - v'ha'ofannim im'hem) - This confirms the close association between the wheels and the living creatures. The wheels are not separate but integral to their mobility. Im'hem ("with them") indicates partnership or accompaniment.
"lifted themselves up from the earth" (וַיִּנָּשְׂאוּ מִן־הָאָרֶץ - vayinase'u min-ha'aretz) - The active voice implies that the cherubim initiated this lifting, supported by the wheels. It signifies ascent or leaving the ground, showing their celestial nature.
Ezekiel 10 11 Bonus section
The imagery of the cherubim and wheels moving in perfect synchronicity without turning echoes the idea of God's pervasive presence that is not limited by geography or conventional movement. The mention of "four directions" relates to the multifaceted nature of the cherubim themselves (e.g., having faces of a man, lion, ox, and eagle as described in Ezekiel 1), suggesting a readiness to fulfill God's will in any direction required. This vision serves as a stark contrast to the disunity and disobedience occurring in the earthly temple, highlighting the spiritual state of Israel. The removal of God's tangible presence, vividly depicted by the cherubim and wheels leaving, foreshadows the physical destruction of the temple and the exile, but also holds the promise of God’s eventual return, as seen in other prophetic passages.
Ezekiel 10 11 Commentary
This verse underscores the seamless coordination between the living creatures and the wheels, both acting in perfect obedience to divine direction. Their movement is instantaneous and unrestricted by physical limitations, pointing to the nature of God's glory and presence. They can go wherever God's Spirit leads, without needing to orient themselves in a conventional way. This speaks to God's omnipotence and the flawless execution of His plans. The scene is not about a random movement, but a purposeful one, demonstrating divine order even in the midst of judgment. The lack of "turning" is a powerful image of absolute, immediate obedience to divine will.