Ezekiel 10 16

Ezekiel 10:16 kjv

And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them.

Ezekiel 10:16 nkjv

When the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also did not turn from beside them.

Ezekiel 10:16 niv

When the cherubim moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the cherubim spread their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels did not leave their side.

Ezekiel 10:16 esv

And when the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them. And when the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the wheels did not turn from beside them.

Ezekiel 10:16 nlt

When the cherubim moved, the wheels moved with them. When they lifted their wings to fly, the wheels stayed beside them.

Ezekiel 10 verses

Ezekiel 10 16 Meaning

Ezekiel 10:16 describes the unified and perfectly synchronized movement of the cherubim and the wheels that were alongside them. As the cherubim moved on the ground or lifted their wings to ascend, the wheels moved precisely with them, never separating. This signifies the inseparable nature of God's dynamic presence and sovereign power, emphasizing divine unity, order, and control in the context of the departure of the glory of the Lord from the Temple in Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 10 16 Context

Ezekiel 10:16 is situated within a series of visions depicting the departure of God's glory from the Jerusalem Temple, just prior to its destruction by the Babylonians. Chapters 8-11 detail the escalating reasons for divine judgment due to the rampant idolatry and moral corruption within the Temple and the city. In Chapter 10, Ezekiel sees the same living creatures (identified as cherubim in Eze 10:20) and the four wheels as described in Chapter 1. Here, however, their synchronized movement specifically leads to the "glory of the Lord" leaving the Temple threshold (Eze 10:18), moving to the East Gate, and ultimately departing from the city altogether (Eze 11:23). This verse, therefore, highlights the ordered and unified manner in which God's presence, along with its instruments, acts to execute judgment by withdrawing from a defiled dwelling.

Ezekiel 10 16 Word analysis

• When the cherubim moved (וּבְלֶכֶת הַכְּרוּבִים - Uv'lekhet hak'ruvim):
  • כְּרוּבִים (k'ruvim): Cherubim. These are majestic, winged, celestial beings associated with God's immediate presence, His throne, and the guarding of sacred spaces. First mentioned in Gen 3:24 guarding Eden, they were central to the imagery of the Tabernacle and Temple, symbolizing God's glory and holiness. In Ezekiel's vision, they function as carriers of God's mobile throne-chariot.
  • בְּלֶכֶת (b'lekhet): From the root הָלַךְ (halakh), meaning "to go," "to walk," "to move." This emphasizes their intentional, directed motion.
• the wheels beside them moved (הָאוֹפַנִּים לְיָדָם יֵלֵכוּ - ha'ofannim l'yadam yeilechu):
  • הָאוֹפַנִּים (ha'ofannim): The wheels. Described vividly in Eze 1 and 10 as having wheels within wheels, full of eyes, capable of moving in any direction without turning. They symbolize the omnipresent and omnidirectional movement of God's Spirit, representing divine knowledge and swift, unrestricted execution of God's will. They are intimately connected with the living creatures/cherubim.
  • לְיָדָם (l'yadam): "Beside them," literally "at their hand" or "at their side." Signifies a close, proximate, and inseparable relationship, implying cooperation and joint function.
  • יֵלֵכוּ (yeilechu): From הָלַךְ (halakh), meaning "they went" or "they moved." Echoes the movement of the cherubim, highlighting synchronization.
• and when the cherubim lifted their wings to rise from the earth (וּבְרוֹם הַכְּרוּבִים אֶת כַּנְפֵיהֶם לָרוּם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ - uv'rom hak'ruvim et kanfeihhem larum mei'al ha'aretz):
  • בְּרוֹם (b'rom): "In their lifting up," or "when they lifted." From רוּם (rum), "to lift up," "to be high." Indicates an upward movement.
  • כַּנְפֵיהֶם (kanfeihhem): Their wings. The primary means for the cherubim to ascend, symbolizing their celestial nature and capacity for divine mobility.
  • לָרוּם (larum): "To rise," "to mount up." Reinforces the action of lifting off the ground.
  • מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ (mei'al ha'aretz): "From above the earth," "from the earth." Clearly denotes ascension.
• the wheels did not leave their side (לֹא יִסַּבּוּ הָאוֹפַנִּים מֵאִתָּם - lo yisabbu ha'ofannim mei'ittam):
  • לֹא יִסַּבּוּ (lo yisabbu): "Did not turn away," "did not deviate." From סָבַב (savav), "to turn," "to go around." Emphasizes absolute non-deviation, demonstrating perfect alignment.
  • מֵאִתָּם (mei'ittam): "From beside them," "from with them." Reconfirms their continuous, unified proximity and motion with the cherubim.

• Words-group Analysis:
  • "When the cherubim moved... the wheels beside them moved": This phrase highlights the seamless, coordinated terrestrial movement. It portrays divine action as a single, coherent operation, where the power (wheels, Spirit) and the instrument (cherubim) act in perfect concert, reflecting divine unity of purpose.
  • "and when the cherubim lifted their wings to rise from the earth, the wheels did not leave their side": This extends the concept of unity to vertical, aerial movement. Even in ascension, the wheels remained intimately connected, signifying that whether God's presence is "walking" or "flying," its attributes and instruments of power remain completely integrated and consistent, never independent or separate. The departure of God's glory is an orchestrated, divine event, not a chaotic retreat.

Ezekiel 10 16 Bonus section

• The profound unity between the cherubim and wheels strongly implies a single guiding intelligence behind them, which Ezekiel explicitly identifies as the Spirit (Eze 1:20-21). This connection highlights the omnipresent and active role of the Holy Spirit in executing God's cosmic and temporal will.
• This highly detailed, mobile divine vehicle starkly contrasts with the static, lifeless idols worshipped in Jerusalem (Eze 8). It served as a powerful polemic against the limited and localized nature of pagan deities, proclaiming the dynamic, unfettered sovereignty of the God of Israel who is not bound by a single temple or earthly structure.
• The meticulous description of their movement during departure further emphasizes the deliberateness and finality of God's withdrawal. It's not a hasty retreat, but an ordered relocation, symbolizing that God, though leaving the Temple, remains active and in control, merely changing the locus of His manifestation.

Ezekiel 10 16 Commentary

Ezekiel 10:16 vividly portrays the inseparability of the cherubim and the wheels, which form the mobile throne-chariot of God's glory. This unity signifies a foundational truth about divine operations: God's presence, power, and purpose are intrinsically linked and execute His will in perfect, unwavering synchronization. The movement, whether horizontal or vertical, earthly or aerial, is always singular in its divine direction, orchestrated by the indwelling Spirit (Eze 1:20-21). This precise choreography underscores God's absolute sovereignty and control, even as His glory begins its solemn departure from a defiled Temple and city, illustrating that judgment, like all divine acts, is an ordered and purposeful expression of His unblemished holiness and unshakeable will. The verse ensures no aspect of the divine vision is acting independently, reflecting God's unified nature.