Ezekiel 10 20

Ezekiel 10:20 kjv

This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.

Ezekiel 10:20 nkjv

This is the living creature I saw under the God of Israel by the River Chebar, and I knew they were cherubim.

Ezekiel 10:20 niv

These were the living creatures I had seen beneath the God of Israel by the Kebar River, and I realized that they were cherubim.

Ezekiel 10:20 esv

These were the living creatures that I saw underneath the God of Israel by the Chebar canal; and I knew that they were cherubim.

Ezekiel 10:20 nlt

These were the same living beings I had seen beneath the God of Israel when I was by the Kebar River. I knew they were cherubim,

Ezekiel 10 verses

Ezekiel 10 20 Meaning

Ezekiel 10:20 serves as a crucial moment of clarification within Ezekiel's prophetic visions. It explicitly identifies the "living creatures" that appeared to Ezekiel by the Chebar Canal, and which form the mobile throne for the glory of God, as "cherubim." This recognition solidifies the connection between Ezekiel's initial awe-inspiring but ambiguous vision in Chapter 1 and the established biblical iconography of these celestial beings. The verse underscores God's omnipresent sovereignty, His continued presence with His exiled people, and His authority even when departing from a sinful Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 10 20 Context

Ezekiel 10:20 provides crucial clarity within the prophet Ezekiel’s extensive visions concerning God’s glory. In Chapter 1, Ezekiel first encountered "living creatures" during his prophetic call by the Chebar Canal in Babylon, providing an awe-inspiring but somewhat mysterious description. Chapter 10 further elaborates on these creatures, explicitly portraying them as the mobile carriers of the Lord's glory, particularly as it departs from a corrupted Jerusalem Temple. The verse therefore marks a significant moment of theological understanding for Ezekiel—and for the readers—as the identity of these formidable celestial beings is unequivocally revealed as cherubim. Historically, this revelation grounds Ezekiel’s profound, transcendent experiences in the familiar biblical context of Israel’s religious life, where cherubim were iconic figures associated with the Ark of the Covenant, the Tabernacle, and the Temple, guarding holiness and serving as the visible seat of God's throne. This clarifies that even in the exile, and amidst the impending destruction of the Temple, God’s manifest presence (glory) is real, active, and retains its characteristic celestial attendants, reinforcing that YHWH is not confined by place, contrasting Him with the localized gods of Babylonian worship.

Ezekiel 10 20 Word analysis

• These (אֵ֣לֶּה 'elleh): A demonstrative pronoun, referring directly back to the "living creatures" described extensively in Ezekiel chapter 1 and further detailed in chapter 10. It grounds the current revelation in previous encounters.

• were (הִ֠יא hî'): A feminine singular pronoun, used here as a copula, identifying "the living creature" (which is grammatically feminine) with "the cherubim."

• the living creature (הַחַיָּה֙ haḥayyah):

  • Hebrew: chayyah (חַיָּה), referring to an animate being, often translated as "living thing" or "beast." In Ezekiel's unique usage, it denotes these specific, complex, and powerful celestial beings that served as God's chariot-throne. Its plural, chayyot, appears frequently in Eze 1 and 10. This term emphasizes their animated, active nature.

• that I saw (אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָאִ֔יתִי 'ăšer ra'îtî): A personal declaration, highlighting Ezekiel's direct, revelatory experience. This personal testimony reinforces the authenticity and immediacy of the divine vision given to him.

• underneath (תַּ֙חַת֙ taḥat): Indicates the positioning of the living creatures. They serve as a support or a base for the glory of God, suggesting their subservient, foundational role in God’s heavenly procession or throne.

• the God of Israel (אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל 'ĕlōhê Yiśrā'ēl):

  • Hebrew: Elohei Yisrael. This specific divine title emphasizes YHWH's covenant relationship with His people, Israel. Even in judgment and exile, He remains their particular God. It distinguishes Him from the pagan deities of Babylon, stressing His unique identity and sovereignty over His chosen nation.

• by the Chebar Canal (בִּנְהַר־כְּבָ֖ר binhar-kəḇār):

  • This geographical marker connects the current vision back to Ezekiel's initial prophetic call and vision in Ezekiel 1:1, locating the transcendent experience within the tangible reality of the Babylonian exile. It underscores that God's presence is not confined to the land of Israel or the Temple but extends even to His people in diaspora.

• and I knew (וָאֵדַ֕ע wā'êḏa'):

  • Hebrew: yada (יָדַע), indicating experiential knowledge, recognition, or coming to understand. It signifies a moment of divine insight granted to Ezekiel, clarifying the identity of the mysterious beings. This shift from description (Ch 1) to definitive identification (Ch 10) is a key narrative progression.

• that they were (כִּֽי־ ...הֵֽמָּה kî...hēmmāh): Connects the "living creatures" with their revealed identity, "the cherubim." The particle ki introduces the direct statement of knowledge.

• the cherubim (כְרוּבִ֥ים kərûḇîm):

  • Hebrew: keruvim (plural). This is the explicit identification. Cherubim are celestial beings prominent in biblical imagery, associated with guarding sacred space (Gen 3:24), ornamenting the Tabernacle and Temple (Ex 25-26, 1 Kgs 6-8), and serving as the "seat" or foundation of God’s invisible throne (Ps 80:1). Ezekiel's vision now grounds their identity firmly in established Israelite theology. Their complex, mobile, and powerful portrayal in Ezekiel adds to their symbolic representation of God's sovereign, mobile glory.

• "the living creature...that I saw...and I knew that they were the cherubim": This sequence describes a revelatory journey from initial awe and descriptive recounting to definitive identification. It highlights the progressive nature of divine revelation and understanding, where Ezekiel's initial observation matures into a clear recognition given by God.

• "underneath the God of Israel": This phrase signifies the role of the cherubim as foundational supporters of God's throne or the platform carrying His glory. They are subservient yet central to the manifestation of divine presence, underscoring God’s majestic enthronement.

Ezekiel 10 20 Bonus section

The explicit identification of the "living creatures" as "cherubim" in Ezekiel 10:20 provides hermeneutical instruction: sometimes divine revelation unfolds gradually, building on initial enigmatic experiences to a full, clarified understanding. The shift from a highly descriptive yet unnamed portrayal in Ezekiel 1 to a named entity here highlights the role of prophecy in connecting novel divine manifestations with established theological tradition. This moment of recognition not only brought peace and understanding to Ezekiel but also served as a profound comfort to the exiled Israelites. It conveyed that despite being forcibly removed from their homeland and Temple, the very divine presence that inhabited the holy of holies was with them, assuring them that God had not abandoned His covenant. The detailed visual consistency between the Ezekiel 1 vision, the Temple iconography, and the subsequent "return" vision in Ezekiel 43:1-5, strengthens the theological message of God’s sovereignty over both space and time.

Ezekiel 10 20 Commentary

Ezekiel 10:20 serves as a pivotal interpretive statement in Ezekiel’s prophetic narrative. After an extensive, almost overwhelming, description of the "living creatures" in Chapter 1, this verse finally provides their name: cherubim. This identification anchors Ezekiel's extraordinary visions in the well-understood symbolic language of Israelite faith. Cherubim were not mere angels; they were celestial guardians, often depicted guarding the entrance to Eden, adorning the Ark of the Covenant, and sculpted into the very fabric of the Tabernacle and Temple, embodying the presence and holiness of God.

The revelation that these mysterious, dynamic beings are cherubim confirms for Ezekiel, and his audience in exile, that God's glory is indeed present among them. This glory, departing from a defiled Jerusalem Temple, is not lost but is manifest with the exiles, carried on these familiar yet now-dynamically-rendered divine throne-bearers. This recontextualizes the profound theological truth: God is not confined to a building or a geographic location. His sovereignty extends even into the land of their captors, demonstrating His unyielding presence with His people even in judgment. Ezekiel's act of "knowing" emphasizes divine clarity, moving beyond awe-struck observation to explicit theological understanding of God's continuous, mobile, and glorious presence, upholding His covenant faithfulness despite Israel's sin.