Ezekiel 10:3 kjv
Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.
Ezekiel 10:3 nkjv
Now the cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple when the man went in, and the cloud filled the inner court.
Ezekiel 10:3 niv
Now the cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple when the man went in, and a cloud filled the inner court.
Ezekiel 10:3 esv
Now the cherubim were standing on the south side of the house, when the man went in, and a cloud filled the inner court.
Ezekiel 10:3 nlt
The cherubim were standing at the south end of the Temple when the man went in, and the cloud of glory filled the inner courtyard.
Ezekiel 10 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 10:3 | Now the cherubim stood on the south side of the house, when the man went in; and a cloud filled the inner court. | Describes the cherubim's position. |
| Ezekiel 10:4 | Then the glory of the LORD rose from the cherub, and went over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD's glory. | Explicit statement of God's glory moving. |
| Ezekiel 10:18 | Then the glory of the LORD departed from over the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim. | Further description of the movement of God's glory. |
| Ezekiel 11:22-23 | So the cherubim lifted up their wings and mounted up from the earth before my eyes, with the wheels beside them; and they stood at the entrance of the east gate of the LORD's house, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them. | Parallel depiction of cherubic movement and God's glory. |
| Exodus 25:22 | There I will meet you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you all that I will command you by me. | Establishes the cherubim's association with God's presence and communication. |
| Psalm 99:1 | The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! | Cherubim as a throne for God's sovereignty. |
| Isaiah 6:1-3 | In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim... and one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” | Vision of God's glory filling the Temple with seraphim. |
| 1 Kings 8:10-11 | And the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD. | God's glory filling the Temple historically. |
| Revelation 4:6-8 | And around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. ... And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease saying, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is, and is to come!” | Heavenly depiction of living creatures and God's presence. |
| Revelation 7:11 | All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures... | Angels and living creatures surrounding God's throne. |
| John 1:14 | And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. | Christ as the dwelling place of God's glory. |
| Colossians 1:19 | For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, | Christ as the fullness of God's dwelling. |
| Hebrews 1:3 | ...upholding the universe by a word of his powerful word, when he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, | Christ in His glorified state. |
| Genesis 3:24 | He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned in every direction to guard the way to the tree of life. | Cherubim guarding sacred space. |
| Numbers 7:89 | When Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with him, he heard the voice of him who spoke to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim. | Voice of God from between the cherubim. |
| Deuteronomy 31:15 | And the LORD appeared in the tent in the form of a pillar of cloud... | God's manifested presence in visible form. |
| Jeremiah 7:12 | “Go now to my place that was in Shiloh, where I made my name dwell at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel." | God's presence departing from His sanctuary. |
| Hosea 9:15 | ...because of all their evil in Samaria. Their evil is great. I hate them. Because of their evil deeds I will drive them out of my house. | God driving out people from His house due to sin. |
| Acts 7:49 | 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? | God's transcendence over physical temples. |
| Revelation 11:19 | Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail. | Heavenly sanctuary and the ark's significance. |
| 2 Samuel 6:17 | And when they brought the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the thick curtains of David's tent, David also offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. | Ark of the Covenant in David's tent. |
Ezekiel 10 verses
Ezekiel 10 3 Meaning
The verse describes a movement initiated by God concerning His glory departing from the cherubim and the threshold of the Temple. It signifies the visible manifestation of God's presence, characterized by the living creatures (cherubim), beginning its spatial departure from its central dwelling place. This departure is not absolute abandonment, but a transition of His manifested presence preceding judgment and exile.
Ezekiel 10 3 Context
Ezekiel 10 takes place during the Babylonian exile, a period of immense spiritual crisis for the Judean people. The Temple in Jerusalem, God's dwelling place, has been profaned and will soon be utterly destroyed. Ezekiel, as a prophet in exile, receives visions that reveal the theological reasons for this devastation. Chapter 10 specifically focuses on the visible departure of God's glory from the Temple, signified by the movement of the cherubim, the divine guardians of His presence. This departure underscores that the sin and corruption within Jerusalem and the Temple have rendered it unfit for God's dwelling, leading to His judgment. The prophet is given this vision to communicate God's sovereignty, holiness, and the consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness, even as it prefigures the ultimate restoration of God's glory in a new Temple, a concept fulfilled in Christ.
Ezekiel 10 3 Word Analysis
- וְהִנֵּה (vəhinnêh): "And behold" or "And look." This particle is used to draw attention, to introduce a new element or revelation. It emphasizes the immediate perception of what follows.
- הַכְּרוּבִים (hakkərûvîm): "the cherubim." This refers to the angelic beings, specifically depicted in Ezekiel's vision and known from earlier scriptural contexts (like the Ark of the Covenant, Exodus 25:18-22) as guardians of sacred spaces and associated with God's throne-chariot. They are instrumental in conveying the divine presence.
- עֹמְדִים (ʿōməḏîm): "standing." This is a present participle, indicating their stationary position at that moment before their movement begins.
- מִצַּד (miṣṣaḏ): "on the side of" or "to the side of." It indicates location relative to something.
- הַבַּיִת (habbayiṯ): "the house" or "the Temple." This specifically refers to the Temple in Jerusalem.
- הַיְמָנִית (haymānît): "the south." This pinpoints the location of the cherubim on the south side of the Temple structure.
- וּבַעֲשֹׂת (ūvəʿăśōṯ): "and when was done" or "and when it was done." The precise action implied by "was done" here is less clear, but in the broader context, it likely refers to the commencement of the cherubim's movement or a transition.
- הָאִישׁ (hâʾîš): "the man." This refers to the angel or divine figure previously introduced in Ezekiel's vision (chapter 8-9) who wields the inkhorn and executes judgment. His presence and action are linked to the cherubim and the departure of God's glory.
- אֶל־פְּנִימָה (ʾel-pənîmâ): "inward" or "within."
- וְאֵילַת (wəʾêlaṯ): "and a cloud." This connects the movement of the cherubim with a manifestation of God's glory, typically represented by cloud imagery.
- הָעֲזָרָה (hāʿăzârâ): "the court," specifically referring to the inner court of the Temple.
- מְלֵאָה (məleʾâ): "was filled." The cloud filled the court.
- זֹהַר (zōhar): "brightness" or "radiance." This adjective modifies the glory, emphasizing its luminous quality.
- כְּבוֹד־יְהוָה (ḵəvōḏ-YHWH): "the glory of the LORD." This is the most crucial term, signifying the visible, tangible presence of God, His majesty, power, and honor.
Grouped Analysis:
- The cherubim stood on the south side... and when the man went inward: This phrase establishes the immediate physical setting and a transition point. The cherubim are positioned, and a divine agent begins an action inside.
- and a cloud filled the inner court, the brightness of the glory of the LORD: This clause links the visual phenomenon of a cloud to the divine glory itself, filling the court as the cherubim begin their transition, showing that God's presence, though imminent, is still perceived.
Ezekiel 10 3 Bonus Section
The description of the cherubim's movement, later detailed with wheels (Ezekiel 1:15-21; 10:9-13), is consistent with Mesopotamian and Egyptian influences on ancient Near Eastern art and iconography. However, Ezekiel's vision recontextualizes these motifs, presenting them not as deities or magical entities, but as part of God's celestial army and chariot, subservient to the supreme sovereign God of Israel. The departure of God's glory is a motif that appears elsewhere in the Old Testament (e.g., Jeremiah 7:12; Hosea 9:15), foreshadowing judgment. This vision by Ezekiel is the most extensive depiction of such a departure, signifying a profound theological message about God's transcendence and the consequences of forsaking Him. This departure from the physical Temple foreshadows the greater reality that God's presence fully tabernacled in Jesus Christ (John 1:14), and through Him, believers now are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19).
Ezekiel 10 3 Commentary
This verse depicts a crucial moment: God's glory, represented by the cherubim and a luminous cloud, is physically preparing to depart from the Jerusalem Temple. The cherubim, associated with God's throne and presence, are seen moving from their established position on the south side, coincident with a divine agent ("the man") moving inwards, possibly initiating a final act of assessment or signaling. The cloud and brightness filling the court highlight that this is a direct manifestation of God's presence, now signaling its imminent removal due to the sin that has defiled the sanctuary. This event serves as a visual and theological declaration that God is leaving His house before its destruction, a sobering reality that would have deeply impacted Ezekiel and his audience. It emphasizes God's holiness and His inability to cohabit with persistent sin and rebellion.