Ezekiel 11:22 kjv
Then did the cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
Ezekiel 11:22 nkjv
So the cherubim lifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was high above them.
Ezekiel 11:22 niv
Then the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, spread their wings, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.
Ezekiel 11:22 esv
Then the cherubim lifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them.
Ezekiel 11:22 nlt
Then the cherubim lifted their wings and rose into the air with their wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered above them.
Ezekiel 11 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezek 10:18-19 | Then the glory of the LORD went out from over the threshold of the house and stood over the cherubim... and the cherubim lifted up their wings and mounted up... | Previous stage of God's glory departure. |
| Ezek 1:4-21 | ...behold, a stormy wind came out of the north... And in the middle of it was something like gleaming metal... and within it four living creatures... This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. | Initial vision of the cherubim and wheels, establishing context. |
| Ezek 43:2-5 | And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east... and the glory of the LORD entered the temple by the gate facing east... | Prophetic return of God's glory to a restored temple. |
| 1 Kgs 8:10-11 | And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the LORD... for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD. | The initial filling of Solomon's Temple with God's glory. |
| Exod 40:34-35 | Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud abode on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. | The initial filling of the Tabernacle with God's glory. |
| 1 Sam 4:21 | She named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. | Earlier instance of "glory departed" due to sin and loss. |
| Isa 6:3 | And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” | Describes God's holiness and omnipresent glory. |
| Num 14:10 | But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel. | Manifestation of God's glory during judgment in the wilderness. |
| Ps 24:7-10 | Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors! That the King of glory may come in... The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! | Foreshadows the Lord of glory entering. |
| Heb 1:3 | He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. | Christ as the full manifestation of God's glory. |
| 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 embodying God's glory in the New Testament. |
| Rev 21:23 | And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. | Future New Jerusalem's illumination by God's eternal glory. |
| 2 Cor 3:18 | And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. | Believers reflecting Christ's glory. |
| Hos 5:6 | With their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the LORD, but they will not find him; he has withdrawn from them. | God withdrawing His presence due to spiritual unfaithfulness. |
| Jer 7:1-15 | Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place... For I gave you a place in this house, which is called by my name, and I delivered it to all your fathers. Go now to my place that was in Shiloh, where I made my name dwell at first, and see what I did to it because of the evil of my people Israel. | God's willingness to abandon a defiled sanctuary, as with Shiloh. |
| Isa 5:5 | And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. | Analogy of God removing protection due to Israel's disobedience. |
| Lam 2:7 | The Lord spurned his altar, disdained his sanctuary; he delivered into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces; they raised a shout in the house of the LORD as on the day of an appointed feast. | Direct lament on God abandoning His sanctuary to destruction. |
| Rom 1:21-23 | For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened... exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. | Man's sin resulting in turning away from God's glory. |
| Psa 78:60-61 | He forsook his dwelling at Shiloh, the tent where he dwelt among mankind, and delivered his power to captivity, his glory to the hand of the foe. | Echoes God's departure and temple abandonment due to sin. |
| Acts 7:55-56 | But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. | Stephen's vision of God's glory, connecting to the heavenly realm. |
Ezekiel 11 verses
Ezekiel 11 22 Meaning
Ezekiel 11:22 describes a significant stage in the departure of God's manifest presence, His glory, from Jerusalem. The cherubim, celestial beings symbolic of divine majesty and guardianship, ascended, carrying with them the accompanying mysterious wheels, and above them all rested the kavod, the radiant glory of the God of Israel. This movement signifies a divine judgment, indicating God's withdrawal from the desecrated temple and city, marking the precursor to its destruction by the Babylonians. It is a visible sign that God's protective presence was no longer residing within Jerusalem's sanctuary due to the rampant idolatry and moral corruption detailed in previous chapters.
Ezekiel 11 22 Context
Ezekiel 11:22 is set within a series of prophetic visions given to Ezekiel while he was among the exiles in Babylon. Chapters 8-11 form a contiguous narrative detailing the spiritual decay within Jerusalem and God's resultant judgment. Chapter 8 describes the abominations taking place in the temple courts – idolatry, sun worship, and secretive rituals. Chapter 9 portrays the execution of judgment on the unrighteous inhabitants. Chapter 10 graphically illustrates the progressive departure of the Lord's glory from the Temple, first to the threshold (10:4), then to the cherubim (10:18), and finally to the east gate of the city (10:19). Verse 22 continues this procession, showing the cherubim lifting off. Historically, this vision predates the final destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple by Nebuchadnezzar, which occurred around 586 BC. For the original audience in exile, the vision served to justify God's actions, demonstrating that He had not arbitrarily abandoned His people or broken His covenant, but rather withdrew due to their persistent and flagrant rebellion and desecration of His holy sanctuary.
Ezekiel 11 22 Word analysis
- Then (וַיִּשְׂא֨וּ - wa-yiś·’ū): This conjunction signifies a continuation and a sequential action within the vision. It directly links this verse to the preceding movements of God's glory, emphasizing the methodical and deliberate nature of the departure, not a sudden or chaotic flight.
- the cherubim (הַכְּרוּבִ֜ים - hak·kə·rū·ḇîm): These are magnificent, composite heavenly beings described earlier by Ezekiel (Ezek 1, 10). Their function involves guarding holy places (Gen 3:24) and serving as carriers or throne-bearers of God's glory. Their presence underscores the sanctity and power associated with God's manifest presence.
- lifted up (נָשָׂא - nā·śā'): The verb indicates an upward movement. In this context, it marks the beginning of their ascent from their stationary position, continuing the trajectory of departure already established in previous verses.
- their wings (כַנְפֵיהֶ֖ם - kan·p̄ê·hem): Wings are intrinsic to the description of cherubim and a primary means of their aerial movement. They symbolize swiftness, majesty, and the supernatural capability of these divine agents.
- with (עִמָּם - ‘im·mām) ... beside them (לְעֻמָּתָ֑ם - lə·‘um·mā·ṯām): These prepositions emphasize that the wheels moved in tandem with the cherubim. It highlights the coordinated, interconnected, and harmonious operation of these aspects of the divine chariot-throne. This perfect synchronization speaks to God's orderly and omnipotent control.
- the wheels (הָאוֹפַנִּים֙ - hā·’ō·wp̄an·nîm): These are the remarkable "wheels within wheels," full of eyes, described in Ezek 1 and 10. They are dynamic, full of life (spirit of the living creature within them), and capable of moving in any direction without turning. They symbolize divine omnipresence, sovereignty, intricate providence, and the unpredictable yet controlled movement of God's Spirit.
- and the glory (וּכְב֣וֹד - ūḵ·ḇō·wḏ): Hebrew: kavod. This is the central subject of Ezekiel's vision. It refers to the visible, radiant, weighty, and awesome manifest presence of God. It's the physical expression of His intrinsic honor, splendor, and majesty. Its departure is an act of profound divine judgment.
- of the God (אֱלֹהֵ֥י - ’ĕ·lō·hê): Elohei (God of). This specifies the deity involved. Using Elohim in construct highlights His absolute deity and power.
- of Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵֽל - yiś·rā·’êl): This designation emphasizes God's specific covenant relationship with Israel. The departure of this specific glory signifies the breaking of the covenant relationship from God's side due to Israel's apostasy, withdrawing His protective presence from His own people. It's not a generic deity but the particular God of the covenant people.
- was over (עֲלֵיהֶֽם - ‘ă·lê·hem): This preposition indicates that the glory remained positioned directly above the cherubim and wheels as they lifted. It illustrates that the glory is the supreme and guiding force, being carried by these elements, yet simultaneously directing their movement. It maintains its majestic prominence as the source of all the accompanying imagery.
- "Then the cherubim lifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them": This phrase captures the physical, synchronized, and deliberate initiation of ascent. It emphasizes that the movement of the celestial chariot-throne is purposeful and unified.
- "and the glory of the God of Israel was over them": This phrase positions the divine presence, the kavod, as supreme and paramount, orchestrating the entire scene. It also reiterates the specific identity of the God who is acting, distinguishing Him as the covenant Lord of His disobedient people. This is the visual manifestation of His righteous judgment, withdrawing from a desecrated sanctuary.
Ezekiel 11 22 Bonus section
The mobility of God's throne-chariot, evident in the synchronized movement of the cherubim and wheels, challenges Mesopotamian deities confined to fixed temples or idols. This imagery strongly declares Israel's God as utterly transcendent, dynamic, and unconstrained by human structures. The "glory of the God of Israel" specifies that this profound event directly relates to the broken covenant, signifying not merely a general divine departure but the specific protective and blessed presence of YHWH with His chosen people being removed. This prophetic vision provided crucial theological validation for the exiles: God was not defeated, nor had He abandoned His people randomly; rather, His justice was at work, purifying His covenant relationship through judgment. The departure is therefore a sign of hope, a prelude to a future where a new heart and spirit would enable true fellowship and a glorious return (Ezek 11:19-20; Ezek 43:2-5).
Ezekiel 11 22 Commentary
Ezekiel 11:22 represents a crucial and solemn moment in God's judgment upon Jerusalem, building upon the previous stages of His glory's departure. The scene vividly illustrates God's unyielding holiness and His refusal to dwell amidst flagrant sin and idolatry. The systematic, ordered lifting of the cherubim and wheels, with the glory maintaining its supreme position, underlines that this is no hurried retreat, but a deliberate and majestic act of divine withdrawal. This deliberate action dismantles the false sense of security held by the Judeans, who believed God would never abandon His temple. Instead, it proves that even God's physical presence can be removed when His holiness is profaned, thus justifying the impending destruction. While a picture of judgment, it implicitly preserves God's righteousness and foreshadows the eventual return of His glory in the eschatological temple, reminding us that God is both judge and restorer. Practically, it teaches that God values purity over location; true worship requires a clean heart, not just a sacred space.