Ezekiel 1 · Verse 10

Ezekiel 1:10

As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

Ezekiel 1:10, King James Version

Ezekiel 1:10 in other translations

BSB	The form of their faces was that of a man, and each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and also the face of an eagle.
WEB	As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man. The four of them had the face of a lion on the right side. The four of them had the face of an ox on the left side. The four of them also had the face of an eagle.
ASV	As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four had also the face of an eagle.
YLT	As to the likeness of their faces, the face of a man, and the face of a lion, toward the right are to them four, and the face of an ox on the left are to them four, and the face of an eagle are to them four.
DARBY	And the likeness of their faces was the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four had also the face of an eagle.
BBE	As for the form of their faces, they had the face of a man, and the four of them had the face of a lion on the right side, and the four of them had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four of them had the face of an eagle.
Webster	As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

What does Ezekiel 1:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

10. they ... had the face of a man--namely, in front. The human face was the primary and prominent one and the fundamental part of the composite whole. On its right was the lion's face; on the left, the ox's (called "cherub," Eze 10:14); at the back from above was the eagle's.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 10 As for the likeness of their faces - There was but one body to each of those compound animals: but each body had four faces; the face of a man and of a lion on the right side; the face of an ox and an eagle on the left side. Many of these compound images appear in the Asiatic idols. Many are now before me: some with the head and feet of a monkey, with the body, arms, and legs of a man. Others with the head of the dog; body, arms, and legs human. Some with the head of an ape; all the rest human. Some with one head and eight arms; others with six heads or faces, with twelve arms. The head of a lion and the head of a cock often appear; and some with the head of a cock, the whole body human, and the legs terminating in snakes. All these were symbolical, and each had its own appropriate meaning. Those in the text had theirs also, could we but find it out.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ezekiel 1:1-14

Ezekiel's vision of God, and of the angelic host. (Ezek 1:1-14) The conduct of Divine Providence. (Ezek 1:15-25) A revelation of the Son of man upon his heavenly throne. (Ezek 1:26-28) Verses 1-14 It is a mercy to have the word of God brought to us, and a duty to attend to it diligently, when we are in affliction. The voice of God came in the fulness of light and power, by the Holy Spirit. These visions seem to have…

Read the full comment on Ezekiel 1:1-14 →

Ezekiel 1:10 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וּדְמ֣וּתu.de.Mutand [the] likeness ofH1823

פְּנֵיהֶם֮pe.nei.Hemfaces theirH6440

פְּנֵ֣יpe.Nei[was the] face ofH6440

אָדָם֒'a.Dama humanH120

וּפְנֵ֨יu.fe.Neiand [the] face ofH6440

אַרְיֵ֤ה'ar.Yeha lionH738

אֶל\־'el-toH413

הַיָּמִין֙hai.ya.Minthe right [side]H3225

לְאַרְבַּעְתָּ֔םle.'ar.ba'.Tam[belonged] to [the] four of themH702

וּפְנֵי\־u.fe.nei-and [the] face ofH6440

שׁ֥וֹרShoran oxH7794

מֵֽהַשְּׂמֹ֖אולme.ha.se.Molfrom the left [side]H8040

לְאַרְבַּעְתָּ֑ןle.'ar.ba'.Tan[belonged] to [the] four of themH702

וּפְנֵי\־u.fe.nei-and [the] face ofH6440

נֶ֖שֶׁרNe.sheran eagleH5404

לְאַרְבַּעְתָּֽן\׃le.'ar.ba'.Tan[belonged] to [the] four of themH702

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ezekiel 1:10

Ezekiel 10:14
And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
Revelation 4:7
And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
1 Corinthians 9:9-10
For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
Luke 15:10
Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
Deuteronomy 28:49
The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;
Numbers 2:25
The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by their armies: and the captain of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
Isaiah 46:8
Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.
Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Numbers 2:18
On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies: and the captain of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud.
Judges 14:18
And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
Daniel 7:4
The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.
Revelation 5:5
And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

for the.
10:14; Re 4:7
the face of a man.
Nu 2:10; Isa 46:8; Lu 15:10; 1Co 14:20
the face of a lion.
Nu 2:3; Jud 14:18; 1Ch 12:8; Re 5:5
the face of an ox.
10:14
Cherub.
Nu 2:18; Pr 14:4; 1Co 9:9,10
the face of an eagle.
Nu 2:25; De 28:49; Job 39:27; Isa 40:31; Da 7:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Ezekiel 1:9
Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
Ezekiel 1:10
As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
Ezekiel 1:11
Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.

Read all of Ezekiel 1

Ezekiel 1:10 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y la figura de sus rostros era rostro de hombre; y rostro de león á la parte derecha en los cuatro; y á la izquierda rostro de buey en los cuatro; asimismo había en los cuatro rostro de águila.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et la ressemblance de leurs faces était la face d’un homme; et, les quatre, ils avaient la face d’un lion, à droite; et, les quatre, ils avaient la face d’un bœuf, à gauche; et, les quatre, ils avaient la face d’un aigle;
German Elberfelder 1871	Und die Gestalt ihres Angesichts war eines Menschen Angesicht; und rechts hatten die vier eines Löwen Angesicht, und links hatten die vier eines Stieres Angesicht, und eines Adlers Angesicht hatten die vier.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Similitudo autem vultus eorum, facies hominis et facies leonis a dextris ipsorum quatuor, facies autem bovis a sinistris ipsorum quatuor, et facies aquilæ desuper ipsorum quatuor.