Ezekiel 1 · Verse 12

Ezekiel 1:12

And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.
Ezekiel 1:12, King James Version

Ezekiel 1:12 in other translations

BSBEach creature went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they moved.
WEBEach one went straight forward. Where the spirit was to go, they went. They didn’t turn when they went.
ASVAnd they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; they turned not when they went.
YLTAnd each straight forward they go, whither the spirit is to go, they go, they turn not round in their going.
DARBYAnd they went every one straight forward: whither the Spirit was to go, they went; they turned not when they went.
BBEEvery one of them went straight forward; wherever the spirit was to go they went; they went on without turning.
WebsterAnd they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.

What does Ezekiel 1:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. The same idea as in Eze 1:9. The repetition is because we men are so hard to be brought to acknowledge the wisdom of God's doings; they seem tortuous and confused to us, but they are all tending steadily to one aim. the spirit--the secret impulse whereby God moves His angels to the end designed. They do not turn back or aside till they have fulfilled the office assigned them.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 They went every one straight forward - Not by progressive stepping, but by gliding. Whither the spirit was to go - Whither that whirlwind blew, they went, being borne on by the wind, see Eze 1:4.

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 1:12 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.

וְאִ֛ישׁve.'Ishand eachH376
אֶל\־'el-toH413
עֵ֥בֶר'E.ver[the] side ofH5676
פָּנָ֖יוpa.Navface itsH6440
יֵלֵ֑כוּye.Le.khuthey movedH1980
אֶ֣ל'eltoH413
אֲשֶׁר֩'a.SherwhereH834
יִֽהְיֶה\־yih.yeh-it wasH1961
שָׁ֨מָּהSha.mahthere <towards>H8033
הָר֤וּחַha.Ru.achthe spiritH7307
לָלֶ֙כֶת֙la.Le.khet[about] to goH1980
יֵלֵ֔כוּye.Le.khuthey movedH1980
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
יִסַּ֖בּוּyi.Sa.buthey turnedH5437
בְּלֶכְתָּֽן\׃be.lekh.Tanwhen moved theyH1980

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

Cross references for Ezekiel 1:12

  • Ezekiel 1:9

    Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

  • Ezekiel 1:20-21

    Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

  • Ezekiel 10:22

    And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: they went every one straight forward.

  • Hebrews 1:14

    Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

  • Ezekiel 1:17

    When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
they went every.
9,17; 10:22
whither.
20,21; Heb 1:14

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Ezekiel 1:12

    And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.

  • Ezekiel 1:13

    As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

Read all of Ezekiel 1

Ezekiel 1:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y cada uno caminaba en derecho de su rostro: hacia donde el espíritu era que anduviesen, andaban; cuando andaban, no se volvían.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ils allaient chacun droit devant soi: là où l’Esprit devait aller, ils allaient; ils ne se tournaient point lorsqu’ils allaient.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und sie gingen ein jedes stracks vor sich hin; wohin der Geist gehen wollte, gingen sie; sie wandten sich nicht, wenn sie gingen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et unumquodque eorum coram facie sua ambulabat: ubi erat impetus spiritus, illuc gradiebantur, nec revertebantur cum ambularent.