Ezekiel 1 · Verse 14

Ezekiel 1:14

And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
Ezekiel 1:14, King James Version

Ezekiel 1:14 in other translations

BSBThe creatures were darting back and forth as quickly as flashes of lightning.
WEBThe living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
ASVAnd the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
YLTAnd the living creatures are running, and turning back, as the appearance of the flash.
DARBYAnd the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
BBEAnd the living beings went out and came back as quickly as a thunder-flame.
WebsterAnd the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

What does Ezekiel 1:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
14. ran and returned--Incessant, restless motion indicates the plenitude of life in these cherubim; so in Re 4:8, "they rest not day or night" (Zec 4:10). flash of lightning--rather, as distinct from "lightning" (Eze 1:13), "the meteor flash," or sheet lightning [Fairbairn].

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 The living creatures ran and returned - They had a circular movement; they were in rapid motion, but did not increase their distance from the spectator. So I think this should be understood.

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 1:14 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.

וְהַחַיּ֖וֹתve.ha.chai.Yotand the living creaturesH2416
רָצ֣וֹאra.Tzo'they were runningH7519
וָשׁ֑וֹבva.Shovand they were returningH7725
כְּמַרְאֵ֖הke.mar.'Ehlike [the] appearance ofH4758
הַבָּזָֽק\׃ha.ba.Zak<the> lightningH965

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

Cross references for Ezekiel 1:14

  • Zechariah 4:10

    For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

  • Matthew 24:27

    For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

  • Daniel 9:21

    Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.

  • Mark 13:27

    And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

  • Luke 17:24

    For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.

  • Psalms 147:15

    He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.

  • Matthew 24:31

    And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

  • Zechariah 2:3-4

    And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him, And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein:

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ps 147:15; Da 9:21; Zec 2:3,4; 4:10; Mt 24:27,31; Mr 13:27

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Ezekiel 1:14

    And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

  • Ezekiel 1:15

    Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.

Read all of Ezekiel 1

Ezekiel 1:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y los animales corrían y tornaban á semejanza de relámpagos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et les animaux couraient et retournaient, comme l’aspect du sillon de l’éclair.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und die lebendigen Wesen liefen hin und her wie das Aussehen von Blitzstrahlen
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et animalia ibant et revertebantur, in similitudinem fulguris coruscantis.