Ezekiel 1 · Verse 15

Ezekiel 1:15

Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.
Ezekiel 1:15, King James Version

Ezekiel 1:15 in other translations

BSBWhen I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces.
WEBNow as I saw the living creatures, behold, there was one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it.
ASVNow as I beheld the living creatures, behold, one wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces thereof.
YLTAnd I see the living creatures, and lo, one wheel is in the earth, near the living creatures, at its four faces.
DARBYAnd I looked at the living creatures, and behold, one wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, toward their four faces.
BBENow while I was looking at the four living beings, I saw one wheel on the earth, by the side of the living beings, for the four of them.
WebsterNow as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.

What does Ezekiel 1:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
15. one wheel--The "dreadful height" of the wheel (Eze 1:18) indicates the gigantic, terrible energy of the complicated revolutions of God's providence, bringing about His purposes with unerring certainty. One wheel appeared traversely within another, so that the movement might be without turning, whithersoever the living creatures might advance (Eze 1:17). Thus each wheel was composed of two circles cutting one another at right angles, "one" only of which appeared to touch the ground ("upon the earth"), according to the direction the cherubim desired to move in. with his four faces--rather, "according to its four faces" or sides; as there was a side or direction to each of the four creatures, so there was a wheel for each of the sides [Fairbairn]. The four sides or semicircles of each composite wheel pointed, as the four faces of each of the living creatures, to the four quarters of heaven. Havernick refers "his" or "its" to the wheels. The cherubim and their wings and wheels stood in contrast to the symbolical figures, somewhat similar, then existing in Chaldea, and found in the remains of Assyria. The latter, though derived from the original revelation by tradition, came by corruption to symbolize the astronomical zodiac, or the sun and celestial sphere, by a circle with wings or irradiations. But Ezekiel's cherubim rise above natural objects, the gods of the heathen, to the representation of the one true God, who made and continually upholds them.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 One wheel upon the earth - It seems at first view there were four wheels, one for each of the living creatures; that is, the creatures were compound, so were the wheels, for there was "a wheel in the middle of a wheel." And it is generally supposed that these wheels cut each other at right angles up and down: and this is the manner in which they are generally represented; but most probably the wheel within means merely the nave in which the spokes are inserted, in reference to the ring, rim, or periphery, where these spokes terminate from the center or nave. I do think this is what is meant by the wheel within a wheel; and I am the more inclined to this opinion, by some fine Chinese drawings now before me, where their deities are represented as walking upon wheels, the wheels themselves encompassed with fire. The wheel is simply by itself having a projecting axis; so of these it is said, "their appearance and their work was, as it were, a wheel within a wheel." There were either two peripheries or rims with their spokes, or the nave answered for the wheel within. I have examined models of what are called Ezekiel's wheels, which are designed to move equally in all directions: but I plainly saw that this was impossible; nor can any kind of complex wheel move in this way.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ezekiel 1:15-25
Providence, represented by the wheels, produces changes. Sometimes one spoke of the wheel is uppermost, sometimes another; but the motion of the wheel on its own axletree is regular and steady. We need not despond in adversity; the wheels are turning round and will raise us in due time, while those who presume in prosperity know not how soon they may be cast down. The wheel is near the living creatures; the angels are employed as ministers of God's providence. The spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels; the same wisdom, power, and holiness of God, that guide and govern the angels, by them order all events in this lower world. The wheel had four faces, denoting that the providence of God exerts itself in all parts. Look every way upon the wheel of providence, it has a face toward you. Their appearance and work were as a wheel in the middle of a wheel. The disposals of Providence seem to us dark, perplexed, and unaccountable, yet are all wisely ordered for the best. The motion of these wheels was steady, regular, and constant. They went as the Spirit directed, therefore returned not. We should not have to undo that by repentance which we have done amiss, if we followed the guidance of the Spirit. The rings, or rims of the wheels were so vast, that when put in motion the prophet was afraid to look upon them. The consideration of the height and depth of God's counsel should awe us. They were full of eyes round about. The motions of Providence are all directed by infinite Wisdom. All events are determined by the eyes of the Lord, which are in every place beholding the evil and the good; for there is no such thing as chance or fortune. The firmament above was a crystal, glorious, but terribly so. That which we take to be a dark cloud, is to God clear as crystal, through which he looks upon all the inhabitants of the earth. When the angels had roused a careless world, they let down their wings, that God's voice might be plainly heard. The voice of Providence is to open men's ears to the voice of the word. Sounds on earth should awaken our attention to the voice from heaven; for how shall we escape, if we turn away from Him that speaks from thence.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Ezekiel 1:15 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.

וָאֵ֖רֶאva.'E.re'and I sawH7200
הַחַיּ֑וֹתha.chai.Yotthe living creaturesH2416
וְהִנֵּה֩ve.hi.Nehand there!H2009
אוֹפַ֨ן'o.Fana wheelH212
אֶחָ֥ד'e.ChadoneH259
בָּאָ֛רֶץba.'A.retz[was] on the groundH776
אֵ֥צֶל'E.tzelbesideH681
הַחַיּ֖וֹתha.chai.Yotthe living creaturesH2416
לְאַרְבַּ֥עַתle.'ar.Ba.'atfor [the] fourH702
פָּנָֽיו\׃pa.Navfaces itsH6440

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

Cross references for Ezekiel 1:15

  • Daniel 7:9

    I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

  • Ezekiel 10:9

    And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone.

  • Ezekiel 1:19-21

    And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. 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.

  • 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.

  • Ezekiel 1:6

    And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.

  • Ezekiel 10:13-17

    As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel. 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. And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar. And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them. …

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
one.
19-21; 10:9,13-17; Da 7:9
with.
6; Re 4:7

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Ezekiel 1:16

    The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

Read all of Ezekiel 1

Ezekiel 1:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y estando yo mirando los animales, he aquí una rueda en la tierra junto á los animales, á sus cuatro caras.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et je regardais les animaux, et voici, une roue sur la terre, à côté des animaux, vers leurs quatre faces.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und ich sah die lebendigen Wesen, und siehe, da war ein Rad auf der Erde neben den lebendigen Wesen, nach ihren vier Vorderseiten
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cumque aspicerem animalia, apparuit rota una super terram juxta animalia, habens quatuor facies.