Ezekiel 1 · Verse 5

Ezekiel 1:5

Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
Ezekiel 1:5, King James Version

Ezekiel 1:5 in other translations

BSBand within it was the form of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had a human form,
WEBOut of its center came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: They had the likeness of a man.
ASVAnd out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man;
YLTAnd out of its midst is a likeness of four living creatures, and this is their appearance; a likeness of man is to them,
DARBYAlso out of the midst thereof, the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.
BBEAnd in the heart of it were the forms of four living beings. And this was what they were like; they had the form of a man.
WebsterAlso from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.

What does Ezekiel 1:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. Ezekiel was himself of a "gigantic nature, and thereby suited to counteract the Babylonish spirit of the times, which loved to manifest itself in gigantic, grotesque forms" [Hengstenberg]. living creatures--So the Greek ought to have been translated in the parallel passage, Re 4:6, not as English Version, "beasts"; for one of the "four" is a man, and man cannot be termed "beast." Eze 10:20 shows that it is the cherubim that are meant. likeness of a man--Man, the noblest of the four, is the ideal model after which they are fashioned (Eze 1:10; Eze 10:14). The point of comparison between him and them is the erect posture of their bodies, though doubtless including also the general mien. Also the hands (Eze 10:21).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 Also out on the midst thereof came - four living creatures - As the amber-coloured body was the center of the fire, and this fire was in the center of the cloud; so out of this amber-coloured igneous center came the living creatures just mentioned.

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 1:5 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.

וּמִ֨תּוֹכָ֔הּu.Mi.to.Khahand [was] from [the] middle of itH8432
דְּמ֖וּתde.Muta likeness ofH1823
אַרְבַּ֣ע'ar.Ba'fourH702
חַיּ֑וֹתchai.Yotliving creaturesH2416
וְזֶה֙ve.Zehand thisH2088
מַרְאֵֽיהֶ֔ןmar.'ei.Hen[was] appearance theirH4758
דְּמ֥וּתde.Muta likeness ofH1823
אָדָ֖ם'a.Dama humanH120
לָהֵֽנָּה\׃la.He.nah[belonged] to them

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

Cross references for Ezekiel 1:5

  • Revelation 4:6-8

    And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 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. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

  • Revelation 6:6

    And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

  • Ezekiel 1:26

    And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the likeness.
Re 4:6; 6:6; *Gr:

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

Context

  • Ezekiel 1:4

    And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

  • Ezekiel 1:5

    Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.

  • Ezekiel 1:6

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

Read all of Ezekiel 1

Ezekiel 1:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y en medio de ella, figura de cuatro animales. Y este era su parecer; había en ellos semejanza de hombre.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et, du milieu, la ressemblance de quatre animaux; et voici leur aspect: ils avaient la ressemblance d’un homme;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und aus seiner Mitte hervor erschien die Gestalt von vier lebendigen Wesen; und dies war ihr Aussehen: Sie hatten die Gestalt eines Menschen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et in medio ejus similitudo quatuor animalium. Et hic aspectus eorum, similitudo hominis in eis.