Ezekiel 1 · Verse 7

Ezekiel 1:7

And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.

Ezekiel 1:7, King James Version

Ezekiel 1:7 in other translations

BSB	Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf, gleaming like polished bronze.
WEB	Their feet were straight feet. The sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished bronze.
ASV	And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished brass.
YLT	and their feet are straight feet, and the sole of their feet is as a sole of a calf's foot, and they are sparkling as the colour of bright brass;
DARBY	And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot; and they sparkled as the look of burnished brass.
BBE	And their feet were straight feet; and the under sides of their feet were like the feet of oxen; and they were shining like polished brass.
Webster	And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the color of burnished brass.

What does Ezekiel 1:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

7. straight feet--that is, straight legs. Not protruding in any part as the legs of an ox, but straight like a man's [Grotius]. Or, like solid pillars; not bending, as man's, at the knee. They glided along, rather than walked. Their movements were all sure, right, and without effort [Kitto, Cyclopedia]. sole ... calf's foot--Henderson hence supposes that "straight feet" implies that they did not project horizontally like men's feet, but vertically as calves' feet. The solid firmness of the round foot of a calf seems to be the point of comparison. colour--the glittering appearance, indicating God's purity.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 7 Their feet were straight feet - There did not seem to be any flexure at the knee, nor were the legs separated in that way as to indicate progression by walking. I have before me several ancient Egyptian images of Isis, Osiris. Anubis, etc., where the legs are not separated, nor is there any bend at the knees; so that if there was any motion at all, it must have been by gliding, not progressive walking. It is a remark of Adrian, that the gods are never represented as walking, but always gliding; and he gives this as a criterion to discern common angelic appearances from those of the gods: all other spiritual beings walked progressively, rising on one foot, while they stretched out the other; but the deities always glided without gradual progressive motions. And Heliodorus in his Romance of Theogines and Charicha, gives the same reason for the united feet of the gods, etc., and describes the same appearances. Like the sole of a calf's foot - Before it is stated to be a straight foot; one that did not lay down a flat horizontal sole, like that of the human foot. And they sparkled like the color of burnished brass - I suppose this refers rather to the hoof of the calf's foot, than to the whole appearance of the leg. There is scarcely any thing that gives a higher lustre than highly polished or burnished brass. Our blessed Lord is represented with legs like burnished brass, Rev 1:15.

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 1:7 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.

וְרַגְלֵיהֶ֖םve.rag.lei.Hemand feet theirH7272

רֶ֣גֶלRe.gel[was] a footH7272

יְשָׁרָ֑הye.sha.RahstraightH3477

וְכַ֣ףve.Khafand [the] sole ofH3709

רַגְלֵיהֶ֗םrag.lei.Hemfeet theirH7272

כְּכַף֙ke.Khaf[was] like [the] sole ofH3709

רֶ֣גֶלRe.gel[the] foot ofH7272

עֵ֔גֶל'E.gela calfH5695

וְנֹ֣צְצִ֔יםve.No.tze.Tzimand [they were] gleamingH5340

כְּעֵ֖יןke.'Einlike [the] appearance ofH5869

נְחֹ֥שֶׁתne.Cho.shetbronzeH5178

קָלָֽל\׃ka.LalburnishedH7044

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

Cross references for Ezekiel 1:7

Revelation 1:15
And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
Daniel 10:6
His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.
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.
Psalms 104:4
Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:
Leviticus 11:47
To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.
Leviticus 11:3
Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

straight feet. Heb. a straight foot. like the sole.
Le 11:3,47
the colour.
13; Ps 104:4; Da 10:6; Re 1:15

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

Context

Ezekiel 1:6
And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
Ezekiel 1:7
And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.
Ezekiel 1:8
And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.

Read all of Ezekiel 1

Ezekiel 1:7 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y los pies de ellos eran derechos, y la planta de sus pies como la planta de pie de becerro; y centelleaban á manera de bronce muy bruñido.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	et leurs pieds étaient des pieds droits, et la plante de leurs pieds était comme la plante du pied d’un veau; et ils étincelaient comme l’apparence de l’airain poli;
German Elberfelder 1871	Und ihre Füße waren gerade Füße, und ihre Fußsohlen wie die Fußsohle eines Kalbes; und sie funkelten wie der Anblick von leuchtendem Erze.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Pedes eorum, pedes recti, et planta pedis eorum quasi planta pedis vituli: et scintillæ quasi aspectus æris candentis.