Ezekiel 1 · Verse 9

Ezekiel 1:9

Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
Ezekiel 1:9, King James Version

Ezekiel 1:9 in other translations

BSBand their wings were touching one another. They did not turn as they moved; each one went straight ahead.
WEBTheir wings were joined to one another. They didn’t turn when they went. Each one went straight forward.
ASVtheir wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
YLTjoining one unto another are their wings, they turn not round in their going, each straight forward they go.
DARBYtheir wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
BBEThey went without turning, every one went straight forward.
WebsterTheir wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

What does Ezekiel 1:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. they--had no occasion to turn themselves round when changing their direction, for they had a face (Eze 1:6) looking to each of the four quarters of heaven. They made no mistakes; and their work needed not be gone over again. Their wings were joined above in pairs (see Eze 1:11).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 Their wings were joined one to another - When their wings were extended, they formed a sort of canopy level with their own heads or shoulders; and on this canopy was the throne, and the "likeness of the man" upon it, Eze 1:26. They turned not when they went - The wings did not flap in flying, or move in the manner of oars, or of the hands of a man in swimming, in order to their passing through the air; as they glided in reference to their feet, so they soared in reference to their wings.

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 1:9 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.

חֹֽבְרֹ֛תchoe.Rot[were] touchingH2266
אִשָּׁ֥ה'i.ShaheachH802
אֶל\־'el-<to>H413
אֲחוֹתָ֖הּ'a.cho.Tahsister itsH269
כַּנְפֵיהֶ֑םkan.fei.Hemwings theirH3671
לֹא\־lo'-notH3808
יִסַּ֣בּוּyi.Sa.buthey turnedH5437
בְלֶכְתָּ֔ןve.lekh.Tanwhen moved theyH1980
אִ֛ישׁ'isheachH376
אֶל\־'el-toH413
עֵ֥בֶר'E.ver[the] side ofH5676
פָּנָ֖יוpa.Navface itsH6440
יֵלֵֽכוּ\׃ye.Le.khuthey movedH1980

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

Cross references for Ezekiel 1:9

  • 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.

  • Ezekiel 1:11-12

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

  • Luke 9:62

    And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

  • 2 Chronicles 3:11-12

    And the wings of the cherubims were twenty cubits long: one wing of the one cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing was likewise five cubits, reaching to the wing of the other cherub. And one wing of the other cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing was five cubits also, joining to the wing of the other cherub.

  • 1 Corinthians 1:10

    Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

  • Luke 9:51

    And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,

  • Ezekiel 10:11

    When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.

  • Proverbs 4:25-27

    Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
joined.
11; 2Ch 3:11,12; 1Co 1:10
they turned.
12; 10:11,22; Pr 4:25-27; Lu 9:51,62

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Ezekiel 1:9

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

  • Ezekiel 1:10

    As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

Read all of Ezekiel 1

Ezekiel 1:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Con las alas se juntaban el uno al otro. No se volvían cuando andaban; cada uno caminaba en derecho de su rostro.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		leurs ailes étaient jointes l’une à l’autre; ils ne se tournaient pas quand ils allaient: ils allaient chacun droit devant soi.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ihre Flügel waren verbunden einer mit dem anderen; sie wandten sich nicht, wenn sie gingen: Sie gingen ein jeder stracks vor sich hin.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Junctæque erant pennæ eorum alterius ad alterum: non revertebantur cum incederent, sed unumquodque ante faciem suam gradiebatur.