Ezekiel 8 · Verse 2

Ezekiel 8:2

Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.
Ezekiel 8:2, King James Version

Ezekiel 8:2 in other translations

BSBThen I looked and saw a figure like that of a man. From His waist down His appearance was like fire, and from His waist up He was as bright as the gleam of amber.
WEBThen I saw, and behold, a likeness as the appearance of fire—from the appearance of his waist and downward, fire, and from his waist and upward, as the appearance of brightness, as it were glowing metal.
ASVThen I beheld, and, lo, a likeness as the appearance of fire; from the appearance of his loins and downward, fire; and from his loins and upward, as the appearance of brightness, as it were glowing metal.
YLTand I look, and lo, a likeness as the appearance of fire, from the appearance of His loins and downward--fire, and from His loins and upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of copper.
DARBYAnd I looked, and behold, a likeness as the appearance of fire; from the appearance of his loins and downward, fire; and from his loins and upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the look of glowing brass.
BBEAnd looking, I saw a form like fire; from the middle of his body and down there was fire: and up from the middle of his body a sort of shining, like electrum.
WebsterThen I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the color of amber.

What does Ezekiel 8:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. likeness--understand, "of a man," that is, of Messiah, the Angel of the covenant, in the person of whom alone God manifests Himself (Eze 1:26; Joh 1:18). The "fire," from "His loins downward," betokens the vengeance of God kindled against the wicked Jews, while searching and purifying the remnant to be spared. The "brightness ... upward" betokens His unapproachable majesty (1Ti 6:16). For Hebrew, eesh, "fire," the Septuagint, &c., read ish, "a man." colour of amber--the glitter of chasmal [Fairbairn], (see on Eze 1:4, "polished brass").

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 The appearance of fire - See the note on Eze 1:27.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ezekiel 8:1-6

The idolatries committed by the Jewish rulers. (Ezek 8:1-6) The superstitions to which the Jews were then devoted, the Egyptian. (Ezek 8:7-12) The Phoenician. (Ezek 8:13,14) The Persian. (Ezek 8:15,16) The heinousness of their sin. (Ezek 8:17,18) Verses 1-6 The glorious personage Ezekiel beheld in vision, seemed to take hold upon him, and he was conveyed in spirit to Jerusalem. There, in the inner court of the…

Read the full comment on Ezekiel 8:1-6 →

Ezekiel 8:2 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.

וָאֶרְאֶ֗הva.'er.'Ehand I sawH7200
וְהִנֵּ֤הve.hi.Nehand there!H2009
דְמוּת֙de.Muta likenessH1823
כְּמַרְאֵה\־ke.mar.'eh-like [the] appearance ofH4758
אֵ֔שׁ'EshfireH784
מִמַּרְאֵ֥הmi.mar.'Eh[was] from [the] appearance ofH4758
מָתְנָ֛יוma.te.Navhips hisH4975
וּלְמַ֖טָּהu.le.Ma.tahand <to> downwardsH4295
אֵ֑שׁ'EshfireH784
וּמִמָּתְנָ֣יוu.mi.ma.te.Navand [was] from hips hisH4975
וּלְמַ֔עְלָהu.le.Ma'.lahand <to> upwards <towards>H4605
כְּמַרְאֵה\־ke.mar.'eh-like [the] appearance ofH4758
זֹ֖הַרZo.harbrightnessH2096
כְּעֵ֥יןke.'Einlike [the] appearance ofH5869
הַחַשְׁמַֽלָה\׃ha.chash.Ma.lah<the> shining substance towardsH2830

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

Cross references for Ezekiel 8:2

  • 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 1:26-27

    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. And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.

  • Revelation 1:14-15

    His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

  • Daniel 7:9-10

    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. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I beheld.
1:4,26,27; Da 7:9,10; Re 1:14,15
amber.Amber is a hard, inflammable, bituminous substance, of a beautiful yellow colour, very transparent, and susceptible of an exquisite polish. When rubbed it is highly endowed with electricity; a name which the moderns have formed from its Greek name [elektron.] But, as amber becomes dim as soon as it feels the fire, and is speedily consumed, it is probable that the original {chashmal,} which Bochart derives from the Chaldee {nechash,} copper, and {melala,} gold, was a mixed metal, similar to that which the Greeks called [elektron,] electrum, as the LXX. and Vulgate render, from its resemblance to amber in colour.

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

Context

  • Ezekiel 8:1

    And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord God fell there upon me.

  • Ezekiel 8:2

    Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.

  • Ezekiel 8:3

    And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.

Read all of Ezekiel 8

Ezekiel 8:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y miré, y he aquí una semejanza que parecía de fuego: desde donde parecían sus lomos para abajo, fuego; y desde sus lomos arriba parecía como resplandor, como la vista de ámbar.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et je vis, et voici une ressemblance comme l’aspect d’un feu: depuis l’aspect de ses reins vers le bas, c’était du feu; et depuis ses reins vers le haut, c’était comme l’aspect d’une splendeur, comme l’apparence de l’airain luisant.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und ich sah: und siehe, eine Gestalt wie das Aussehen von Feuer: von ihren Lenden abwärts Feuer; und von ihren Lenden aufwärts wie das Aussehen eines Lichtglanzes, wie der Anblick von glänzendem Metall.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et vidi: et ecce similitudo quasi aspectus ignis: ab aspectu lumborum ejus et deorsum, ignis: et a lumbis ejus et sursum, quasi aspectus splendoris, ut visio electri.