This book is rightly placed after Jeremiah; since Ezekiel was among the captives in Chaldea, when prophesied; whereas Jeremiah began to prophesy long before that captivity, and concerning it.

Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year Either from the last jubilee, as R. Joseph Kimchi [[16]], Jarchi, and Abendana; or from the time that the book of the law was found by Hilkiah the priest [[17]]; so the Targum, which paraphrases the words thus, “and it was in the thirtieth year after…

In the fifth day of the month The month Tammuz, as before: (which was the fifth year of Jehoiachin’s captivity) ; the same with Jeconiah and Coniah, as he is sometimes called; he was taken by the king of Babylon, when he had reigned but three months, and his captivity held seven and thirty years,…

The word of the Lord came expressly Or, “in being was” [[3]]; which phrase denotes the reality, certainty, substantiality and evidence of the word of the Lord to him: unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi; which Buzi, some say, was Jeremiah.

And I looked Being under the influence of the Spirit and power of God: and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north; which some understand of Nebuchadnezzar and his army coming from Babylon, which lay north of Judea: see ; but it seems to me to be, with what follows, only an apparatus to the…

Also out of the midst thereof The fire; or out of the whole that was seen; the whirlwind, cloud, fire, and the brightness about it: came the likeness of four living creatures; not really four living creatures; they appeared like to such they were in the form of such; by which we are to understand,…

And or but everyone had four faces Which are described, (See Gill on Ezek. 1:10). The Targum multiplies the faces in a strange monstrous manner, paraphrasing the words thus, “each had four faces, and there were four faces to everyone “of them”, and every creature had sixteen faces; the number of…

And their feet were straight feet And they went straight forward, as in ; they made straight paths for their feet, and walked uprightly, according to the truth of the Gospel; did not go into crooked paths, or turn to the right hand, or the left; and having put their hand to the plough of the Gospel…

And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides “Hands of a man” denote action, according to knowledge; ministers of the Gospel are men of practice and business, as well as have the theory and knowledge of things; and they act like men in a rational way, according to the will…

Their wings were joined one to another “A woman to her sister” [[12]], in the Hebrew; denoting the concord, harmony, and agreement of Gospel ministers, and their affection to one another; they preach the same Gospel; administer the same ordinances; do the same work of the Lord; have the same zeal…

As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man For these living creatures are men, redeemed from among men by the blood of Christ; their business lies with men, to preach the Gospel to them: and they should be humane, kind, and tender in their behaviour towards them; wounded…

Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward The former clause, “thus were their faces”, either belongs to ; and the meaning is, this, as now represented, was the likeness of their faces, and this the position of them: or it may be read in connection with the following clause, and…

And they went everyone straight forward Or, “over against his face” [[15]]; for, which way soever they went, whether forward or backward, or on either side, they had a face to go before them, to direct the way, and steer their course; so the ministers of the Gospel have a face to go by and follow…

As for the likeness of the living creatures That is, of their bodies; for their faces, feet, hands, and wings are described before: their appearance was like burning coals of fire: because of their ministerial gifts; the gifts of the Spirit are compared to fire, and like coals of fire are to be…

And the living creatures ran Did their work with great readiness and swiftness; so, especially in the latter day, ministers of the Gospel shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased, ; and returned; for though before it is said, “they turned not when they went”, they kept straight on…

Now as I beheld the living creatures While he had the vision of them, and when he was considering their form and likeness, and what should be the meaning of them: behold, one wheel upon the earth; the Jews [[16]] understand this of an angel, who stood upon the earth, and his head reached to the…

The appearance of the wheels, and their work, was like unto the colour of a beryl Which is a precious stone; see ; the Syriac version renders it a chrysolite; the Arabic, a jasper; and so may denote the preciousness, glory, and excellency of the churches, and the true members of them, which are as…

When they went, they went upon their four sides On either of their crossing rings, as they were directed by the living creatures, at whose side they stood: and they returned not when they went; they had no need to turn about when they were to go east, west, north, or south, as wheels usually do;…

As for their rings, they were so high, that they were dreadful The circles and circumferences of them were “high”: which may denote the visibility and extensiveness of the churches of Christ, especially in the latter day; when they shall be exalted above the mountains and hills, the kingdoms and…

And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them, &c.] When the ministers of the Gospel begin the worship of God, and move in acts of devotion, the churches join with them; see (Rev. 4:9, Rev.

Whithersoever the spirit was to go they went That is, the Spirit of God; wherever that leads and directs, whether in the paths of faith or duty, they follow; they walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit; he guides their feet in the way of peace, and into all truth; and leads them in a right…

When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood When ministers are active and lively, then the churches are; but when they are indolent, dull, and inactive, then the churches are so likewise: and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them;…

And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature This was not a real firmament, but the likeness of one; it was like the firmament which God created on the second day, which divided between the waters above and below, and which he called Heaven; and is no other than the airy…

And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other A further account is here given of the wings of the living creatures, which were under the firmament: two of their wings were stretched straight upwards towards the firmament, and joined each other; (See Gill on Ezek.

And when they went In their ministrations, preaching the Gospel, and administering ordinances: I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters: so the voice of Christ, which is no other than his Gospel preached by his ministers, is said to be as the sound of many waters, ; which is…

And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads Which was the voice of Christ upon the throne, above the firmament, over the heads of the living creatures; which directed them when and where to go, and what to do, and when and where to stop: when they stood, and had let down…

And above the firmament that was over their heads The heads of the living creatures: was the likeness of a throne; a symbol of Christ’s kingly power and authority, who is the person that sat upon it; as he is God, he is on the same throne with his Father; as Mediator, he is King of saints, and was…

And I saw as the colour of amber That is, the man upon the throne looked like the colour of amber; of which (See Gill on Ezek. 1:4); as the appearance of fire round about within it; which may denote the deity of Christ, or Christ as God, who is a consuming fire to his enemies; a fire enlightening…

As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain The rainbow, which is no other than the reflection of the rays of the sun in a thin watery cloud on a rainy day: so was the appearance of the brightness round about it; so Christ is represented as clothed with a cloud, and a…