THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL THE ARGUMENT EZEKIEL was by descent a priest, and by commission a prophet, and received it from heaven, as will appear from the first, second, and third chapters.

Now: this does not refer to any particular time before mentioned, though sometimes this English particle now connotes particular time, (the Hebrew is and, so the Greek and Latin,) but is a phrase in use on entering upon discourse.

In the fifth day; the Hebrew hath only fifth, according to its concise style; we do well to supply day, as in Ezek. 1:1. Of the month Tamuz, as Ezek. 1:1, answering to our June and July.

What was visions, Ezek. 1:1, is here the word, both as signifying and declaring the mind of God, what he would do, and as containing his commands to Ezekiel and to the people, to whom these visions spake by signs.

I looked; I did very diligently survey the things that were represented to me in the vision. Behold: this calls us to consider what he had seen and represented to us.

Also out of the midst thereof; of the fire, or that amber which appeared, as having four wheels. The likeness of four living creatures; these were not indeed living creatures.

And every one of those four living creatures which appeared to the prophet had four faces: this hieroglyphic, though it seems to present us with a monstrous sight, yet does not unbecome the Divine Wisdom, nor doth it want like representations, as Ezek. 10:14, Rev. 4:6, Rev.

Their feet; the Hebrew expresseth the parts below the belly by foot, their thighs, legs, and feet (as by hand is meant the whole arm) were of human shape.

They; each of the four living creatures. Had the hands: hands in every language, especially in the Oriental, imply power; and being the chief instruments of action, are here ascribed to these active instruments that execute the commands of God.

Their wings were joined one to another; the wings of the living creatures, when stretched out to fly, were joined together; so the wings of those two cherubims which went foremost, and the wings of the two hindermost, were joined together when they moved. It seems to refer to that Ex. 25:20.

Here the prophet doth more expressly set forth what was more darkly mentioned in the 6th verse, and describeth their faces both by the proper resemblances, and by their respect to the local differences of east and west, or right and left hand.

Thus were their faces: if you make a full point at faces, it should seem better joined with the former verse, and this text will be more easy, for it is somewhat harsh to speak of faces stretched as wings are; but if their faces as well as wings must be stretched upward, we must understand their…

They went every one straightforward: see Ezek. 1:9. Which way soever they went, each living creature had one face looking straight forwards, and their other faces looking toward other coasts of the world; if the fore right were to the south, the other faces looked one to the east, one to the west,…

He further describeth what he had more briefly spoken of Ezek. 1:6. There you had their shape and make, here you have their colour. The likeness; in which they were seen by the prophet.

The living creatures; angels, ministers of the Divine pleasure, as above, Ezek. 1:5. Ran; were speedy in their motions; this signified by this expression figuratively applied to angels. Returned; yet, Ezek. 1:9, Ezek.

Now; or, and; it is a transition from the former to the latter part of the vision. I beheld; considered and observed. Behold; it calls for our attention. One wheel; or a certain wheel of spherical form, as some; of a circular form, as the wheels of chariots, say others.

The appearance; the form in which these wheels were seen. Their work; all that was wrought, whether engraved or otherwise, was of one colour. The colour of a beryl, Heb.

When they went; the living creatures; indeed the wheels moved according to the motion of the living creatures, but it will as well agree with the truth, as it better agrees with the grammar of the words, to say this; they, i.e. the wheels.

Their rings; the circumference of the wheels, the whole compass of the wheels, or the fellows (as a carter calls the whole roundle of his wheels). They were so high; the two strakes, the thickness of hob and felloes, give us the height of a wheel from the earth on which it stands; that they were…

When the living creatures went, the wheels went by them; the wheels’ motion or standing depended on the motion and assistance of some higher agent which excited and guided them, when therefore the living creatures, the angels, ministers of God’s will, moved, then did those affairs expressed by…

Whithersoever the spirit; either the will and inclination of the living creatures, or rather the Spirit of God which moved the living creatures, gave them motion and guided it; these angels in their ministry punctually observed both the impulse and the conduct of God’s Spirit.

This verse is a confirmation and further illustration of what is said in the 20th, and being almost word for word the same with the 20th, needs no distinct paraphrase.

The likeness; the appearance or resemblance; of which word before, Ezek. 1:13, Ezek. 1:16. The firmament: the living creatures, the wheels, and these upon the earth, our prophet had seen and mentioned; now he speaks of the firmament, which must be supposed to be stretched forth above the earth; as…

Under; below at a great, which is but due, distance of angels, and creatures and servants to their God, Creator, and Lord, stood these living creatures, i.e. two of each living creature, as appeareth by the phrase, one toward the other.

And when they went; so soon and as often as they, i.e. the living creatures, moved, were on their work, executing God’s commands. I heard, and attended to know what it was.

And; or, for; so the Latin. Two senses may be of these words in this verse. Either, 1. These living creatures thus let down their wings and ceased from acting, because they were commanded so to do by the voice from above the firmament, which they readily obey. Or, 2.

Above the firmament; the crystalline firmament which appeared in the vision, not the vast expanse or firmament in which are sun, moon, and stars. That was over their heads; heads of the living creatures which moved the wheels, and stood by the chariot.

I saw as the colour of amber: see Ezek. 1:4, and what is said there to this phrase. In this colour does Christ now appear against the rebellious Jews; he that would have been a Saviour to them, clot, bed with the garments of salvation, now puts on the garments of vengeance, and is clad with that…

Here more particularly is described the brightness before mentioned. A rainbow, the fire being resplendent and clear, cast its rays on the thick cloud below.