Lectionary Calendar
Monday, September 22nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
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Read the Bible

English Standard Version

Ezekiel 1:14

And the living creatures darted to and fro, like the appearance of a flash of lightning.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Angel (a Spirit);   Lightning;   Vision;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Cherubim;   Visions;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Beasts;   Cherub;   Ezekiel;   Vision;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Angels;   Cherubim;   Ezekiel;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Angel;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Cherub;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Angel;   Cherub, Cherubim;   Ezekiel;   Lightning;   Living Beings, Living Creatures;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Isaiah, Book of;   Lightning;   Seraphim;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Lightning;   Living;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Living Creatures;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Cherub;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Babylonish Captivity, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Appearance;   Cherubim (1);   Lightning;   Lively;   Living Creature;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Cabala;   Cherub;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The creatures were darting back and forth like flashes of lightning.
Hebrew Names Version
The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
King James Version
And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
New American Standard Bible
And the living beings ran back and forth like bolts of lightning.
New Century Version
The living creatures ran back and forth like bolts of lightning.
Amplified Bible
And the living beings moved rapidly back and forth like flashes of lightning.
World English Bible
The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the beastes ranne, and returned like vnto lightning.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
And the living beings ran to and fro like bolts of lightning.
Legacy Standard Bible
And the living creatures ran to and fro with the appearance of lightning.
Berean Standard Bible
The creatures were darting back and forth as quickly as flashes of lightning.
Contemporary English Version
The creatures themselves moved as quickly as sparks jumping from a fire.
Complete Jewish Bible
The living creatures kept speeding here and there like flashes of lightning.
Darby Translation
And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
Easy-to-Read Version
The living beings ran back and forth—as fast as lightning.
George Lamsa Translation
And the living creatures ran, but returned not, and their appearance was like a flash of lightning.
Good News Translation
The creatures themselves darted back and forth with the speed of lightning.
Lexham English Bible
And the living creatures were speeding to and fro like the appearance of lightning.
Literal Translation
And the living creatures kept running and returning, like the appearance of a flash of lightning.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Whe ye beestes wete forwarde & backwarde, one wolde haue thought it had lightened.
American Standard Version
And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
Bible in Basic English
And the living beings went out and came back as quickly as a thunder-flame.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
King James Version (1611)
And the liuing creatures ranne, and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the beastes ranne, and returned like lightening.
English Revised Version
And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the beestis yeden, and turneden ayen at the licnesse of leit schynynge.
Update Bible Version
And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
New English Translation
The living beings moved backward and forward as quickly as flashes of lightning.
New King James Version
And the living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning.
New Living Translation
And the living beings darted to and fro like flashes of lightning.
New Life Bible
And the living beings ran this way and that, like lightning.
New Revised Standard
The living creatures darted to and fro, like a flash of lightning.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the living ones ran and returned, - like the appearance of a flash of lightning.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the living creatures ran and returned like flashes of lightning.
Revised Standard Version
And the living creatures darted to and fro, like a flash of lightning.
Young's Literal Translation
And the living creatures are running, and turning back, as the appearance of the flash.

Contextual Overview

4 As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal. 5 And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness, 6 but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf's foot. And they sparkled like burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: 9 their wings touched one another. Each one of them went straight forward, without turning as they went. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies. 12 And each went straight forward. Wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went. 13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Psalms 147:15, Daniel 9:21, Zechariah 2:3, Zechariah 2:4, Zechariah 4:10, Matthew 24:27, Matthew 24:31, Mark 13:27

Reciprocal: Ezekiel 10:15 - This Daniel 10:6 - his face Hebrews 1:7 - Who Revelation 14:6 - another

Cross-References

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:2
The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Genesis 1:3
And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
Genesis 1:4
And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:6
And God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters."
Genesis 1:7
And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so.
Genesis 1:8
And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
Genesis 1:9
And God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so.
Genesis 1:12
The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:14
And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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,

Daniel 12:4;

and returned; for though before it is said, "they turned not when they went", they kept straight on till they had done their work; but when they have done it, then they return, and give an account of it to him that has sent them: and their running and returning are said to be,

as the appearance of a flash of lightning; very sudden and swift.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 1:14. The living creatures ran and returned — They had a circular movement; they were in rapid motion, but did not increase their distance from the spectator. So I think this should be understood.


 
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