Ezekiel 10:14

Good News Translation

Each creature had four faces. The first was the face of a bull, the second a human face, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Each one had four faces: one was the face of a cherub, the second the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

Hebrew Names Version
Every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the Keruv, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third face the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

King James Version
And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

English Standard Version
And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was a human face, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

New American Standard Bible
And each one had four faces. The first face was the face of a cherub, the second face was the face of a human, the third, the face of a lion, and the fourth, the face of an eagle.

New Century Version
Each living creature had four faces. The first face was the face of a creature with wings. The second face was a human face, the third was the face of a lion, and the fourth was the face of an eagle.

Amplified Bible
And each one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, the second the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

World English Bible
Every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third face the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And euery beast had foure faces: the first face was the face of a Cherub, & the second face was the face of a man, and the thirde the face of a lyon, and the fourth the face of an Egle.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And each one had four faces. The first face was the face of a cherub, the second face was the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

Legacy Standard Bible
And each one had four faces. The first face was the face of a cherub, the second face was the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

Berean Standard Bible
Each of the cherubim had four faces: the first face was that of a cherub, the second that of a man, the third that of a lion, and the fourth that of an eagle.

Contemporary English Version
Each of the winged creatures had four faces: the face of a bull, the face of a human, the face of a lion, and the face of an eagle.

Complete Jewish Bible
Every one [of the k'ruvim] had four faces: the first face was the face of a keruv, the second face was the face of a man, the third the face of a lion and the fourth the face of an eagle.

Darby Translation
And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

Easy-to-Read Version
Each Cherub angel had four faces. The first was the face of a Cherub, the second was the face of a man, the third was a lion's face, and the fourth was an eagle's face. (These Cherub angels were the living beings I saw in the vision by the Kebar Canal.) Then the Cherub angels rose into the air,

George Lamsa Translation
And every one of them had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

Lexham English Bible
And each one had four faces; the face of the one was the face of a cherub, and the face of the second was the face of a human, and the face of the third was the face of a lion, and the fourth was the face of an eagle.

Literal Translation
And four faces were to each. The first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Euery one of them had foure faces: so that the one face was the face of a Cherub, the seconde of a man, the thirde of a lyon, the fourth of an Aegle,

American Standard Version
And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

Bible in Basic English
And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a winged one, and the second was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

King James Version (1611)
And euery one had foure faces: the first face was the face of a Cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Euery one of them had foure faces, so that the face of the first was the face of a Cherub, and the face of the seconde the face of a man, and of the thirde the face of a lion, and of the fourth the face of an egle.

English Revised Version
And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe o beeste hadde foure faces; o face was the face of cherub, and the secounde face the face of a man, and in the thridde was the face of a lioun, and in the fourthe was the face of an egle;

Update Bible Version
And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of man, and the third face the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

Webster's Bible Translation
And every one had four faces: the first face [was] the face of a cherub, and the second face [was] the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

New English Translation
Each of the cherubim had four faces: The first was the face of a cherub, the second that of a man, the third that of a lion, and the fourth that of an eagle.

New King James Version
Each one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, the second face the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

New Living Translation
Each of the four cherubim had four faces: the first was the face of an ox, the second was a human face, the third was the face of a lion, and the fourth was the face of an eagle.

New Life Bible
Each one of the cherubim had four faces. The first face was the face of a cherub. The second face was the face of a man. The third was the face of a lion. And the fourth was the face of an eagle.

New Revised Standard
Each one had four faces: the first face was that of the cherub, the second face was that of a human being, the third that of a lion, and the fourth that of an eagle.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And four faces had each one, - the first face, was the face of a cherub, and, the second face, was the face of a man and the third was the face of a lion. and the fourth, was the face of an eagle.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And every one had four faces: one face was the face of a cherub, and the second face, the face of a man: and in the third was the face of a lion: and in the fourth the face of an eagle.

Revised Standard Version
And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

Young's Literal Translation
And four faces [are] to each; the face of the one [is] the face of the cherub, and the face of the second the face of man, and of the third the face of a lion, and of the fourth the face of an eagle.

THE MESSAGE
Each of the cherubim had four faces: the first, of an angel; the second, a human; the third, a lion; the fourth, an eagle.

Contextual Overview

⁸ I saw that each creature had what looked like a human hand under each of its wings. ⁹I also saw that there were four wheels, all alike, one beside each creature. The wheels shone like precious stones, and each one had another wheel which intersected it at right angles. ¹¹ When the creatures moved, they could go in any direction without turning. They all moved together in the direction they wanted to go, without having to turn around. ¹² Their bodies, backs, hands, wings, and wheels were covered with eyes. ¹³ I heard a voice calling out, "Whirling wheels." ¹⁴ Each creature had four faces. The first was the face of a bull, the second a human face, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. ¹⁵ (They were the same creatures that I had seen by the Chebar River.) When the creatures rose in the air ¹⁶ and moved, the wheels went with them. Whenever they spread their wings to fly, the wheels still went with them. ¹⁷ When the creatures stopped, the wheels stopped; and when the creatures flew, the wheels went with them, because the creatures controlled them. ¹⁸ Then the dazzling light of the Lord 's presence left the entrance of the Temple and moved to a place above the creatures.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

every: Ezekiel 10:21, Ezekiel 1:6-10, 1 Kings 7:29, 1 Kings 7:36, Revelation 4:7

the face of a cherub: In Ezekiel 1:10, instead of "the face of a cherub," it is "the face of an ox:" hence a cherub was in the likeness of an ox, at least as to its head. The extraordinary shape of these angelic beings, which appeared to the prophet in vision, is manifestly symbolical; for it is not to be supposed that these heavenly beings are really thus formed. The four faces, wings, and the arms of a man, denote the sublime qualities of these immediate ministers of the Deity; qualities entirely essential to fill up the extent of their duty. The face of a man denotes their intelligence; of a lion, their intrepid courage; of an ox, their patience and perseverance in labour; and of an eagle, their great penetration, their sublime sight into heavenly things, and their readiness to rise up into all that is great and divine. The wings being stretched out, signifies their readiness and rapidity in obeying the commands of their Master; the wings bent down, denotes their profound respect before the Lord of the Universe; and the man's arms under the wings, shew that zeal produces application and labour.

Reciprocal: Exodus 36:8 - cherubims 2 Chronicles 4:3 - And under Ezekiel 41:18 - and every Revelation 4:6 - four beasts

Cross-References

Deuteronomy 2:23
The land along the Mediterranean coast had been settled by people from the island of Crete. They had destroyed the Avvim, the original inhabitants, and had taken over all their land as far south as the city of Gaza.)

1 Chronicles 1:12
Pathrus, Casluh, and of Crete (from whom the Philistines were descended).

Isaiah 11:11
When that day comes, the Lord will once again use his power and bring back home those of his people who are left in Assyria and Egypt, in the lands of Pathros, Ethiopia, Elam, Babylonia, and Hamath, and in the coastlands and on the islands of the sea.

Jeremiah 44:1
The Lord spoke to me concerning all the Israelites living in Egypt, in the cities of Migdol, Tahpanhes, and Memphis, and in the southern part of the country.

Jeremiah 47:4
The time has come to destroy Philistia, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon all the help that remains. I, the Lord , will destroy the Philistines, all who came from the shores of Crete.

Amos 9:7
The Lord says, "People of Israel, I think as much of the people of Ethiopia as I do of you. I brought the Philistines from Crete and the Syrians from Kir, just as I brought you from Egypt.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And everyone had four faces,.... That is, everyone of the wheels, for of these the words are continued; and which agrees with Ezekiel 1:15;

Ezekiel 1:15- ::

the first face [was] the face of a cherub; this being in the room of the ox's face, Ezekiel 1:10, shows that the face of an ox and a cherub are the same; and that the living creatures have the general name of cherubim, from the face of an ox; and are so called from כרב, which in the Syriac and Chaldee languages signifies to "plough", that creature being made use of in such service:

and the second face [was] the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle; how these are applicable to Gospel churches, and the true members of them,

Ezekiel 1:10- :.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The first face ... - The face of the first was the face of the cherub, and the face of the second was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion and the fourth the face of an eagle. Of the four faces of each cherub, the seer names only one - the face looking in the direction in which that cherub leads the motion of the chariot. The face of the cherub which presented itself to the seer was that of “an ox.” When he looking northward first saw the chariot the “ox-face” was on the left side Ezekiel 1:10. This would make the ox-face look eastward, and it is not unlikely that the man might approach the chariot from the southeastern part of the inner court.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 10:14. The first - was the face of a cherub — In Ezekiel 1:10, this is called the "face of an ox;" here, the "face of a cherub:" hence, a cherub was in the likeness of an ox, at least, as to its head. כרוב kerub never occurs as a verb; and its meaning cannot be precisely ascertained. Parkhurst thinks the כ caph to be here the note of similitude; and then translates כ ke, "like," רב rab or רוב rob, "the mighty one;" and, in consequence, makes the cherubim an emblem of the Holy Trinity. See his lengthy Dissertation under כרב in his Hebrew and English Lexicon.