Ezekiel 10:14

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.

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.

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.

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.

Contextual Overview

⁹And then I saw four wheels beside the cherubim, one beside each cherub. The wheels radiating were sparkling like diamonds in the sun. All four wheels looked alike, each like a wheel within a wheel. When they moved, they went in any of the four directions but in a perfectly straight line. Where the cherubim went, the wheels went straight ahead. The cherubim were full of eyes in their backs, hands, and wings. The wheels likewise were full of eyes. I heard the wheels called "wheels within wheels." ¹⁴ Each of the cherubim had four faces: the first, of an angel; the second, a human; the third, a lion; the fourth, an eagle. ¹⁵Then the cherubim ascended. They were the same living creatures I had seen at the Kebar River. When the cherubim moved, the wheels beside them moved. When the cherubim spread their wings to take off from the ground, the wheels stayed right with them. When the cherubim stopped, the wheels stopped. When the cherubim rose, the wheels rose, because the spirit of the living creatures was also in the wheels. ¹⁸Then the Glory of God left the Temple entrance and hovered over the cherubim. I watched as the cherubim spread their wings and left the ground, the wheels right with them. They stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the Temple. The Glory of the God of Israel was above them. ²⁰These were the same living creatures I had seen previously beneath the God of Israel at the Kebar River. I recognized them as cherubim. Each had four faces and four wings. Under their wings were what looked like human hands. Their faces looked exactly like those I had seen at the Kebar River. Each went straight ahead.

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

Isaiah 11:11
Also on that day, the Master for the second time will reach out to bring back what's left of his scattered people. He'll bring them back from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Ethiopia, Elam, Sinar, Hamath, and the ocean islands.

Jeremiah 44:1
The Message that Jeremiah received for all the Judeans who lived in the land of Egypt, who had their homes in Migdol, Tahpanhes, Noph, and the land of Pathros: "This is what God -of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘You saw with your own eyes the terrible doom that I brought down on Jerusalem and the Judean cities. Look at what's left: ghost towns of rubble and smoking ruins, and all because they took up with evil ways, making me angry by going off to offer sacrifices and worship the latest in gods—no-gods that neither they nor you nor your ancestors knew the first thing about. Morning after morning and long into the night I kept after you, sending you all those prophets, my servants, begging you, "Please, please—don't do this, don't fool around in this loathsome gutter of gods that I hate with a passion." But do you think anyone paid the least bit of attention or repented of evil or quit offering sacrifices to the no-gods? Not one. So I let loose with my anger, a firestorm of wrath in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem, and left them in ruins and wasted. And they're still in ruins and wasted.'

Amos 9:7
"Do you Israelites think you're any better than the far-off Cushites?" God 's Decree. "Am I not involved with all nations? Didn't I bring Israel up from Egypt, the Philistines from Caphtor, the Arameans from Qir? But you can be sure that I, God , the Master, have my eye on the Kingdom of Sin. I'm going to wipe it off the face of the earth. Still, I won't totally destroy the family of Jacob." God 's Decree.

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.