The Meaning of Ezekiel 1:17 Explained

Ezekiel 1:17

KJV: When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.

YLT: On their four sides, in their going they go, they turn not round in their going.

Darby: When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not when they went.

ASV: When they went, they went in their four directions: they turned not when they went.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When they went,  they went  upon their four  sides:  [and] they turned  not when they went. 

What does Ezekiel 1:17 Mean?

Verse Meaning

These wheels moved in every direction, but they did not appear to rotate when they moved. Ease of movement seems to be the point. They did, however, make rumbling sounds when they moved, as large wheels would do (cf. Ezekiel 1:24; Ezekiel 3:12-13; Ezekiel 10:5; Ezekiel 10:13).

Context Summary

Ezekiel 1:1-21 - A Vision Of God's Majesty
A dark storm-cloud approaches the prophet, from which an incessant blaze of lightning scintillated. As it drew near, the forms of four living creatures became visible, combining, under various figures, intelligence, strength, patience, and soaring aspiration. The wheels were evidently symbolical of the cycles of divine providence, which cooperate with the ministers of the divine will. The slab of blue expanse supported a human semblance, suggestive of that great after-event-God manifest in the flesh. The whole conception impresses us with the reality, order, majesty, and humanness, of the Eternal God. Those holy beings surely represent the intelligent company of innumerable angels and servants, while the wheels represent the material creation. All these are sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation. Angels and nature minister to us, if we are in union with God. All things serve the servants of the Most High. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 1

1  The time of Ezekiel's prophecy at Chebar
4  His vision of four cherubim;
15  of the four wheels;
26  and of the glory of God

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 1:17 mean?

Toward four any one of directions when they moved they went not they did turn aside when they went
עַל־ אַרְבַּ֥עַת רִבְעֵיהֶ֖ן בְּלֶכְתָּ֣ם יֵלֵ֑כוּ לֹ֥א יִסַּ֖בּוּ בְּלֶכְתָּֽן

עַל־  Toward 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
אַרְבַּ֥עַת  four 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: אַרְבַּע  
Sense: four.
רִבְעֵיהֶ֖ן  any  one  of  directions 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine plural
Root: רֶבַע  
Sense: fourth part, four sides.
בְּלֶכְתָּ֣ם  when  they  moved 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
יֵלֵ֑כוּ  they  went 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
יִסַּ֖בּוּ  they  did  turn  aside 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: סָבַב  
Sense: to turn, turn about or around or aside or back or towards, go about or arou nd, surround, encircle, change direction.
בְּלֶכְתָּֽן  when  they  went 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person feminine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.

What are the major concepts related to Ezekiel 1:17?

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