The Meaning of Ezekiel 1:21 Explained

Ezekiel 1:21

KJV: When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

YLT: In their going, they go; and in their standing, they stand; and in their being lifted up from off the earth, lifted up are the wheels over-against them; for a living spirit is in the wheels.

Darby: When those went, they went; and when those stood, they stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up along with them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

ASV: When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When those went,  [these] went;  and when those stood,  [these] stood;  and when those were lifted up  from the earth,  the wheels  were lifted up  over against  them: for the spirit  of the living creature  [was] in the wheels. 

What does Ezekiel 1:21 Mean?

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 1:21 mean?

When those went [these] went and when those stood [these] stood and when those were lifted up from the earth were lifted up the wheels together with them for the spirit of the living creatures [was] in the wheels
בְּלֶכְתָּ֣ם יֵלֵ֔כוּ וּבְעָמְדָ֖ם יַֽעֲמֹ֑דוּ וּֽבְהִנָּשְׂאָ֞ם מֵעַ֣ל הָאָ֗רֶץ יִנָּשְׂא֤וּ הָאֽוֹפַנִּים֙ לְעֻמָּתָ֔ם כִּ֛י ר֥וּחַ הַחַיָּ֖ה בָּאוֹפַנִּֽים

בְּלֶכְתָּ֣ם  When  those  went 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
יֵלֵ֔כוּ  [these]  went 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
וּבְעָמְדָ֖ם  and  when  those  stood 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
יַֽעֲמֹ֑דוּ  [these]  stood 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
וּֽבְהִנָּשְׂאָ֞ם  and  when  those  were  lifted  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Verb, Nifal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
הָאָ֗רֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
יִנָּשְׂא֤וּ  were  lifted  up 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
הָאֽוֹפַנִּים֙  the  wheels 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֹופַן  
Sense: wheel.
לְעֻמָּתָ֔ם  together  with  them 
Parse: Preposition-l, third person masculine plural
Root: עֻמָּה  
Sense: juxtaposition.
ר֥וּחַ  the  spirit 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
הַחַיָּ֖ה  of  the  living  creatures 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
בָּאוֹפַנִּֽים  [was]  in  the  wheels 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֹופַן  
Sense: wheel.

What are the major concepts related to Ezekiel 1:21?

Loading Information...