The Meaning of Ezekiel 1:9 Explained

Ezekiel 1:9

KJV: Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

YLT: joining one unto another are their wings, they turn not round in their going, each straight forward they go.

Darby: their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

ASV: their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Their wings  [were] joined  one  to another;  they turned  not when they went;  they went  every one  straight  forward. 

What does Ezekiel 1:9 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 1:9 mean?

Touched one unto another their wings not [The creatures] did turn when they went one each to straight forward but went
חֹֽבְרֹ֛ת אִשָּׁ֥ה אֶל־ אֲחוֹתָ֖הּ כַּנְפֵיהֶ֑ם לֹא־ יִסַּ֣בּוּ בְלֶכְתָּ֔ן אִ֛ישׁ אֶל־ עֵ֥בֶר פָּנָ֖יו יֵלֵֽכוּ

חֹֽבְרֹ֛ת  Touched 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine plural
Root: הִתְחַבְּרוּת 
Sense: to unite, join, bind together, be joined, be coupled, be in league, heap up, have fellowship with, be compact, be a charmer.
אִשָּׁ֥ה  one 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
אֶל־  unto 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֲחוֹתָ֖הּ  another 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: אָחֹות  
Sense: sister.
כַּנְפֵיהֶ֑ם  their  wings 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כָּנָף  
Sense: wing, extremity, edge, winged, border, corner, shirt.
יִסַּ֣בּוּ  [The  creatures]  did  turn 
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.
בְלֶכְתָּ֔ן  when  they  went 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person feminine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
אִ֛ישׁ  one  each 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
עֵ֥בֶר  straight 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֵבֶר  
Sense: region beyond or across, side.
פָּנָ֖יו  forward 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יֵלֵֽכוּ  but  went 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.