^1:15Then I looked,³⁰ and I saw one wheel³¹ on the ground³² beside each of the four beings. ^1:16The appearance of the wheels and their construction³³ was like gleaming jasper,³⁴ and all four wheels looked alike. Their structure was like a wheel within a wheel.³⁵^1:17When they moved they would go in any of the four directions they faced without turning as they moved. ^1:18Their rims were high and awesome,³⁶ and the rims of all four wheels were full of eyes all around.

Read in Logos

Footnotes

29 The omits v. 14 and may well be correct. The verse may be a later explanatory gloss of the end of v. 13 which was copied into the main text. See M. Greenberg, Ezekiel (), 1:. Lit., “like the appearance of lightning.” The Hebrew term translated “lightning” occurs only here in the OT. In postbiblical Hebrew the term refers to a lightning flash.
30 The adds “at the living beings” which is absent from the .
31 Another vision which includes wheels on thrones occurs in Dan 7:9. Ezek 10 contains a vision similar to this one.
32 The Hebrew word may be translated either “earth” or “ground” in this context.
33 This word is omitted from the .
34 Heb “Tarshish stone.” The meaning of this term is uncertain. The term has also been translated “topaz” (); “beryl” (, , ); or “chrysolite” (, ).
35 Or “like a wheel at right angles to another wheel.” Some envision concentric wheels here, while others propose “a globe-like structure in which two wheels stand at right angles” (L. C. Allen, Ezekiel [], 1:). The description given in v. 17 favors the latter idea.
36 The reads וְיִרְאָה לָהֶם (véyir’ah lahem, “and fear belonged to them”). In a similar vision in 10:12 the wheels are described as having spokes (יִדֵיהֶם, yideyhem). That parallel would suggest יָדוֹת (yadot) here (written יָדֹת without the mater). By positing both a ד/ר (dalet/resh) confusion and a ת/ה (hey/khet) confusion the form was read as וְיָרֵה (véyareh) and was then misunderstood and subsequently written as וְיִרְאָה (véyir’ah) in the . The reading וְיִרְאָה does not seem to fit the context well, though in English it can be made to sound as if it does. See W. H. Brownlee, Ezekiel 1–19 (), . The reads καὶ εἶδον αὐτά (kai eidon auta, “and I saw”), which assumes וָאֵרֶא (va’ere’). The existing consonants of the may also be read as “it was visible to them.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And the living creatures darted to and fro, like the appearance of a flash of lightning.

Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them. As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl. And the four had the same likeness, their appearance and construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel. When they went, they went in any of their four directions without turning as they went. And their rims were tall and awesome, and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.

As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction as the creatures went. Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

The creatures were darting back and forth like flashes of lightning.

When I looked at the living creatures, there was one wheel on the ground beside each of the four-faced creatures. The appearance of the wheels and their craftsmanship was like the gleam of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. Their appearance and craftsmanship was like a wheel within a wheel. When they moved, they went in any of the four directions, without turning as they moved. Their four rims were tall and awe-inspiring, completely covered with eyes all around.

NLTNew Living Translation

And the living beings darted to and fro like flashes of lightning.

As I looked at these beings, I saw four wheels touching the ground beside them, one wheel belonging to each. The wheels sparkled as if made of beryl. All four wheels looked alike and were made the same; each wheel had a second wheel turning crosswise within it. The beings could move in any of the four directions they faced, without turning as they moved. The rims of the four wheels were tall and frightening, and they were covered with eyes all around.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And the living creatures were speeding to and fro like the appearance of lightning.

And I saw the living creatures, and look! A wheel was on the earth beside each of the living creatures that had four faces. The appearance of the wheels and their construction was like the appearance of beryl, and they all looked alike, and their appearance and their construction was like a wheel within a wheel. When they moved, they went toward their four sides; they did not veer at all as they went. And their rims were high and awesome, and all four of their rims were full of eyes all around.

KJV 1900King James Version

And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces. The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went. As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.

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