The Meaning of Ezekiel 1:10 Explained

Ezekiel 1:10

KJV: As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

YLT: As to the likeness of their faces, the face of a man, and the face of a lion, toward the right are to them four, and the face of an ox on the left are to them four, and the face of an eagle are to them four.

Darby: And the likeness of their faces was the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four had also the face of an eagle.

ASV: As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four had also the face of an eagle.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

As for the likeness  of their faces,  they four  had the face  of a man,  and the face  of a lion,  on the right side:  and they four  had the face  of an ox  on the left side;  they four  also had the face  of an eagle. 

What does Ezekiel 1:10 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 1:10 mean?

And as for the likeness of their faces [each] had the face of a man and the face of a lion on the right side had the four and the face of an ox on the left side had the four of an eagle had the four
וּדְמ֣וּת פְּנֵיהֶם֮ פְּנֵ֣י אָדָם֒ וּפְנֵ֨י אַרְיֵ֤ה אֶל־ הַיָּמִין֙ לְאַרְבַּעְתָּ֔ם וּפְנֵי־ שׁ֥וֹר מֵֽהַשְּׂמֹ֖אול לְאַרְבַּעְתָּ֑ן נֶ֖שֶׁר לְאַרְבַּעְתָּֽן

וּדְמ֣וּת  And  as  for  the  likeness 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: דְּמוּת  
Sense: likeness, similitude adv.
פְּנֵיהֶם֮  of  their  faces 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
פְּנֵ֣י  [each]  had  the  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אָדָם֒  of  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
וּפְנֵ֨י  and  the  face 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אַרְיֵ֤ה  of  a  lion 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲרִי 
Sense: lion.
הַיָּמִין֙  the  right  side 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: יָמִין  
Sense: right, right hand, right side.
לְאַרְבַּעְתָּ֔ם  had  the  four 
Parse: Preposition-l, Number, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אַרְבַּע  
Sense: four.
וּפְנֵי־  and  the  face 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
שׁ֥וֹר  of  an  ox 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֹׁור  
Sense: ox, bull, a head of cattle.
מֵֽהַשְּׂמֹ֖אול  on  the  left  side 
Parse: Preposition-m, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׂמֹאל  
Sense: the left, the left hand, the left side.
לְאַרְבַּעְתָּ֑ן  had  the  four 
Parse: Preposition-l, Number, masculine singular construct, third person feminine plural
Root: אַרְבַּע  
Sense: four.
נֶ֖שֶׁר  of  an  eagle 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֶשֶׁר  
Sense: eagle, vulture, griffon-vulture.
לְאַרְבַּעְתָּֽן  had  the  four 
Parse: Preposition-l, Number, masculine singular construct, third person feminine plural
Root: אַרְבַּע  
Sense: four.