The Meaning of Ezekiel 1:26 Explained

Ezekiel 1:26

KJV: And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.

YLT: And above the expanse that is over their head, as an appearance of a sapphire stone, is the likeness of a throne, and on the likeness of the throne a likeness, as the appearance of man upon it from above.

Darby: And above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.

ASV: And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man upon it above.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And above  the firmament  that [was] over their heads  [was] the likeness  of a throne,  as the appearance  of a sapphire  stone:  and upon the likeness  of the throne  [was] the likeness  as the appearance  of a man  above  upon it. 

What does Ezekiel 1:26 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Over the heads of the creatures was also something like a throne that was dark blue and very beautiful, like lapis lazuli. Lapis lazuli is a dark blue semiprecious stone that the ancients valued greatly. Sitting on the throne high above the expanse was a figure that looked like a man (cf. Exodus 24:10; Revelation 4:2).

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 1:26 mean?

And above the firmament that over their heads in appearance like a stone sapphire [was] the likeness of a throne and on the likeness of the throne [was] a likeness with the appearance of a man above it high
וּמִמַּ֗עַל לָרָקִ֙יעַ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־ רֹאשָׁ֔ם כְּמַרְאֵ֥ה אֶֽבֶן־ סַפִּ֖יר דְּמ֣וּת כִּסֵּ֑א וְעַל֙ דְּמ֣וּת הַכִּסֵּ֔א דְּמ֞וּת כְּמַרְאֵ֥ה אָדָ֛ם עָלָ֖יו מִלְמָֽעְלָה

וּמִמַּ֗עַל  And  above 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Adverb
Root: מַעַל 
Sense: higher part, upper part adv.
לָרָקִ֙יעַ֙  the  firmament 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רָקִיעַ  
Sense: extended surface (solid), expanse, firmament.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עַל־  over 
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.
רֹאשָׁ֔ם  their  heads 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
כְּמַרְאֵ֥ה  in  appearance  like 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַרְאֶה  
Sense: sight, appearance, vision.
אֶֽבֶן־  a  stone 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶבֶן  
Sense: stone (large or small).
סַפִּ֖יר  sapphire 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: סַפִּיר  
Sense: sapphire, lapis lazuli.
דְּמ֣וּת  [was]  the  likeness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: דְּמוּת  
Sense: likeness, similitude adv.
כִּסֵּ֑א  of  a  throne 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כִּסֵּא 
Sense: seat (of honour), throne, seat, stool.
וְעַל֙  and  on 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, 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.
דְּמ֣וּת  the  likeness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: דְּמוּת  
Sense: likeness, similitude adv.
הַכִּסֵּ֔א  of  the  throne 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כִּסֵּא 
Sense: seat (of honour), throne, seat, stool.
דְּמ֞וּת  [was]  a  likeness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: דְּמוּת  
Sense: likeness, similitude adv.
כְּמַרְאֵ֥ה  with  the  appearance 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַרְאֶה  
Sense: sight, appearance, vision.
אָדָ֛ם  of  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
עָלָ֖יו  above  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
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.
מִלְמָֽעְלָה  high 
Parse: Preposition-m, Preposition-l, Adverb, third person feminine singular
Root: מַעַל 
Sense: higher part, upper part adv.