The Meaning of Ezekiel 1:27 Explained

Ezekiel 1:27

KJV: And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.

YLT: And I see as the colour of copper, as the appearance of fire within it round about, from the appearance of his loins and upward, and from the appearance of his loins and downward, I have seen as the appearance of fire, and brightness is to it round about.

Darby: And I saw as the look of glowing brass, as the appearance of fire, within it round about; from the appearance of his loins and upward, and from the appearance of his loins and downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.

ASV: And I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it round about, from the appearance of his loins and upward; and from the appearance of his loins and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness round about him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And I saw  as the colour  of amber,  as the appearance  of fire  round about  within  it, from the appearance  of his loins  even upward,  and from the appearance  of his loins  even downward,  I saw  as it were the appearance  of fire,  and it had brightness  round about. 

What does Ezekiel 1:27 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Above his waist he seemed similar to hot metal glowing with heat (cf. Ezekiel 1:4), and below his waist he seemed to resemble fire (cf. Ezekiel 8:2; Daniel 10:6; Revelation 4:3; Revelation 4:5). All around him there appeared to be a radiance, like the glow that surrounds red-hot metal and fire.

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 1:27 mean?

And I saw as it were the color of amber with the appearance of fire within it all around from the appearance of His waist and upward and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire and with brightness to all around
וָאֵ֣רֶא ׀ כְּעֵ֣ין חַשְׁמַ֗ל כְּמַרְאֵה־ אֵ֤שׁ בֵּֽית־ לָהּ֙ סָבִ֔יב מִמַּרְאֵ֥ה מָתְנָ֖יו וּלְמָ֑עְלָה וּמִמַּרְאֵ֤ה מָתְנָיו֙ וּלְמַ֔טָּה רָאִ֙יתִי֙ כְּמַרְאֵה־ אֵ֔שׁ וְנֹ֥גַֽהּ ל֖וֹ סָבִֽיב

וָאֵ֣רֶא ׀  And  I  saw 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
כְּעֵ֣ין  as  it  were  the  color 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, common singular construct
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
חַשְׁמַ֗ל  of  amber 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חַשְׁמַל  
Sense: a shining substance, amber or electrum or bronze (uncertain).
כְּמַרְאֵה־  with  the  appearance 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַרְאֶה  
Sense: sight, appearance, vision.
אֵ֤שׁ  of  fire 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
בֵּֽית־  within 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
סָבִ֔יב  all  around 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מוּסָב 
Sense: places round about, circuit, round about adv.
מִמַּרְאֵ֥ה  from  the  appearance 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַרְאֶה  
Sense: sight, appearance, vision.
מָתְנָ֖יו  of  His  waist 
Parse: Noun, mdc, third person masculine singular
Root: מָתְנַיִם  
Sense: loins, hips.
וּלְמָ֑עְלָה  and  upward 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Adverb, third person feminine singular
Root: מַעַל 
Sense: higher part, upper part adv.
וּמִמַּרְאֵ֤ה  and  from  the  appearance 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַרְאֶה  
Sense: sight, appearance, vision.
מָתְנָיו֙  of  His  waist 
Parse: Noun, mdc, third person masculine singular
Root: מָתְנַיִם  
Sense: loins, hips.
וּלְמַ֔טָּה  and  downward 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Adverb
Root: מַטָּה  
Sense: downwards, below.
רָאִ֙יתִי֙  I  saw 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
כְּמַרְאֵה־  as  it  were  the  appearance 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַרְאֶה  
Sense: sight, appearance, vision.
אֵ֔שׁ  of  fire 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
וְנֹ֥גַֽהּ  and  with  brightness 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: נׄגַהּ  
Sense: brightness.
סָבִֽיב  all  around 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מוּסָב 
Sense: places round about, circuit, round about adv.