The Meaning of Ezekiel 10:1 Explained

Ezekiel 10:1

KJV: Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.

YLT: And I look, and lo, on the expanse that is above the head of the cherubs, as a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne, He hath been seen over them.

Darby: And I looked, and behold, in the expanse that was over the head of the cherubim there appeared above them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.

ASV: Then I looked, and behold, in the firmament that was over the head of the cherubim there appeared above them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then I looked,  and, behold, in the firmament  that was above the head  of the cherubims  there appeared  over them as it were a sapphire  stone,  as the appearance  of the likeness  of a throne. 

What does Ezekiel 10:1 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Ezekiel next saw in his vision the cherubim that he had seen by the river Chebar ( Ezekiel 1:22; Ezekiel 1:26). "Cherubim" probably comes from the Akkadian karabu, meaning "intercede," "be gracious," or "bless." [1] Over their heads he again saw the throne-chariot that resembled a sapphire in its color and beauty. In Ezekiel 1:26 the throne-chariot resembled lapis lazuli, another expensive blue stone. Perhaps the blue color represented the heavenly origin of this throne.

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 10

1  The vision of the coals of fire, to be scattered over the city
8  The vision of the cherubim

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 10:1 mean?

And I looked and there in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubim like a stone sapphire [something] having the appearance of the likeness of a throne there appeared over
וָאֶרְאֶ֗ה וְהִנֵּ֤ה אֶל־ הָרָקִ֙יעַ֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־ רֹ֣אשׁ הַכְּרֻבִ֔ים כְּאֶ֣בֶן סַפִּ֔יר כְּמַרְאֵ֖ה דְּמ֣וּת כִּסֵּ֑א נִרְאָ֖ה עֲלֵיהֶֽם

וָאֶרְאֶ֗ה  And  I  looked 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
וְהִנֵּ֤ה  and  there 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
הָרָקִ֙יעַ֙  the  firmament 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רָקִיעַ  
Sense: extended surface (solid), expanse, firmament.
אֲשֶׁר֙  that  was 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עַל־  above 
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.
רֹ֣אשׁ  the  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
הַכְּרֻבִ֔ים  of  the  cherubim 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כְּרוּב  
Sense: cherub, cherubim (pl).
כְּאֶ֣בֶן  like  a  stone 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶבֶן  
Sense: stone (large or small).
סַפִּ֔יר  sapphire 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: סַפִּיר  
Sense: sapphire, lapis lazuli.
כְּמַרְאֵ֖ה  [something]  having  the  appearance 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַרְאֶה  
Sense: sight, appearance, vision.
דְּמ֣וּת  of  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.
נִרְאָ֖ה  there  appeared 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
עֲלֵיהֶֽם  over 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
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.