The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 1 — Section 19

hrovons is perhaps oonnectod (I) with Job analogues of the forms of Ezekiel'• v1s10n. xxxvii. 22, whore it appears ns the region of 'fhere tho Greek gives (wa, a.s the LXX. does "f1<ir wenther," the unclouded brightness of here, while in Dan. vii. 3-7 we have 8~P"'-- tho "torrible majesty" of God ; (2) with In eh. x. 15 they are identified with tbe lea. xiv. 13, where "the eides of the north" "cherubim" of the mercy-seat; but the fact oro the symbols of the dwelling-pince of that they a.re not so named here is pre- God. For the Jows this was probably sumptive evidence that Ezekiel did not at associated with the thought of the moun- first recognize them as identical with what tain-heights of Leb11non as rising up to he ha<l heard of those cherubim, or with the heaven (Currey, on Ezek. i. 4, in 'Speaker'e other like forms that were seen, as they were Commentary'), or with the fact thnt the wt seen, in the temple (1 Kiogs vi. 2(); vii. "north side" of Zion (Ps. xlviii. 2), as the site 29), on its walls (2 Chron. iii. 7), and on its of the temple, was the" dwelling-place of the veil or Cllrtain (Exod. xxxvi. 35). What he great King." Parallels present themselves sees is, in fact, e. highly complicated develop- in the Assyrian hymns that epeak of the ment of the cherubic symbols, which might "feasts of the silver mountains, the heavenly well appear strange to him. It is possible courts" (as the Greeks spoke of Olympus), (as Dean Stanley and others have suggested) "where the gods dwell eternally"(' Records that the Assyrian and Babylonian sculptures, of the Past,' iii. 133), and this ideal moun- the winged bulls an<l lions with human tain was for them, like the Meru of Indian heads, which Ezekiel may have seen in his legend, in the furthest north. So, in the exile, were elements in that development. legendary geography of Greece, the Hyper- The likeness of a man. This apparently was borei, or " people beyond the north," were a the first impression. The" living creatures" holy and blessed race, the chosen servants were not, like the Assyrian forms just of Apollo (Herod., iv. 32-36: Pindar, referred to, quadrupe<ls. They stood erect, • Pytb.,' x. 4; 1Esch., 'Choeph.,' 373). Pos- and had feet and hands as men have. sibly the brilli1mt coruscations of e.n Aurore. Ver. 6.-We note the points of contrast Borealis mny have led men to think of it as with other like visions. (1) In Isa. vi. 2 they thought of tlie glory of the dawn or the each seraph has six wings, as each" living brightness of the lightning, as a momentary creature" has in Rev. iv. 8. (2) In Rev. iv. revelation of the higher glory of the throne 7 the fonr heads are distributed, one to of God. (Forthe"whirlwind" as the, accom- each of the "living creatures," while here, paniment of a Divine revelation, see 1 Kings each has four faces, nnd forms, a.a it were, a. xix. 11; Job xxxviii.1; Acts ii. 2.) A great Janus quadrifrons. The wings a.re described cloud, etc. So fe.r the signs of the approach- more minutely in ver. 11. ing theophe.ny were like those 011 Sinai Ver. 7.-Their feet were straight feet, (Exod. xix. 16, 18) e.ud Horeb (1 Kings xi.x. etc. The noun is probably used a.s in- 11 ). With e. fire i.nfolding itself; the cluding the lower part of the leg, and whn.t Revised Version margin gives flashing is meant is that tho legs were not bent, or continually. The Authorized Version sug- kneeling. What we may call the bovine gests the thought of a globe of fire dr,rting symbolism appears e.t the extremity, and the its rays through the surrounding darkness. actual foot is round like e. calfs. The The colour of amber; literally, the eye. The LXX. curiously enough gives "their feet He brow word for" amber" ( chashmal) occurs were winged ( ,rrepw.,.ol)." Blll'Ilished bra.ss. only here and in ver. 27 and eh. viii. 2. It Probably e. she.de less brilliant, or more is almost absolutely certain that it does not ruddy, than the electrum of ver. 4 (see mean what we know as" amber." The LXX. note there). and Vulgate give electrum, and this, in later Ver. 8.-They had the hands of e. man, etc. Greek and Latin authors, has "amber" for The prophet seems to describe each detail one of its meanings. Primarily, however, it in the order in which it presented itself to was used for a metallic substance of some him. What he next sees is tha.t each of the kind, specifically for a compound four parts four forms has two hands on each of its four of gold and one ot' silver (Pliny,' Hist. Nat.,' sides. Nothing could supersede tha.t symbol xxiii. 4, s. 23). Some such compound is of activity and strength. probably what we have to thiuk of here, and Ver. 9.-Their wings werejoined, etc. As so the description finds a. parallel in Dan. x. interpreted by vers. 11 and 24, two of the 6; Rev. i. 15. This, in its ineffable bright- wings we1·e always down, and when the ness, is seen in tho centre of the globe of living creatures moved, two were extended fil'o. One may compare Dante's vision of upwards, so that their tips touche<l, aud the Divine glory (' Paradiso,' xxxiii. 55). were in this sense "joined." When at rest, Ver. 5.-The likeness of four living these were let down a.gain (ver. 24). They c~eatures. The Authorized Version is hap- turned not, etc. We note the cmp husis of the p1er here in its rendering than in Rev. iv. 6, threefold itemtion of the fact (vers. 12, 17). where we find " beasts" applied to the None of the four forms revolved on its axis.  THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [011. r. 1-28.