Ezekiel 1:22
New International Version
Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault, sparkling like crystal, and awesome.

New Living Translation
Spread out above them was a surface like the sky, glittering like crystal.

English Standard Version
Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring crystal, spread out above their heads.

Berean Standard Bible
Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of an awesome expanse, gleaming like crystal.

King James Bible
And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.

New King James Version
The likeness of the firmament above the heads of the living creatures was like the color of an awesome crystal, stretched out over their heads.

New American Standard Bible
Now over the heads of the living beings there was something like an expanse, like the awesome gleam of crystal, spread out over their heads.

NASB 1995
Now over the heads of the living beings there was something like an expanse, like the awesome gleam of crystal, spread out over their heads.

NASB 1977
Now over the heads of the living beings there was something like an expanse, like the awesome gleam of crystal, extended over their heads.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now over the heads of the living creatures there was something with the likeness of an expanse, like the awesome gleam of crystal, spread out over their heads above.

Amplified Bible
Now stretched over the heads of the living beings there was something like an expanse, looking like the terrible and awesome shimmer of icy crystal.

Christian Standard Bible
Over the heads of the living creatures the likeness of an expanse was spread out. It gleamed like awe-inspiring crystal,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The shape of an expanse, with a gleam like awe-inspiring crystal, was spread out over the heads of the living creatures.

American Standard Version
And over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of a firmament, like the terrible crystal to look upon, stretched forth over their heads above.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And as it were the form of the appearance of an awesome crystal extended above the heads of the beasts

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the likeness over the heads of the living creatures was as a firmament, as the appearance of crystal, spread out over their wings above.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And over the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of the firmament, as the appearance of crystal terrible to behold, and stretched out over their heads above.

English Revised Version
And over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of a firmament, like the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Something like a dome was spread over the heads of the living creatures. It looked like dazzling crystal.

Good News Translation
Above the heads of the creatures there was something that looked like a dome made of dazzling crystal.

International Standard Version
There was spread out over the heads of the living beings what looked like a canopy, in outward appearance resembling ice,

JPS Tanakh 1917
And over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of a firmament, like the colour of the terrible ice, stretched forth over their heads above.

Literal Standard Version
And over the heads of the living creatures—a likeness of an expanse, as the color of the fearful ice, stretched out over their heads from above.

Majority Standard Bible
Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of an awesome expanse, gleaming like crystal.

New American Bible
Above the heads of the living creatures was a likeness of the firmament; it was awesome, stretching upwards like shining crystal over their heads.

NET Bible
Over the heads of the living beings was something like a platform, glittering awesomely like ice, stretched out over their heads.

New Revised Standard Version
Over the heads of the living creatures there was something like a dome, shining like crystal, spread out above their heads.

New Heart English Bible
And over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of an expanse, like glittering ice, it was awesome to look upon, stretched out over their heads above.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the color of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.

World English Bible
Over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of an expanse, like an awesome crystal to look at, stretched out over their heads above.

Young's Literal Translation
And a likeness is over the heads of the living creatures of an expanse, as the colour of the fearful ice, stretched out over their heads from above.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Divine Glory
22Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of an awesome expanse, gleaming like crystal. 23And under the expanse, their wings stretched out toward one another. Each one also had two wings covering its body.…

Cross References
Revelation 4:6
And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, as clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, covered with eyes in front and back.

Ezekiel 1:25
And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood still with their wings lowered.

Ezekiel 1:26
Above the expanse over their heads was the likeness of a throne with the appearance of sapphire, and on the throne high above was a figure like that of a man.

Ezekiel 10:1
And I looked and saw above the expanse, above the heads of the cherubim, the likeness of a throne of sapphire.

Ezekiel 10:20
These were the living creatures I had seen beneath the God of Israel by the River Kebar, and I knew that they were cherubim.


Treasury of Scripture

And the likeness of the firmament on the heads of the living creature was as the color of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.

the likeness

Ezekiel 1:26
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.

Ezekiel 10:1
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.

Exodus 24:10
And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.

crystal

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Arch Awesome Beings Color Colour Creature Creatures Crystal Expanse Firmament Form Forth Gleam Head Heads Ice Likeness Shining Something Spread Stretched Terrible
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Arch Awesome Beings Color Colour Creature Creatures Crystal Expanse Firmament Form Forth Gleam Head Heads Ice Likeness Shining Something Spread Stretched Terrible
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.














(22) The likeness of the firmament.--The word rendered "firmament" has undoubtedly originated, etymologically, from a verb originally signifying to beat out, as in the case of metals; but the derivative word, in its use in connection with the heavens, had wholly lost this reference, and had come to mean simply an expanse. The Hebrews do not appear to have ever entertained the classical idea of the sky as a metallic vault, the only passage seeming to indicate such a notion (Job 37:18) being capable of quite a different explanation. We are here to conceive, therefore, of that which was "stretched forth over their heads above" as a simple expanse, like the sky, as if he had said, "And above their heads was stretched forth the sky." This expanse is not represented as supported by the cherubim, or resting upon them, and it remained undisturbed when they let down their wings (Ezekiel 1:25). It was simply "stretched forth over their heads," at once separating them from, and yet uniting them with, the throne above. It fulfils, therefore, the complementary part to the wheels. They connected the vision with the earth; this connects it with God.

The colour of the terrible crystal--The expression "crystal" is doubtless derived from Exodus 24:10, as in turn it became the foundation for Revelation 4:6. Yet it is not here any particular crystal; the word is Merely used to convey some idea of the appearance of the expanse beneath the throne, clear as crystal, terrible in its dazzling brightness.

Verse 22. - And the likeness of the firmament, etc. The word is the same as that in Genesis 1, passim; Psalm 19:1; cf. 1; Daniel 12:3. It meets us again in vers. 23, 25, 26, and in 10:1, but does not occur elsewhere in the Old Testament. What met the prophet's eye was the expanse, the "body of heaven in its clearness" (Exodus 24:10), the deep intense blue of an Eastern sky. Like the colour of the terrible crystal, etc. The Hebrew noun is not found elsewhere. Its primary meaning, like that of the Greek κρύσταλλος, is that of "cold," and I incline therefore to the margin of the Revised Version, "ice." Rock crystal, seen, as it is, in small masses, and in its pure colourless transparency, hardly suggests the idea of terror; but the intense brightness of masses of ice, as shining in the morning sun, might well make that impression. Had Ezekiel seen the glories of a mountain throne of ice as he looked up, on his nay from Palestine to Chaldea, at the heights of Lebanon, or Hermon, and thought of them as the fitting symbol of the throne of God? We note, in this connection, the use of "terrible" in Job 37:22 (see note on ver. 4).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Spread out
נָט֥וּי (nā·ṭui)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 5186: To stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend

above
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the heads
רָאשֵׁ֤י (rā·šê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 7218: The head

of the living creatures
הַחַיָּה֙ (ha·ḥay·yāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life

[was] the shape
וּדְמ֞וּת (ū·ḏə·mūṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1823: Resemblance, model, shape, like

on an awesome
הַנּוֹרָ֑א (han·nō·w·rā)
Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

expanse,
רָקִ֔יעַ (rā·qî·a‘)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7549: An expanse, the firmament, visible arch of the sky

gleaming
כְּעֵ֖ין (kə·‘ên)
Preposition-k | Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

like crystal.
הַקֶּ֣רַח (haq·qe·raḥ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7140: Ice, hail, rock crystal


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 1:22 Over the head of the living creature (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 1:21
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