Ezekiel 1:26

“And above the vault that was over their heads, like the appearance of a sapphire stone, was the likeness of a throne; and on the likeness of the throne was a likeness like the appearance of a human being on it, above.”
Ezekiel 1:26 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

And aboveוּמִמַּעַלthe vaultלָרָקִיעַthat wasאֲשֶׁרoverעַלtheir heads,רֹאשָׁםlike the appearanceכְּמַרְאֵהof a sapphireסַפִּירstone,אֶבֶןwas the likenessדְּמוּתof a throne;כִּסֵּאand onוְעַלthe likenessדְּמוּתof the throneהַכִּסֵּאwas a likenessדְּמוּתlike the appearanceכְּמַרְאֵהof a human beingאָדָםon it,עָלָיוabove.מִלְמָעְלָה

Allusion · Revelation 4:3

Go to Revelation 4:3

Both texts describe the throne with precious stones and a rainbow around it.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

דְּמוּתdemutH1823ὅμοιοςhomoiosG3664“likeness”
מַרְאֵהmareH4758ὁράσειhoraseiG3706“appearance, vision, sight”
אֶבֶןevenH68λίθῳlithōiG3037“stone”
קֶּשֶׁתkeshetH7198ἶριςirisG2463“bow, rainbow”
סָבִיבsavivH5439κυκλόθενkyklothenG2943“around”
כִּסֵּאkiseH3678θρόνουthronouG2362“throne, seat”

Ezekiel 1:26, word by word

And aboveמַּעַלmaal

above

Upward, above; with ages, "twenty years old or more".

Where else “maal” appears

the vaultרָקִיעַrakia

vault

Something spread out and firm, like a sheet of metal beaten with a hammer. It is the "vault" of the heavens: what is seen above, like a roof spread over the earth, which God set to separate the waters below from the waters above; God called it "heavens".

Where else “rakia” appears

their headsרֹאשָׁrosha

head

The upper part of the body, where the face and hair are.

Where else “rosha” appears

like the appearanceמַרְאֵהmare

appearance

The appearance of someone or something: how it looks, beautiful or ugly.

Where else “mare” appears

of a sapphireסַפִּירsapir

sapphire

A blue precious stone, called "sapphire"; perhaps lapis lazuli.

Where else “sapir” appears

stoneאֶבֶןeven

stone

A piece of rock, large or small, used for building, marking or throwing.

Where else “even” appears

was the likenessדְּמוּתdemut

likeness

Likeness, resemblance; form, model; "like". It goes with "image": the human being was made to be like God in some way and to represent him, without being equal to him.

Where else “demut” appears

of a throneכִּסֵּאkise

throne

Literally "the seat": the king's chair, or YHWH's, from which he rules.

Where else “kise” appears

of a human beingאָדָםadam

human being

All humankind, men and women, as creatures God formed.

Where else “adam” appears

The context

25And there was a voice from above the vault that was over their heads; when they stood still, they let down their wings.

26 · This verse (above)

27And I saw something like the gleam of shining metal, like the appearance of fire enclosing it all around, from the appearance of his loins and upward; and from the appearance of his loins and downward I saw something like the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him.

Read all of Ezekiel 1

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