Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 1:20

Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither [was their] spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature [was] in the wheels.

20. thither was their spirit to go ] Rather, the spirit, i.e. the general spirit moving the whole manifestation. The words are wanting in LXX., and are possibly an accidental repetition of those in the beginning of the verse; or they are a somewhat loose and elliptical repetition attached to “they went,” in which case they should rather be rendered, whither the spirit was to go.

spirit of the living creature ] The marg. “spirit of life” is to be deleted. The “living creature” is hardly the complex being formed by the four living creatures; the four were exactly alike, and the term is used generically ( Eze 1:22, ch. Eze 10:20) to express the kind of creature.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Whithersoever the spirit of the four living creatures was to go, the wheels went – there was the spirit of the wheels to go. All four creatures together with their wheels are here called the living creature, because they formed a whole, one in motion, and in will, for one spirit was in them.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Eze 1:20

Whithersoever the Spirit was to go, they went.

The nobility of a devout soul under the Spirits influence

Oh for conquering grace to crush down self. I would be as a grain of dust blown in the summer gale without power to change my course, carried by the irresistible breath of God; forever made willingly unwilling to will anything but the will of my Lord. I would be as a tiny straw borne along by the Gulf Stream, carried wherever the warm love of God shall bear me, self delighting to lie low and see the Lord alone exalted. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

For the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

The unity of Providence

The bosom of Providence is the great moral crucible in which things work, in which they work together. They assimilate, repel, interpenetrate, change each other; and then leave as resultant one grand influence in the main for each character, for each man. All things work together, not in an aimless and capricious manner, for this end and for that, now in one way and now in another, as though a stream should one day flow seaward, and the next back toward its fountain among the hills, but in one volume, along one channel, in one direction, toward one end. (A. Raleigh, D. D.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 20. The spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.] That is, the wheels were instinct with a vital spirit; the wheels were alive, they also were animals, or endued with animal life, as the creatures were that stood upon them. Here then is the chariot of Jehovah. There are four wheels, on each of which one of the compound animals stands; the four compound animals form the body of the chariot, their wings spread horizontally above, forming the canopy or covering of this chariot; on the top of which, or upon the extended wings of the four living creatures, was the throne, on which was the appearance of a man, Eze 1:26.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Whithersoever the spirit; either the will and inclination of the living creatures, or rather the Spirit of God which moved the living creatures, gave them motion and guided it; these angels in their ministry punctually observed both the impulse and the conduct of Gods Spirit.

Was to go: of this phrase applied to the Spirit, see Eze 1:12. They went; the wheels, those inferior agents and second causes.

Thither was their spirit to go; the inclination and will of the wheels concurred with the spirit of the living creatures, so that there was a hearty accord between those superior and inferior causes, they agreed in the same design.

And the wheels were lifted up over against them: there seems to be an ellipsis here, the latter part of the speech expressed, and the former implied only; as it was in the progressive motion, so in the motion upward, they accorded, and kept the same order.

For the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels; one and the same spirit was in both the wheels and living creatures, and so the same inclination and motion too.

Of the living, Heb. of life, the quickening, enlivening Spirit; hence some will have the wheels to be living creatures, but without this it is enough to represent to the prophet what was the frame and course of Providence, and who did preside and manage all. An undiscerned, yet Divine, mighty, wise, just, and holy, and ever-living, Power, Spirit, and Being actuated all, and governed all, to the execution of justice on the wicked, and protection of the godly.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

20. the spirit was to gothatis, their will was for going whithersoever the Spirit was for going.

over against themrather,beside or in conjunction with them.

spirit of the livingcreatureput collectively for “the living creatures“;the cherubim. Having first viewed them separately, he next views themin the aggregate as the composite living creature in which theSpirit resided. The life intended is that connected with God, holy,spiritual life, in the plenitude of its active power.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Whithersoever the spirit was to go they went,…. That is, the Spirit of God; wherever that leads and directs, whether in the paths of faith or duty, they follow; they walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit; he guides their feet in the way of peace, and into all truth; and leads them in a right way to the land of uprightness:

thither [was their] spirit to go; their spirits or souls being regenerated by the spirit of God, are moved and actuated by him, and readily go where that directs:

and the wheels were lifted up over against them; that is, over against the living creatures; being by their sides going where they go, and being lifted up when they are:

for the spirit of the living creature [was] in the wheels; the same Spirit of God, which is a spirit of life, a quickening spirit, and a free spirit; which gives motion and liberty in religious exercises; that which is in the ministers of the Gospel is in the churches of God; there is but one Spirit, and ministers and members are actuated and influenced by it; see Eph 4:4.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Thus I arrange the clauses, for though others join the first; clause with the second part of the verse, it is too forced. Therefore the Prophet repeats what he had said, though he is rather prolix. Afterwards he adds, that the wheels were raised, taking the word generally for elevated, but not exactly as in the last and next verse. I now add the next verse —

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(20, 21) The spirit of the living creatureNot, as in the margin, the spirit of life. The object of Eze. 1:19-21 is by every repetition and variety of expression to represent the living creatures and the wheels as one, animated by one spirit, and moved by one impulse. The word is the same throughout, and there was no spirit of life in the wheels independent of that of the living creatures. All formed together one strange, symbolic whole.

The mention in Eze. 1:19-21 of the wheels being lifted up from the earth simultaneously with the living creatures is not in opposition to the symbolism already explained, of the wheels resting upon the earth. That was to show that Gods purposes are carried out as He wills in this world. This brings out, in addition, the perfect harmony of these purposes, whether relating to earth or to heaven.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

20, 21. Over against them That is, beside them.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments