Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 8:2
Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the color of amber.
2. as the appearance of fire ] More naturally, the appearance of a man, as LXX., cf. ch. Eze 1:26-27, “the appearance of a man” (a different word, however), where the description is the same, viz. fire from the loins downwards and amber from the loins upwards. The prophet speaks with reverential vagueness of God “a likeness as the appearance of a man,” and “he put forth the likeness of a hand.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The appearance of fire – In margin reference, seen as the appearance of a man enthroned upon the cherubim. Here He stands apart from the throne revealing Himself to His servant. Compare Dan 3:25 note.
Amber – See the margin reference note.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. The appearance of fire] See Clarke on Eze 1:27.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A likeness of a man; that man whom he had seen upon the throne, i.e. of Christ.
The appearance of fire: see Eze 1:26-28. This fire denotes the wrath of God against Jerusalem, and it is observed it was fire downward, wrath already coming down upon the Jews.
The appearance of brightness, to signify the majesty and glory of Christ. See more Eze 1:27.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. likenessunderstand, “ofa man,” that is, of Messiah, the Angel of the covenant, in theperson of whom alone God manifests Himself (Eze 1:26;Joh 1:18). The “fire,”from “His loins downward,” betokens the vengeance of Godkindled against the wicked Jews, while searching and purifying theremnant to be spared. The “brightness . . . upward”betokens His unapproachable majesty (1Ti6:16). For Hebrew, eesh, “fire,” the Septuagint,&c., read ish, “a man.”
colour of ambertheglitter of chasmal [FAIRBAIRN],(see on Eze 1:4, “polishedbrass”).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And then one beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire,…. The Septuagint and Arabic versions render it, “behold the likeness of a man”; reading , “a man”, for , “fire”; but without supposing such a reading, for which there is no foundation, this likeness may very well be understood of the likeness of a man; since mention is made of his joins in the next clause, and of his hand in Eze 8:3; and the description agrees with the appearance of a man in Eze 1:26; it was usual for the Son of God, who doubtless is here meant, to appear in a human form; and so Junius and Tremellius supply the words,
“and lo a likeness “of a man”, as in the appearance of fire:”
it was the form of a fiery man that was seen, as he is further described:
from the appearance of his loins, even downward, fire; his lower parts, thighs, legs, and feet; expressive either of the light of grace communicated from Christ to his people; or of his fervent love towards them, or flaming zeal for God and his house; or rather of his wrath against an idolatrous people; see Re 1:15; a like description is in Eze 1:27;
and from his loins, even upward, as the appearance of brightness; his upper parts, back, belly, breast, shoulders, arms, head, c. which may denote his incomprehensible majesty and glory his glory being the glory of the only begotten, the brightness of his Father’s glory, and the express image of his person. The Targum renders both the one and the other part of the description thus,
“and I saw, and twelve a likeness as the look of fire, the look of glory, which the eye cannot see, nor is it possible to look upon it; and beneath the look of fire, and the look of glory, which the eye cannot behold, nor is it possible to contemplate it; and above, as the look of brightness:”
as the colour of amber: or “chasmal”: which some take to be the name of an angel. The Syriac version is, “as the look of God”;
[See comments on Eze 1:4]; and
[See comments on Eze 1:27].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Some translate the last word angel, but in my opinion erroneously: for עין, gnin, properly signifies color, and I have already refuted that error in the first chapter. I am not clear as to what color it was, hence I follow the received opinion that, it was like amber. Now the Prophet says, he saw a likeness, or image composed of two parts; for from the loins downward it was like fire, but upwards it was brightness. By the word דמות, demoth, I do not doubt that he means the image of a man. God, therefore, appeared to his servant under some image; nor is the human figure out of place, because if it had been any other figure without doubt the Prophet had been silent. But we have already seen that God had put on the human form, and so represented himself in the person of his only begotten Son, as we have said, and shall see again in the tenth chapter. This, therefore, is the likeness of which the Prophet speaks, but he uses this word on purpose, that we may know that it was not a true and solid and substantial thing called body. As to the Prophet’s beholding a figure or likeness, this took place only in a bare vision, not that God then put on a body; and concerning this point also I have treated at length in the first chapter, and shortly I shall glance at it again. Now as to his saying, one part of the figure was fiery, but in another, the aspect of splendor, he seems here to express what the Jews ought to hope for, when at length they perceived God to be near, from whom they thought themselves very far off, since they so boldly despised his law and all the prophecies. As to the splendor, God’s majesty and incomprehensible glory is signified. For if brightness blinds our eyes, what would happen if we endeavor to penetrate to that immense light of which the sun is only a little spark? Since, therefore, Ezekiel says, there was the likeness of splendor above his loins, he doubtless shows how formidable the majesty of God ought to be to us. For God dwells in light, but inaccessible, as the Apostle says: but below, says he, was the appearance of fire, namely, because he must not. wait till the Jews received any joy from the presence of God. (1Ti 6:16.) We know, indeed, that hypocrites always boast rashly in the name of God, as Amos reproves them, What is to you the day of the Lord? it is a day of darkness and not light. (Amo 5:18.) For they boast that God would be entreated in their miseries, and that he must assist them, because he had taken them under his protection. The Prophet refutes this arrogance, and says, that the day of the Lord would be darkness. So also in this place, God appeared in the form of fire towards the earth, that the Jews should tremble when they saw the vengeance of God lighted up to consume them. Therefore in the splendor God’s majesty was shown, which humbled the Prophet and all the pious, that they should receive the vision reverently; for in the fire God’s vengeance was shown, lest the Jews should make for themselves too wide a shield of the name of God, which they extended falsely and fallaciously.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(2) A likeness as the appearance of fire.This is not, as often supposed, a reappearance of the vision of Ezekiel 1. That vision bursts again on the prophet after he has been carried in the spirit to the Temple at Jerusalem (Eze. 8:4). This is not expressly described as a human form, but from the mention of the loins, and of the form of an hand, in Eze. 8:3 it is implied that it was so. No further description is given, except that it was something bright and glorious like fire; and by the repetition of the words likeness, appearance, and form of an hand, the prophet here, as in Ezekiel 1, takes pains to show that it was only a vision, not an outward reality. It is also to be remembered that this and the subsequent vision occurred while the elders were sitting before the prophet. They saw nothing themselves, but must have witnessed his ecstasy, and thus have been prepared for his telling them at its close (Eze. 11:25) all the things that the Lord had showed him. The colour of amber is the same as in Eze. 1:4, where see Note.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. As the appearance of fire Literally, as the appearance of a man (Eze 1:26). The Hebrew words for “man” and “fire” are very nearly alike and have been mistaken here by some copyist. Here again we notice how guardedly the prophet speaks. He does not dare to say that he saw a man possessing Jehovah’s glory (see notes Eze 1:26-27), but he sees a “likeness as the appearance of a man,” who had the “appearance of brightness” and put forth the “likeness of a hand,” etc. This is evidently the same One formerly mentioned as the appearance of “a man upon the throne.” Whether the throne chariot accompanies him now is not stated.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Eze 8:2. Appearance of fire Of a man. Houbigant. See Eze 1:26.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
I do not presume to say as much, but I venture to believe, that this glorious vision was similar to Ezekiel’s former, (Eze 1:26 ) And was not this the Lord Jesus, the glory-man? Surely there can be no doubt, but that this Almighty Mediator, from the first hour he stood up at the call of Jehovah the Father in his office character, as the Great Head of his Church and people; had his delights, as he himself tells us, with the sons of men, Pro 8:31 . No sooner had he gone forth in acts of creation, but his holy soul longed for the open display to enter upon his acts of redemption. And until the fulness of time, already fixed on in the ancient settlements of eternity, for his manifestation in substance of our flesh openly and fully to appear; he gave proofs to his Church and people how earnest he was to enter upon, and finish the work the Father gave him to do, by the various appearances he made before them: sometimes in the form of man, and sometimes in that of an angel. Yes, thou dear Lord! thou didst plainly and clearly testify thereby, that thine own heart was with thy people, and all the tendencies of thy manifestation was love.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Eze 8:2 Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.
Ver. 2. Then I beheld, and lo a likeness. ] Of a man, likely. This was the Lord Christ, whose eyes are like a flaming fire, Rev 1:14 and even our God (as well as the Jews’ God) is a consuming fire. Heb 12:29 Here, in the fire, was set forth his vengeance against the wicked; in his brightness upwards, his majesty, say some; his clemency, say others.
As the colour of amber.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
lo. Figure of speech Asteriemos. App-6.
Fire = a man. So the Septuagint, reading “ish (App-14) instead of ‘esh = fire.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I beheld: Eze 1:4, Eze 1:26, Eze 1:27, Dan 7:9, Dan 7:10, Rev 1:14, Rev 1:15
amber: Amber is a hard, inflammable, bituminous substance, of a beautiful yellow colour, very transparent, and susceptible of an exquisite polish. When rubbed it is highly endowed with electricity; a name which the moderns have formed from its Greek name . But, as amber becomes dim as soon as it feels the fire, and is speedily consumed, it is probable that the original chashmal which Bochart derives from the Chaldee nechash copper, and melala gold, was a mixed metal, similar to that which the Greeks called , electrum, as the LXX and Vulgate render, from its resemblance to amber in colour.
Reciprocal: Phi 2:6 – thought
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 8:2. God never appears In person before fleshly man, but doeB the work through a spiritual representative, Such a personage was sent to Ezekiel for the momentous occasion at hand. (See a similar incident in Rev 1:14-15.)
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eze 8:2. I beheld, and lo a likeness Namely, of a man; the man whom he had seen upon the throne; as the appearance of fire This seems to have been the same appearance as that mentioned before, Eze 1:27, signifying that God was about to inflict heavy judgments on the Jewish nation, but so as not entirely to destroy it. It is probable, while those who are here called the elders of Judah were sitting before the prophet with silence and attention, waiting for an answer to some inquiries they had made of him, as Gods prophet, concerning what was to be the future condition of the Jewish nation, that Ezekiel was on a sudden seized with an ecstasy, and had the things he gives an account of in the following verses presented before his eyes; or such a strong impression of them made upon his mind, that it seemed to him as if he actually saw them.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
8:2 Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of {c} fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.
(c) As in Eze 1:27 .
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Ezekiel had another vision of God. The description of God is the same as what the prophet wrote that he saw by the river Chebar (Eze 1:27). The description of God stresses His holiness.