Ezekiel 10
Commentary from 6 fathers
And he said to the man clothed with the [long] robe, Go in between the wheels that are under the cherubs, and fill thine hands with coals of fire from between the cherubs, and scatter [them] over the city. And he went in in my sight.
καὶ εἶπε πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα τὸν ἐνδεδυκότα τὴν στολήν· εἴσελθε εἰς τὸ μέσον τῶν τροχῶν τῶν ὑποκάτω τῶν Χερουβὶμ καὶ πλῆσον τὰς δράκας σου ἀνθράκων πυρὸς ἐκ μέσου τῶν Χερουβὶμ καὶ διασκόρπισον ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν· καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ἐνώπιον ἐμοῦ.
И҆ речѐ къ мꙋ́жꙋ ѡ҆блече́номꙋ во ᲂу҆́тварь: вни́ди средѣ̀ коле́съ, ꙗ҆̀же под̾ херꙋві́мами, и҆ напо́лни гѡ́рсти твоѧ̑ ᲂу҆́глїѧ ѻ҆́гненнагѡ ѿ среды̀ херꙋві́мѡвъ и҆ разсы́пли на гра́дъ. И҆ вни́де предо мно́ю:
But now, as for the command given to the man who was clothed in linen — for which the Seventy in this place translated 'robe' — that he should take coals of fire from the midst of the Cherubim and pour them out, or scatter them, upon the city, it seems to me to show this: that after the slaying and slaughter of many, and the corpses of the dead in the streets, coals of fire are taken up to purge, or cleanse, Jerusalem, according to what is written in Isaiah: He will sanctify him in burning fire, and will devour the material like hay. These are the coals which, as a remedy for the tongue and for lying, laying waste vices and sins, the prophet, when questioned, longs for: What shall be given to you, and what shall be added to you against a deceitful tongue? The sharp arrows of the mighty, with desolating coals; and we shall be able to find many things of this kind in the holy Scriptures, of which we have often spoken. This only is to be noted: that in Isaiah, who had sinned only in speech and had said that he had unclean lips, a single coal is taken up with tongs to purge him; here, however, since the city was full of iniquity and, after the punishments, of the corpses of the dead, many coals of fire are taken up, and not with one hand but with both, so that all Jerusalem may be purged — although this too may be understood: that the coals of fire are to be taken up not for purging but for punishments and torments, to be poured out upon Jerusalem —.
Commentary on EzekielAnd he went in in my sight. Now the Cherubim were standing on the right side of the house when the man went in, and a cloud filled the inner court. And the glory of the Lord was lifted up from above the Cherub to the threshold of the house, and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the Lord. And the sound of the wings of the Cherubim was heard as far as the outer court, like the voice of God almighty speaking. And when he had commanded the man who was clothed in linen, saying: Take fire from the midst of the wheels that are between the Cherubim, he went in and stood beside the wheel; and a Cherub stretched out his hand from the midst of the Cherubim to the fire that was between the Cherubim, and took it, and gave it into the hand of him who was clothed in linen; who, receiving it, went out. And there appeared in the Cherubim the likeness of a man's hand beneath their wings. While the prophet looks on, the man goes in who was clothed in a garment reaching to the feet, or in linen — and, as the Seventy now change their rendering, in a 'holy robe', although among the Hebrews there is one and the same word, 'baddim' [linen garments], and the other translators persist in the rendering they began with —.
Commentary on EzekielAnd the cherubs stood on the right hand of the house, as the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.
καὶ τὰ Χερουβὶμ εἰστήκει ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ οἴκου ἐν τῷ εἰσπορεύεσθαι τὸν ἄνδρα, καὶ ἡ νεφέλη ἔπλησε τὴν αὐλὴν τὴν ἐσωτέραν.
херꙋві́ми же стоѧ́хꙋ ѡ҆деснꙋ́ю до́мꙋ, внегда̀ вхожда́ше мꙋ́жъ, и҆ ѡ҆́блакъ напо́лни дво́ръ внꙋ́треннїй.
Now as the man who was clothed in linen garments went in, the Cherubim were standing on the right side of the house, so that the holy powers on high might be seen to hold the right-hand part of the house of God, and those that are sent for punishments — of whom it is written: A sending through most evil angels — may be believed to occupy the left-hand parts. And when the glory of the Lord had been lifted up from the Cherub who was about to hand the coals of fire to the man, and had passed over to the threshold of the house, at once the inner court is filled with cloud, darkness and gloom; for punishments are not carried out while the majesty of the Lord is present, and the glory of the Lord is seen in the court, of which it is written: The sound of the wings of the Cherubim was heard as far as the outer court. For 'sound' the Hebrew has 'voice', and this voice had the likeness of the voice of God almighty speaking — for which the Seventy translated 'like the voice of God saddai', which Aquila, Symmachus and Theodotion translated as ἱκανόν, which signifies 'strong and mighty' —.
Commentary on EzekielThen the glory of the Lord departed from the cherubs to the porch of the house; and the cloud filled the house, and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the Lord.
:
И҆ воздви́жесѧ сла́ва гдⷭ҇нѧ ѿ херꙋві́мѡвъ въ непокрове́нїе до́мꙋ, и҆ напо́лни до́мъ ѡ҆́блакъ, и҆ дво́ръ напо́лнисѧ сїѧ́нїѧ сла́вы гдⷭ҇ни:
To Ezekiel he made appear a driver in human form, flame-shaped and fire-tongued in a chariot composed of various forms. And he showed to him cherubim composed of various wild beasts, and a cherub's hand extended like a man's from the midst of the cherubim.
ON GOD 118The prophet did not see the throne but the likeness of the throne, just as he said earlier that he did not see the glory of the Lord but the likeness of the glory of the Lord.
EXCERPTS ON EZEKIEL 10And the sound of the cherubs’ wings was heard as far as the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God speaking.
καὶ φωνὴ τῶν πτερύγων τῶν Χερουβὶμ ἠκούετο ἕως τῆς αὐλῆς τῆς ἐξωτέρας ὡς φωνὴ Θεοῦ Σαδδαΐ λαλοῦντος.
и҆ гла́съ кри́лъ херꙋві́мскихъ слы́шашесѧ да́же до внѣ́шнѧгѡ двора̀, ꙗ҆́коже гла́съ бг҃а саддаі̀ гл҃ющагѡ.
The prophet Ezekiel clearly declares that "cherubim" is the name of the angelic powers that he describes as having appeared to him with wings, according to the pattern in which they are ordered to be deployed here.
On the Tabernacle 1:5.25:18-21And it came to pass, when he gave a charge to the man clothed with the sacred robe, saying, Take fire from between the wheels from between the cherubs, that he went in, and stood near the wheels.
И҆ бы́сть внегда̀ заповѣ́даше мꙋ́жꙋ ѡ҆блече́номꙋ во ᲂу҆́тварь ст҃ꙋ́ю, гл҃ѧ: возмѝ ѻ҆́гнь ѿ среды̀ коле́съ, и҆́же средѣ̀ херꙋві́мѡвъ. И҆ вни́де и҆ ста̀ бли́з̾ коле́съ.
And he goes in, as is said a second time, into the midst of the wheels that are beneath the Cherubim, to fill his hands with coals of fire. When he had gone in, he only stood beside the wheel and, stunned either by sorrow for Jerusalem that was to be punished or by the greatness of the glory, did not himself put his hand to the fire; but one of the Cherubim, that is, a Cherub, put out his hand and took the fire that was in the midst of the Cherubim and gave it into the hand of him who was clothed in linen garments; who, receiving it, went out; and yet Scripture does not say what he did when he had gone out, so as to leave the narration of a sad event to our understanding rather than set it before our eyes.
Commentary on EzekielAnd he stretched forth his hand into the midst of the fire that was between the cherubs, and took [thereof], and put [it] into the hands of the man clothed with the sacred robe: and he took [it], and went out.
καὶ ἐξέτεινε τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ εἰς μέσον τοῦ πυρὸς τοῦ ὄντος ἐν μέσῳ τῶν Χερουβὶμ καὶ ἔλαβε καὶ ἔδωκεν εἰς τὰς χεῖρας τοῦ ἐνδεδυκότος τὴν στολὴν τὴν ἁγίαν, καὶ ἔλαβε καὶ ἐξῆλθε.
И҆ прострѐ херꙋві́мъ рꙋ́кꙋ свою̀ въ среди́нꙋ ѻ҆гнѧ̀ сꙋ́щагѡ средѣ̀ херꙋві́мѡвъ, и҆ взѧ̀ и҆ вдадѐ въ рꙋ́цѣ ѡ҆болче́номꙋ во ᲂу҆́тварь ст҃ꙋ́ю, и҆ взѧ̀ и҆ и҆зы́де.
And I saw the cherubs [having] the likeness of men’s hands under their wings.
καὶ εἶδον τὰ Χερουβὶμ ὁμοίωμα χειρῶν ἀνθρώπων ὑποκάτωθεν τῶν πτερύγων αὐτῶν.
И҆ ви́дѣхъ херꙋві́мы, и҆ сѐ, подо́бїе рꙋ́къ человѣ́чихъ под̾ кри́лы и҆́хъ.
Note, reader, in what points the former vision and this one agree or disagree, so that from the comparison of the two, without any prompting from us, you may understand the divine mysteries; note also what I pointed out before: how in the firmament, and in the throne, and in the hand of a man, not the reality but the likeness is spoken of; for we do not contemplate the glory of the Lord face to face with unveiled countenance, but we see all things in likeness and image, as long as we are encompassed by a frail and corruptible body.
Commentary on EzekielAnd I saw, and behold, four wheels stood by the cherubs, one wheel by each cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the appearance of a carbuncle stone.
καὶ εἶδον καὶ ἰδοὺ τροχοὶ τέσσαρες εἱστήκεισαν ἐχόμενοι τῶν Χερουβίμ, τροχὸς εἷς ἐχόμενος Χερουβὶμ ἑνός, καὶ ἡ ὄψις τῶν τροχῶν ὡς ὄψις λίθου ἄνθρακος.
И҆ ви́дѣхъ, и҆ сѐ, четы́ри коле́са стоѧ́хꙋ держа́щесѧ херꙋві́мѡвъ: ко́ло є҆ди́но держа́шесѧ є҆ди́нагѡ херꙋві́ма, и҆ ко́ло є҆ди́но держа́шесѧ дрꙋга́гѡ херꙋві́ма: взо́ръ же коле́съ ꙗ҆́коже взо́ръ ка́менїѧ а҆нѳра́ѯа:
And I looked, and behold, four wheels beside the Cherubim; one wheel beside one Cherub, and another wheel beside one Cherub, and the appearance of the wheels was like the sight of a chrysolite stone, and their aspect was one likeness for the four, as if a wheel were in the midst of a wheel. And when they went in four directions, they went and did not turn back as they went, but to the place to which the first one turned to go, the others also followed and did not turn about. And their whole body and necks and hands and wings and rims were full of eyes round about the four wheels; and these wheels he called whirling, in my hearing. Now one had four faces: the one face the face of a Cherub, and the second face the face of a man, and in the third the face of a lion, and in the fourth the face of an eagle. And the Cherubim were lifted up. Observe that earlier, according to the Seventy, the appearance of the wheels was Like the sight of 'tharsis', but now, according to the same: Like the sight of 'carbuncle', so that by the fire that is handed over by the Cherub a likeness of the punishments may be shown — although in the Hebrew, both above and here, 'tharsis' is written, which Aquila translated 'chrysolite' and Symmachus 'hyacinth' —.
Commentary on EzekielAnd [as for] their appearance, [there was] one likeness to the four, as if there should be a wheel in the midst of a wheel.
и҆ взо́ръ и҆́хъ подо́бїе є҆ди́но четы́ремъ, а҆́кибы бы́ло ко́ло въ колесѝ:
When they went, they went on their four sides; they turned not when they went, for whichever way the first head looked, they went; and they turned not as they went.
ἐν τῷ πορεύεσθαι αὐτὰ εἰς τὰ τέσσαρα μέρη αὐτῶν ἐπορεύοντο, οὐκ ἐπέστρεφον ἐν τῷ πορεύεσθαι αὐτά· ὅτι εἰς ὃν ἂν τόπον ἐπέβλεψεν ἡ ἀρχὴ ἡ μία, ἐπορεύοντο καὶ οὐκ ἐπέστρεφον ἐν τῷ πορεύεσθαι αὐτά.
внегда̀ и҆дѧ́хꙋ, на четы́ри ча̑сти и҆́хъ и҆дѧ́хꙋ, и҆ не ѡ҆браща́хꙋсѧ внегда̀ и҆дѧ́хꙋ: ꙗ҆́кѡ, на не́же мѣ́сто а҆́ще зрѧ́ше нача́ло є҆ди́но, и҆дѧ́хꙋ (в̾слѣ́дъ є҆гѡ̀), и҆ не ѡ҆браща́хꙋсѧ, внегда̀ и҆тѝ и҆̀мъ.
And their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about the four wheels.
καὶ οἱ νῶτοι αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ χεῖρες αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ πτέρυγες αὐτῶν καὶ οἱ τροχοὶ πλήρεις ὀφθαλμῶν κυκλόθεν τοῖς τέσσαρσι τροχοῖς αὐτῶν·
Всѧ̑ же тѣлеса̀ и҆́хъ и҆ хребты̀ и҆́хъ, и҆ рꙋ́цѣ и҆́хъ и҆ кри́ла и҆́хъ и҆ коле́са пѡ́лна ѻ҆че́съ ѡ҆́крестъ четы́рехъ коле́съ.
Wherefore those who are over others are to be admonished, that through earnestness of circumspection they have eyes watchful within and round about, and strive to become living creatures of heaven. For the living creatures of heaven are described as full of eyes round about and within. And so it is meet that those who are over others should have eyes within and round about, so as both in themselves to study to please the inward judge, and also, affording outwardly examples of life, to detect the things that should be corrected in others.
Subjects are to be admonished that they judge not rashly the lives of their superiors, if perchance they see them act blamably in anything, lest whence they rightly find fault with evil they thence be sunk by the impulse of elation to lower depths. They are to be admonished that, when they consider the faults of their superiors, they grow not too bold against them, but, if any of their deeds are exceedingly bad, so judge of them within themselves that, constrained by the fear of God, they still refuse not to bear the yoke of reverence under them.
Pastoral Rule, Part 3, Chapter 4And again, where we rendered: And their whole 'body', with 'of the wheels' understood, in the Hebrew it is written: And all their 'fleshes', and necks and hands and wings and rims; note that flesh is spoken of in the heavenly powers, so that, when we read: Flesh and blood shall not possess the kingdom of God, nor corruption incorruption, we may know that not the substance of the flesh but its works are condemned: for 'basar', which is written in this place, signifies not 'body' but 'flesh'. Now by the rims of the wheels he meant the iron tires by which the roundness of the wood is bound and held tight. These wheels, moreover, have not only fleshes, or a body, or members, but also necks, hands and wings, so that in each of these we may perceive the workings of things, not images of members.
Commentary on EzekielAnd these wheels were called Gelgel in my hearing. [
τοῖς δὲ τροχοῖς τούτοις ἐπεκλήθη Γελγὲλ ἀκούοντός μου· [
Коле́самъ же си̑мъ воззва́сѧ ге́лгель, слы́шащꙋ мнѣ̀.
The 'wheels' themselves, too, are called in the Hebrew tongue 'gelgel', which Symmachus translated 'whirling' and Aquila 'wheel'.
Commentary on EzekielFurther, what follows: In my hearing, up to the place where it is written: The Cherubim were lifted up, is not found in the Seventy but has been added from the Hebrew.
Commentary on EzekielAnd every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third face the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.]*
Четы́ри же ли́ца коемꙋ́ждо и҆́хъ: є҆ди́номꙋ лицѐ херꙋві́мле, лице́ же дрꙋго́мꙋ лицѐ человѣ́чо, тре́тїе же лицѐ льво́во и҆ четве́ртое лицѐ ѻ҆́рлее.
In this it must be observed that it is by no means as is said above: The face of a man, and the face of a lion four, and the face of a calf on the left four, and the face of an eagle four on the right, so that, of course, some might be believed to be on the left and others on the right; rather, an equal order of them all is described, as Scripture says: Now one had four faces: the one face the face of a Cherub, and the second face the face of a man, and in the third the face of a lion, and in the fourth the face of an eagle, so that the first and second and third and fourth face is described not by a difference of place, right and left, but in a single order, by degrees. Now the one face, that is, the first, he called Cherub, where above he had said the face of a calf; from which it is understood that the face of a Cherub is the face of a calf. The sense of all these things is contained in the explanation of the former vision.
Commentary on EzekielAnd the cherubs were the same living creature which I saw by the river of Chobar.
καὶ ᾖραν τὰ Χερουβίμ. τοῦτο τὸ ζῷον, ὃ εἶδον ἐπὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ τοῦ Χοβάρ.
И҆ взѧ́шасѧ херꙋві́ми: сїѐ є҆́сть живо́тное, є҆́же ви́дѣхъ на рѣцѣ̀ хова́ръ.
But as for what is said: This is the living creature that I had seen beside the river Chebar, Scripture shows that in the exposition of the living creature we ought to understand the same things that we understood above.
Commentary on EzekielAnd when the cherubs went, the wheels went, and they were close to them: and when the cherubs lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, their wheels turned not.
καὶ ἐν τῷ πορεύεσθαι τὰ Χερουβὶμ ἐπορεύοντο οἱ τροχοί, καὶ οὗτοι ἐχόμενοι αὐτῶν· καὶ ἐν τῷ ἐξαίρειν τὰ Χερουβὶμ τὰς πτέρυγας αὐτῶν τοῦ μετεωρίζεσθαι ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς οὐκ ἐπέστρεφον οἱ τροχοὶ αὐτῶν.
И҆ є҆гда̀ и҆дѧ́хꙋ херꙋві́ми, и҆дѧ́хꙋ и҆ коле́са и҆́хъ, и҆ сі́и держа́хꙋсѧ и҆́хъ: и҆ внегда̀ воздвиза́хꙋ херꙋві́ми кри́ла своѧ̑, є҆́же возвы́ситисѧ ѿ землѝ, не ѡ҆браща́хꙋсѧ коле́са и҆́хъ, и҆ та̑ держа́хꙋсѧ и҆́хъ:
When they stood, [the wheels] stood; and when they mounted up, [the wheels] mounted up with them: because the spirit of life was in them.
ἐν τῷ ἑστάναι αὐτὰ εἱστήκεισαν, καὶ ἐν τῷ μετεωρίζεσθαι αὐτὰ ἐμετεωρίζοντο μετ᾿ αὐτῶν, διότι πνεῦμα ζωῆς ἐν αὐτοῖς ἦν.
є҆гда̀ стоѧ́хꙋ ті́и, стоѧ́хꙋ и҆ ѻ҆нѝ, и҆ внегда̀ возвыша́хꙋсѧ ті́и, возвыша́хꙋсѧ и҆ ѻ҆нѝ съ ни́ми: занѐ дꙋ́хъ жи́зни бѣ̀ въ ни́хъ.
This is the living creature that I had seen beside the river Chebar. And when the Cherubim went, the wheels also went alongside them; and when the Cherubim lifted their wings to be raised up from the earth, the wheels did not hold back, but they too were beside them. When those stood, these stood, and when those were lifted up, these were lifted up, for the spirit of life was in them. All things live to God and perceive their own Creator: He is not, you see, the God of the dead, but of the living. Hence also all the bodies of the wheels are full of eyes. And in the psalm it is said: The heavens tell the works of God, and the firmament proclaims the works of his hands. Day to day pours forth a word, and night to night shows knowledge; the sun too and the moon, the sea and the rivers, the mountains and the hills praise God, and the elements revolve in their own circuit year by year, and we discern on earth the order of the heavens, so that, keeping the order of the ancient law, they revolve and run, and we see nothing new upon the earth.
Commentary on EzekielThen the glory of the Lord departed from the house, and went up on the cherubs.
καὶ ἐξῆλθε δόξα Κυρίου ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴκου καὶ ἐπέβη ἐπὶ τὰ Χερουβίμ,
И҆ и҆зы́де сла́ва гдⷭ҇нѧ ѿ непокрове́нїѧ до́мꙋ и҆ взы́де на херꙋві́мы.
I linger long in the land of the midday sun, for it was there and then that the spouse found her bridegroom at rest and Joseph drank wine with his brothers once more. I will return to Jerusalem and, passing through Tekoa the home of Amos, I will look on the glistening cross of Mount Olive from which the Savior made his ascension to the Father. Here year by year a red heifer was burned as an offering to the Lord, and its ashes were used to purify the children of Israel. Here also according to Ezekiel the cherubim after leaving the temple founded the church of the Lord.
LETTER 108.12And the glory of the Lord went out from the threshold of the temple, and stood above the Cherubim; and the Cherubim, lifting their wings, were raised up from the earth before me, and as they went out the wheels also followed; and it stood at the entrance of the eastern gate of the house of the Lord, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. This is the living creature that I saw beneath the God of Israel beside the river Chebar, and I understood that they were Cherubim. Four by four faces to one, and four wings to one, and the likeness of a man's hand under their wings; and the likeness of their faces, the very faces that I had seen beside the river Chebar, and their gaze, and the onrush of each to go forward before its face. The glory of the Lord, or the majesty that had stood at the threshold of the temple, stood above the Cherubim, which, lifting their wings, were raised up while the prophet watched, the wheels following alike, and it stood at the entrance of the eastern gate of the house of the Lord, and little by little the protection of God left Israel. First it was in the temple; then it stood in the court of the temple, or at the threshold, and as it withdrew from the temple, cloud and gloom filled the inner recesses of the temple; and again the glory itself sat upon the Cherubim and, as they at once flew off and went away to the outer parts, the wheels followed; and the glory stood at the eastern gate of the house of the Lord, not at the door of the temple, but beyond the court and the threshold, at the entrance of the eastern gate of the house of the Lord.
Commentary on EzekielAnd the cherubs lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went forth, the wheels were also beside them, and they stood at the entrance of the front gate of the house of the Lord; and the glory of the God of Israel was upon them above.
καὶ ἀνέλαβον τὰ Χερουβὶμ τὰς πτέρυγας αὐτῶν καὶ ἐμετεωρίσθησαν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἐνώπιον ἐμοῦ ἐν τῷ ἐξελθεῖν αὐτά, καὶ οἱ τροχοὶ ἐχόμενοι αὐτῶν. καὶ ἔστησαν ἐπὶ τὰ πρόθυρα τῆς πύλης οἴκου Κυρίου τῆς ἀπέναντι, καὶ δόξα Θεοῦ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἦν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν ὑπεράνω.
И҆ воздвиго́ша херꙋві́ми кри́ла своѧ̑ и҆ возвы́сишасѧ ѿ землѝ предо мно́ю: є҆гда̀ и҆зыдо́ша ті́и, и҆ коле́са держа́хꙋсѧ и҆́хъ: и҆ ста́ша над̾ преддве́рїемъ вра́тъ до́мꙋ гдⷭ҇нѧ, ꙗ҆̀же проти́вꙋ восто́кꙋ, и҆ сла́ва гдⷭ҇а бг҃а і҆и҃лева бѣ̀ над̾ ни́ми свы́ше.
This is the living creature which I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chobar; and I knew that they were cherubs.
τοῦτο τὸ ζῷόν ἐστιν, ὃ εἶδον ὑποκάτω Θεοῦ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐπί τοῦ ποταμοῦ τοῦ Χοβάρ, καὶ ἔγνων ὅτι Χερουβίμ ἐστι.
Сїѐ живо́тное є҆́сть, є҆́же ви́дѣхъ под̾ бг҃омъ і҆и҃левымъ на рѣцѣ̀ хова́ръ, и҆ позна́хъ, ꙗ҆́кѡ херꙋві́ми сꙋ́ть.
When the prophet had seen this: This is, he says, the living creature that I saw beneath the God of Israel beside the river Chebar, and I understood that they were Cherubim. For what new thing did he see, that he should understand that they were Cherubim, which he had not understood before? 'Cherubim' in our language is 'multitude of knowledge', the knowledge of the mysteries of God, and his throne and resting place; hence also in the psalm it is said: You who sit upon the Cherubim, be made manifest; for the glory of the Lord always sits in the multitude of knowledge, and it is made manifest then: when all things are shown to be ruled by providence, and nothing to happen by chance, and no one to say: The Lord has forsaken the earth, and the Lord does not see; hence also the gaze of the Cherubim and their desire is to forget the things that are past and to stretch themselves forward to the things to come.
Commentary on EzekielEach one [had] four faces, and each one [had] eight wings; and under their wings was the likeness of men’s hands.
τέσσαρα πρόσωπα τῷ ἑνί, καὶ ὀκτὼ πτέρυγες τῷ ἑνί, καὶ ὁμοίωμα χειρῶν ἀνθρώπου ὑποκάτωθεν τῶν πτερύγων αὐτῶν.
Четы́ри ли́ца є҆ди́номꙋ, и҆ четы́ри кри́ла є҆ди́номꙋ, и҆ подо́бїе рꙋ́къ человѣ́чихъ под̾ кри́лы и҆́хъ.
Here God truly mounts and guides the soul. He always obtains the victory skillfully directing and leading with expertise the chariot of the soul to a heavenly mind forever. God does not wage war against wickedness, but since he possesses all power and authority of himself, he brings about the victory by himself. Therefore the cherubim go not where they wish but where the rider in control directs them. Wherever God inclines them, there they go, and he supports them.
FIFTY SPIRITUAL HOMILIES 1:9And [as for] the likeness of their faces, these are the [same] faces which I saw under the glory of the God of Israel by the river of Chobar: and they went each straight forward.
καὶ ὁμοίωσις τῶν προσώπων αὐτῶν, ταῦτα τὰ πρόσωπά ἐστιν ἃ εἶδον ὑποκάτω τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐπὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ τοῦ Χοβάρ, καὶ αὐτὰ ἕκαστον κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν ἐπορεύοντο. * [A note by Herb Swanson:] Since the very source of Ezekiel
И҆ подо́бїе ли́цъ и҆́хъ: сїѧ̑ ли́ца сꙋ́ть, ꙗ҆̀же ви́дѣхъ под̾ сла́вою бг҃а і҆и҃лева при рѣцѣ̀ хова́ръ воззрѣ́нїе и҆́хъ: и҆ сїѧ̑ ко́ждо прѧ́мѡ лицꙋ̀ своемꙋ̀ и҆дѧ́хꙋ.
Then I looked, and, behold, over the firmament that was above the head of the cherubs [there was] a likeness of a throne over them, as a sapphire stone.
:
И҆ ви́дѣхъ, и҆ сѐ, верхꙋ̀ тве́рди сꙋ́щїѧ над̾ главо́ю херꙋві́мѡвъ, ꙗ҆́кѡ ка́мень сапфі́ровый, подо́бїе престо́ла на ни́хъ.
And I looked, and behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the Cherubim, as it were a sapphire stone, as it were the appearance of the likeness of a throne appeared above it. And he spoke to the man who was clothed in linen, and said: Go in into the midst of the wheels that are beneath the Cherub, and fill your hands with coals of fire that are between the Cherubim, and pour them out upon the city. Concerning the firmament that was above the Cherub, and the sapphire stone that had the likeness of a throne, and the wheels that followed the living creatures, let it suffice to have spoken above, and let the reader be content with the explanation of those things.
Commentary on Ezekiel