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Friday, August 15th, 2025
the Week of Proper 14 / Ordinary 19
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The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Ezekiel 1:22

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

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Angel (a Spirit);   Crystal;   Thompson Chain Reference - Firmament;   Precious Stones;   Stones, Precious;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Cherubim;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Beasts;   Cherub;   Crystal;   Ezekiel;   Vision;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Cherubim;   Ezekiel;   Throne;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Crystal;   Frost;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Crystal;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Angel;   Cherub, Cherubim;   Crystal;   Ezekiel;   Firmament;   Heaven;   Likeness;   Living Beings, Living Creatures;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Isaiah, Book of;   Jewels and Precious Stones;   Seraphim;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Sea of Glass;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Crystal;   Firmament;   Living Creatures;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Cherub;   Crystal;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Crystal,;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Crystal;   Light;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Babylonish Captivity, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Cherubim (1);   Crystal;   Living Creature;   Stones, Precious:;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Astronomy;   Cabala;   Cherub;   Cosmogony;   Gems;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Over the heads of the living creatures the likeness of an expanse was spread out. It gleamed like awe-inspiring crystal,
Hebrew Names Version
Over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of an expanse, like the awesome crystal to look on, stretched forth over their heads above.
King James Version
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.
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.
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.
New Century Version
Now, over the heads of the living creatures was something like a dome that sparkled like ice and was frightening.
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.
World English Bible
Over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of an expanse, like the awesome crystal to look on, stretched forth over their heads above.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the similitude of the firmament vpon the heads of the beasts was wonderfull, like vnto chrystall, spred ouer their heads aboue.
New American Standard Bible (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.
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.
Contemporary English Version
Above the living creatures, I saw something that was sparkling like ice, and it reminded me of a dome. Each creature had two of its wings stretched out toward the creatures on either side, with the other two wings folded against its body.
Complete Jewish Bible
Over the heads of the living creatures was what appeared to be a dome glittering like ice; it was awesome, spread out over their heads, above them.
Darby Translation
And there was the likeness of an expanse over the heads of the living creature, as the look of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.
Easy-to-Read Version
There was an amazing thing over the heads of the living beings. It was like a bowl turned upside down, and the bowl was clear like crystal.
George Lamsa Translation
And over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of a firmament, resembling pure crystal, stretched out over their heads above.
Good News Translation
Above the heads of the creatures there was something that looked like a dome made of dazzling crystal.
Lexham English Bible
Now the likeness above the heads of the living creatures was an expanse like the outward appearance of awesome ice spread out above their heads upward.
Literal Translation
And a likeness was over the heads of the living creature, an expanse like the color of awesome crystal, stretched out over their heads from above.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Aboue ouer ye heades of the beestes there was a firmament, which was fashioned as it had bene off the most pure Christall, & that was spred out aboue vpon their heades:
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.
Bible in Basic English
And over the heads of the living beings there was the form of an arch, looking like ice, stretched out over their heads on high.
JPS Old Testament (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.
King James Version (1611)
And the likenesse of the firmament vpon the heads of the liuing creature was as the colour of the terrible chrystall, stretched foorth ouer their heads aboue.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the similitude of the firmament vpon the heades of the beastes, was like the colour of christall wonderfull, spread ouer their heades aboue.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
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.
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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the licnesse of the firmament was aboue the heed of the beestis, and as the biholdyng of orible cristal, and stretchid abrood on the heed of tho beestis aboue.
Update Bible Version
And over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of a firmament, like the awesome crystal to look at, stretched forth 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.
New English Translation
Over the heads of the living beings was something like a platform, glittering awesomely like ice, stretched out over their heads.
New King James Version
The likeness of the firmament above the heads of the living creatures [fn] was like the color of an awesome crystal, stretched out over their heads.
New Living Translation
Spread out above them was a surface like the sky, glittering like crystal.
New Life Bible
Over the heads of the living beings there was something that looked like the sky. It shined like crystal and spread over their heads.
New Revised Standard
Over the heads of the living creatures there was something like a dome, shining like crystal, spread out above their heads.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And there was a likeness over the heads of the living one - an expanse, like terrible crystal to look upon, -stretched forth over their heads above.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And over the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of the firmament, the appearance of crystal terrible to behold, and stretched out over their heads above.
Revised Standard Version
Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of a firmament, shining like crystal, spread out above their heads.
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.
THE MESSAGE
Over the heads of the living creatures was something like a dome, shimmering like a sky full of cut glass, vaulted over their heads. Under the dome one set of wings was extended toward the others, with another set of wings covering their bodies. When they moved I heard their wings—it was like the roar of a great waterfall, like the voice of The Strong God, like the noise of a battlefield. When they stopped, they folded their wings.

Contextual Overview

15When I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 16The workmanship of the wheels looked like the gleam of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. Their workmanship looked like a wheel within a wheel. 17As they moved, they went in any of the four directions, without pivoting as they moved. 18Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around. 19So as the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them, and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. 20Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise alongside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21When the creatures moved, the wheels moved; when the creatures stood still, the wheels stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose alongside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 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. 24When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the roar of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the likeness: Ezekiel 1:26, Ezekiel 10:1, Exodus 24:10, Job 37:22, Revelation 4:3, Revelation 4:6, Revelation 21:11

crystal: The Hebrew kerach which generally denotes ice, doubtless here signifies crystal (ךסץףפבככןע, from ךסץןע, cold, ice, and ףפוככןלבי, to concrete), as it is rendered by the LXX and Vulgate. It is a very large class of silicious minerals, hard, pellucid, naturally colourless, of regularly angular figures, and of simple plates; not flexible, nor elastic, but giving fire with steel; not fermenting by acid menstrua, but calcinable in a strong fire. There are three orders of pure crystal. The first is perfect columnar crystals, with double pyramids, of eighteen planes, in an hexangular pyramid at each end; the second is that of perfect crystals, without a column, of twelve or sixteen planes, in two hexangular pyramids; and the third is that of imperfect crystals, with single pyramids, of ten or twelve planes, in an hexangular or pentangular column. Terrible crystal seems to denote that which was well cut and polished, vividly refracting the rays of light.

Reciprocal: Job 28:17 - crystal Psalms 150:1 - in the firmament Ezekiel 10:20 - the living

Cross-References

Genesis 1:13
And there was evening, and there was morning-the third day.
Genesis 1:14
And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to distinguish between the day and the night, and let them be signs to mark the seasons and days and years.
Genesis 1:28
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth."
Genesis 8:17
Bring out all the living creatures that are with you-birds, livestock, and everything that crawls upon the ground-so that they can spread out over the earth and be fruitful and multiply upon it."
Genesis 9:1
And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.
Genesis 30:27
But Laban replied, "If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you."
Genesis 30:30
Indeed, you had very little before my arrival, but now your wealth has increased many times over. The LORD has blessed you wherever I set foot. But now, when may I also provide for my own household?"
Genesis 35:11
And God told him, "I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation-even a company of nations-shall come from you, and kings shall descend from you.
Leviticus 26:9
I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will fulfill My covenant with you.
Job 40:15
Look at Behemoth, which I made along with you. He feeds on grass like an ox.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature,.... This was not a real firmament, but the likeness of one; it was like the firmament which God created on the second day, which divided between the waters above and below, and which he called Heaven; and is no other than the airy and starry heavens. Its name is in Hebrew

רקיע, "an expanse"; from its being stretched out as a curtain, and a tent to dwell in; and a "firmament" from its firmness and continuance; and therefore called the firmament of his power, Genesis 1:8

Psalms 150:1; and this visionary one was "over the heads of the living creatures"; which shows that they could not be angels, for those have their habitation in the third heaven, above the firmament; much less in hieroglyphic of the trinity of Persons, who are the three that bear record in heaven, and are not under the firmament; but ministers of the Gospel, who are on earth, and are subject to Christ, whose throne is above the firmament, Ezekiel 1:26; and who receive their commission and gifts from him, and are accountable to him. This firmament

[was] as the colony of the tenable crystal; crystal is a very white, transparent, precious stone, resembling ice, from whence it has its name; hence Pliny t thought it was no other than ice vehemently frozen; and here it is called "terrible", because exceeding clear and bright, so that there was no looking upon it, without the eyes being dazzled with the glory of it. The sky is called a molten looking glass, in which the glory of God, and his handiwork, may be seen, Job 37:18; and as the throne of Christ was over this crystal firmament, it shows that, though he is in heaven, he sees all that is done on earth, and in his churches, and by his ministers; and the saints also see him by faith, and through the glass of the Gospel: it is only a crystal firmament that is between them,

stretched forth over their heads above; that is, over the heads of the living creatures, as before; said to be stretched out, in allusion to its name, an expanse, as before observed.

t Nat. Hit. l. 37. c. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

“The color” (Hebrew, “eye”) “of the terrible crystal” refers to the dazzling brightness of the “firmament,” a clear bright expanse between the “throne” and the “living creatures,” separating heaven from earth.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 1:22. The colour of the terrible crystal — Like a crystal, well cut and well polished, with various faces, by which rays of light were refracted, assuming either a variety of prismatic colours, or an insufferably brilliant splendour. This seems to be the meaning of the terrible crystal. Newcome translates, fearful ice. The common translation is preferable.


 
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