Ezekiel 1:20

Green's Literal Translation

There where the spirit was to go, there they went; there their spirit was to go, and the wheels were lifted up along with them. For the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Wherever the Spirit wanted to go, the creatures went in the direction the Spirit was moving. The wheels rose alongside them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

Hebrew Names Version
Wherever the spirit was to go, they went; there was the spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

King James Version
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.

English Standard Version
Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

New American Standard Bible
Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction. And the wheels rose just as they did; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.

New Century Version
Wherever the spirit would go, the living creatures would go. And the wheels were lifted up beside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

Amplified Bible
Wherever the spirit went, the beings went in that direction. And the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit or life of the living beings was in the wheels.

World English Bible
Wherever the spirit was to go, they went; there was the spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Whither the spirit led them, they went, & thither did the spirite of the wheeles leade them, and the wheeles were lifted vp besides them: for the spirit of the beastes was in the wheeles.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction. And the wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.

Legacy Standard Bible
Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction, where the spirit was about to go. And the wheels rose alongside of them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

Berean Standard Bible
Wherever 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.

Complete Jewish Bible
Wherever the spirit was to go, they went, in the direction the spirit wanted to go. The wheels were lifted up next to them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

Darby Translation
Whithersoever the Spirit was to go, they went, thither would [their] spirit go; and the wheels were lifted up along with them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

Easy-to-Read Version
They went wherever the spirit wanted them to go, and the wheels went with them, because the power that moved the living being was in the wheels.

George Lamsa Translation
Wheresoever the spirit was to go, they went, and the wheels were lifted up with them; for there was a living spirit in the wheels.

Good News Translation
The creatures went wherever they wished, and the wheels did exactly what the creatures did, because the creatures controlled them.

Lexham English Bible
Wherever the spirit went they would go there, and the wheels rose, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Whyther so euer the sprete wente, thither wente they also, & ye wheles were lift vp & folowed the. for ye sprete of life was in the wheles.

American Standard Version
Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went; thither was the spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

Bible in Basic English
Wherever the spirit was to go they went; and the wheels were lifted up by their side: for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Whithersoever the spirit was to go, as the spirit was to go thither, so they went; and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

King James Version (1611)
Whithersoeuer the spirit was to goe, they went, thither was their spirit to goe, and the wheeles were lifted vp ouer against them: for the spirit of the liuing creature was in the wheeles.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Whyther soeuer the spirite [was] to go, they went, and thyther [was] the spirite to go, and the wheeles were lyft vp before them: for the spirite of the beastes were in the wheeles.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Wherever the cloud happened to be, there was the spirit ready to go: the wheels went and were lifted up with them; because the spirit of life was in the wheels.

English Revised Version
Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went; thither was the spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Whidur euere the spirit yede, whanne the spirit yede thedur, also the wheelis suynge it weren reisid togidere; for whi the spirit of lijf was in the wheelis.

Update Bible Version
Wherever the spirit was to go, they went; there was the spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

New English Translation
Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise up beside them because the spirit of the living being was in the wheel.

New King James Version
Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures [fn] was in the wheels.

New Living Translation
The spirit of the living beings was in the wheels. So wherever the spirit went, the wheels and the living beings also went.

New Life Bible
Whatever way the spirit would go, they would go that way. And the wheels rose close beside them, for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.

New Revised Standard
Wherever the spirit would go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
whithersoever the spirit was minded to go, they went - thither was the spirit minded to go, - and the wheels would be lifted up along with them, for the spirit of the living one was in the wheels:

Douay-Rheims Bible
Whithersoever the spirit went, thither as the spirit went the wheels also were lifted up withal, and followed it: for the spirit of life was in the wheels.

Revised Standard Version
Wherever the spirit would go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

Young's Literal Translation
Whither the spirit is to go, they go, thither the spirit [is] to go, and the wheels are lifted up over-against them, for a living spirit [is] in the wheels.

Contextual Overview

¹⁵ And I looked at the living creatures, and, behold, one wheel was on the earth beside the living creatures, with the four of its faces. ¹⁶ The appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was like the color of beryl; and the one likeness was to the four of them. And their appearance and their workmanship was like the wheel in the middle of the wheel. ¹⁷ They went on the four of their sides in their going, they did not turn in their going. ¹⁸ And also their rims were high to them, even awesome to them. And their rims were full of eyes all around the four of them. ¹⁹ And in the going of the living creatures the wheels went beside them. And in the lifting up of the living creatures from on the earth, the wheels were lifted up. ²⁰ There where the spirit was to go, there they went; there their spirit was to go, and the wheels were lifted up along with them. For the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. ²¹ In their going, these went; and in their standing still, these stood still. And in their being lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up along with them. For the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. ²² 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. ²³ And under the expanse their wings were straight, the one toward the other, to each, two wings covering on this side , and to each two covering on that side of their bodies. ²⁴ And I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty. In their going was the sound of tumult, like the sound of an army. In their standing still, they let down their wings.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the spirit: Ezekiel 1:12, 1 Corinthians 14:32

for the: Ezekiel 10:17, Zechariah 6:1-8

of the living creature: or, of life

Reciprocal: Exodus 25:20 - toward Ezekiel 1:21 - When those went Ezekiel 10:11 - whither Ezekiel 11:22 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 1:7
And God made the expanse, and He separated between the waters which were under the expanse and the waters which were above the expanse. And it was so.

Genesis 1:14
And God said, Let luminaries be in the expanse of the heavens, to divide between the day and the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years.

Genesis 1:22
And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas; and let the birds multiply in the earth.

Genesis 1:24
And God said, Let the earth bring forth the soul of life according to its kind: cattle, and creepers, and its beasts of the earth, according to its kind. And it was so.

Genesis 1:25
And God made the beasts of the earth according to its kind, and cattle according to its kind, and all creepers of the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:30
And to every beast of the earth, and to all birds of the heavens, and to every creeper on the earth which has in it a living soul, every green plant is for food. And it was so.

Genesis 2:19
And Jehovah God formed every animal of the field, and every bird of the heavens out of the ground. And He brought them to the man, to see what he would call it. And all which the man might call it, each living soul, that was its name.

Genesis 8:17
Bring out from you every living thing that is with you, of all flesh, of fowl, of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creeps on the earth; and let them swarm on the earth, and bear, and multiply on the earth.

1 Kings 4:33
And he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree in Lebanon, even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall. He spoke also of beasts and of birds, and of creeping things, and of fish.

Psalms 148:10
beasts and all livestock, creeping things and birds of the wing,

Gill's Notes on the 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 Ephesians 4:4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 1:20. 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, Ezekiel 1:26.