And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar.

EZEKIEL 10:15KJV
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Ezekiel 10:15 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 10:15 mean?

Ezekiel 10:15 describes how the cherubims—heavenly beings—were lifted up, and the prophet Ezekiel recognizes them as the same living creatures he saw earlier by the river of Chebar. The verse connects this vision to an earlier experience, showing continuity in what Ezekiel is witnessing.

In this passage, Ezekiel is recounting a vision where he sees extraordinary beings called cherubims, which are closely associated with God’s presence. Ezekiel, a prophet among the Jewish exiles in Babylon, is describing a supernatural scene that matches what he saw in his first vision by the Chebar river, emphasizing that these are not new or different beings but the same ones from before.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 10:15

  • כְּרוּבִים (keruvim) — "cherubims": This word refers to powerful, angelic beings often depicted as guardians of God's throne. Their presence here links the vision to God's glory and holiness.
  • חַיָּה (chayyah) — "creature": This word means "living creature" and highlights that these beings are not just symbolic but are portrayed as alive and active in Ezekiel’s vision.
  • כְּבָר (Kevar) — "Chebar": This is the name of the river where Ezekiel first saw these visions. Mentioning it roots the vision in a real place and time, connecting the prophet's ongoing experiences.

Why Ezekiel 10:15 matters

  • Ezekiel 10:15 clarifies that the beings Ezekiel sees in this vision are the same as those from his earlier vision, helping readers understand the consistency and reliability of his prophetic experiences.
  • The verse emphasizes the significance of the cherubims as central figures in Ezekiel’s visions, highlighting their role in representing God’s presence and movement.
  • By linking the vision to the river Chebar, Ezekiel grounds his experience in a specific historical and geographical context, which can help readers see these visions as part of a real-life prophetic journey rather than abstract symbolism.

Where else these words appear

“up” Hebrew H7426 · used in 7 verses

  • Numbers 16:45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.
  • Psalms 118:16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
  • Ezekiel 10:17 When they stood, these stood; and when they were lifted up, these lifted up themselves also: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.

“Chebar” Hebrew H3529 · used in 8 verses

  • Ezekiel 1:1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
  • Ezekiel 3:15 Then I came to them of the captivity at Telabib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.
  • Ezekiel 10:20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.

“cherubims” Hebrew H3742 · used in 66 verses

  • Genesis 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
  • 1 Kings 6:28 And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.
  • Isaiah 37:16 O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.

“river” Hebrew H5104 · used in 109 verses

  • Genesis 2:10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
  • Ezra 8:31 Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way.
  • Isaiah 42:15 I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.