God orders Jerusalem set on fire
1I saw a brilliant sparkling area above the heads of the cherubim. [1] And above it, I saw something that looked like a gemstone sapphire throne. [2]2God said to the man wearing linen, “Go down to the chariot-throne [3] wheels beneath the cherubim. You’ll find some burning coals. Scoop them up and scatter them all over Jerusalem.” [4] 3The four cherubim stood on the south side of the Temple sanctuary while the man gathered the coals. A bright cloud filled the Temple’s inner courtyard.
4The glowing and glorious presence of the LORD rose above the gold-covered lid of the Box of the Law. [5] Then it glided to the doorway that leads in and out of the Temple sanctuary, filling the building with bright light. 5Cherubim wings were pumping loud enough for people to hear them in the outer courtyard, much like the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.
6God told the man in linen, “Go get the fire from near the wheels.” The man went there and stood by a wheel. 7A cherub reached down into the fire and pulled out some of the coals and gave it to the man wearing linen. 8The cherubim had what looked like human hands beneath their wings.
Spinning wheels on God’s mobile throne
9There were four wheels, one beside each cherub. The wheels seemed to be made from the shiny gemstone beryl. [6] 10All four looked alike. And they looked like a wheel inside a wheel. [7]11When the creatures moved, the wheels rolled along with them—shifting into any direction, without having to turn left or right. The back wheels followed wherever the front wheels led: left, right, forward, or backward. 12The wheels were covered in what looked like eyes. [8] So were the entire bodies of the cherubim: backs, wings, and hands. 13The wheels were called “spinners.”
14Each creature had a blockhead of four faces: ox, [9] human, lion, and eagle. 15The cherubim lifted off the ground. These were living creatures. I saw them at the Chebar Canal.
16When the cherubim moved, the wheels followed in the same direction. And when the cherubim left the ground, the wheels went with them. 17When the cherubim stopped, the wheels stopped. When the cherubim climbed into the air, so did the wheels. The wheels responded to the spirit of the cherubim. [10]
God leaves the Temple
18The glowing glory of the LORD left the Temple through the doorway and stopped above the cherubim. 19The cherubim lifted off the ground, and the wheels went with them. They flew over to the eastern gate and stopped there at the end of the Temple courtyard. [11] The glowing glory of the LORD of Israel went with them.20These were the same cherubim I saw under Israel’s God at the Chebar Canal. 21Each one had four faces, four wings, and human hands under their wings. 22These were the same faces I saw on the cherubim at Chebar. The cherubim always moved in a straight line without turning their bodies. [12]
