Ezekiel 10

[Ezekiel 10:1] THEN I LOOKED, AND, BEHOLD, IN THE FIRMAMENT THAT WAS ABOVE THE HEAD OF THE CHERUBIMS THERE APPEARED OVER THEM AS IT WERE A SAPPHIRE STONE, AS THE APPEARANCE OF THE LIKENESS OF A THRONE.
Eisemann quotes Hirsch and other Commentators as understanding this chapter to say that:Previously the presence of God had been felt in a relative fashion more or less directly through the Temple and the presence of God above the Cherubim:

<< THE LORD REIGNETH; LET THE PEOPLE TREMBLE: HE SITTETH BETWEEN THE CHERUBIMS; LET THE EARTH BE MOVED.
<< THE LORD IS GREAT IN ZION; AND HE IS HIGH ABOVE ALL THE PEOPLE >> [Psalms 99:1].
<<AND WHEN MOSES WAS GONE INTO THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION TO SPEAK WITH HIM, THEN HE HEARD THE VOICE OF ONE SPEAKING UNTO HIM FROM OFF THE MERCY SEAT THAT WAS UPON THE ARK OF TESTIMONY, FROM BETWEEN THE TWO CHERUBIMS: AND HE SPAKE UNTO HIM>> [Numbers 7:89].

Now the Temple was about to be destroyed and God henceforth would make his Presence felt in a hidden and more obscure way through the Divine Chariot.We saw in the description of the chariot that it had four faces for four directions:

<<ALSO OUT OF THE MIDST THEREOF CAME THE LIKENESS OF FOUR LIVING CREATURES. AND THIS WAS THEIR APPEARANCE; THEY HAD THE LIKENESS OF A MAN.<<AND EVERY ONE HAD FOUR FACES, AND EVERY ONE HAD FOUR WINGS>> [Ezekiel 1:5-6].
<AS FOR THE LIKENESS OF THEIR FACES, THEY FOUR HAD THE FACE OF A MAN, ANDTHE FACE OF A LION, ON THE RIGHT SIDE: AND THEY FOUR HAD THE FACE OF AN OX ON THE LEFT SIDE; THEY FOUR ALSO HAD THE FACE OF AN EAGLE>> [Ezekiel 1:10].

There were four angels and each angel had four faces.At the end of this message is a message concerning the stones of the tribes and their encampment around the Tabernacle: The twelve tribes were split up into four sections of three tribes each facing the four directions of the compass.Reuben, Ephraim, Judah and Dan were the heads of the four tribal groups. Each dominated a different direction: Reuben in the south (over Simeon and Gad); Ephraim in the west (over Menasseh and Benjamin); Judah in the east (over Issachar and Zebulon); Dan in the north over Naphtali and Asher. Nachmanides (Numbers 2:2): Nachmanides says:The Standard of Reuben depicted the form of a man as well as Dudaim (Mandrakes). {Some say that Dudaim were the root of a plant. The root was in the shape of a man. This would allow for both Dudaim and the form of man to be represented}. Ephraim had a bull. Judah had a lion. Dan had an eagle. These four figures (man, bull, lion, eagle) represented the four angelic forms in the Chariot of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1;10).
The Divine Chariot therefore represents the physical tribes of Israel through whom the Almighty makes His presence felt in this world.

[Ezekiel 10:2] AND HE SPAKE UNTO THE MAN CLOTHED WITH LINEN, AND SAID, GO IN BETWEEN THE WHEELS, EVEN UNDER THE CHERUB, AND FILL THINE HAND WITH COALS OF FIRE FROM BETWEEN THE CHERUBIMS, AND SCATTER THEM OVER THE CITY.
AND HE WENT IN IN MY SIGHT.

<<UNTO THE MAN CLOTHED WITH LINEN>>: Traditionally identified with the angel Gabriel.

[Ezekiel 10:3] NOW THE CHERUBIMS STOOD ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HOUSE, WHEN THE MAN WENT IN; AND THE CLOUD FILLED THE INNER COURT.
[Ezekiel 10:4] THEN THE GLORY OF THE LORD WENT UP FROM THE CHERUB, AND STOOD OVER THE THRESHOLD OF THE HOUSE; AND THE HOUSE WAS FILLED WITH THE CLOUD, AND THE COURT WAS FULL OF THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE LORD'S GLORY.
[Ezekiel 10:5] AND THE SOUND OF THE CHERUBIMS' WINGS WAS HEARD EVEN TO THEOUTER COURT, AS THE VOICE OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD WHEN HE SPEAKETH.

<<THE ALMIGHTY GOD>>: In Hebrew "El Shaddai".

[Ezekiel 10:6] AND IT CAME TO PASS, THAT WHEN HE HAD COMMANDED THE MAN CLOTHED WITH LINEN, SAYING, TAKE FIRE FROM BETWEEN THE WHEELS, FROM BETWEEN THE CHERUBIMS; THEN HE WENT IN, AND STOOD BESIDE THE WHEELS.
[Ezekiel 10:7] AND ONE CHERUB STRETCHED FORTH HIS HAND FROM BETWEEN THE CHERUBIMS UNTO THE FIRE THAT WAS BETWEEN THE CHERUBIMS, AND TOOK THEREOF, AND PUT IT INTO THE HANDS OF HIM THAT WAS CLOTHED WITH LINEN: WHOTOOK IT, AND WENT OUT.
[Ezekiel 10:8] AND THERE APPEARED IN THE CHERUBIMS THE FORM OF A MAN'S HAND UNDER THEIR WINGS.
[Ezekiel 10:9] AND WHEN I LOOKED, BEHOLD THE FOUR WHEELS BY THE CHERUBIMS, ONE WHEEL BY ONE CHERUB, AND ANOTHER WHEEL BY ANOTHER CHERUB: AND THE APPEARANCE OF THE WHEELS WAS AS THE COLOUR OF A BERYL STONE.
[Ezekiel 10:10] AND AS FOR THEIR APPEARANCES, THEY FOUR HAD ONE LIKENESS, AS IF A WHEEL HAD BEEN IN THE MIDST OF A WHEEL.
[Ezekiel 10:11] WHEN THEY WENT, THEY WENT UPON THEIR FOUR SIDES; THEY TURNED NOT AS THEY WENT, BUT TO THE PLACE WHITHER THE HEAD LOOKED THEYFOLLOWED IT; THEY TURNED NOT AS THEY WENT.
[Ezekiel 10:12] AND THEIR WHOLE BODY, AND THEIR BACKS, AND THEIR HANDS, AND THEIR WINGS, AND THE WHEELS, WERE FULL OF EYES ROUND ABOUT, EVEN THE WHEELS THAT THEY FOUR HAD.
[Ezekiel 10:13] AS FOR THE WHEELS, IT WAS CRIED UNTO THEM IN MY HEARING, O WHEEL.
[Ezekiel 10:14] AND EVERY ONE HAD FOUR FACES: THE FIRST FACE WAS THE FACE OF A CHERUB, AND THE SECOND FACE WAS THE FACE OF A MAN, AND THE THIRD THE FACE OF A LION, AND THE FOURTH THE FACE OF AN EAGLE.
[Ezekiel 10:15] AND THE CHERUBIMS WERE LIFTED UP. THIS IS THE LIVING CREATURE THAT I SAW BY THE RIVER OF CHEBAR.
[Ezekiel 10:16] AND WHEN THE CHERUBIMS WENT, THE WHEELS WENT BY THEM: AND WHEN THE CHERUBIMS LIFTED UP THEIR WINGS TO MOUNT UP FROM THE EARTH, THE SAME WHEELS ALSO TURNED NOT FROM BESIDE THEM.
[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.
[Ezekiel 10:18] THEN THE GLORY OF THE LORD DEPARTED FROM OFF THE THRESHOLD OF THE HOUSE, AND STOOD OVER THE CHERUBIMS.
[Ezekiel 10:19] AND THE CHERUBIMS LIFTED UP THEIR WINGS, AND MOUNTED UP FROM THE EARTH IN MY SIGHT: WHEN THEY WENT OUT, THE WHEELS ALSO WERE BESIDE THEM, AND EVERY ONE STOOD AT THE DOOR OF THE EAST GATE OF THE LORD'S HOUSE; AND THE GLORY OF THE GOD OF ISRAEL WAS OVER THEM ABOVE.
[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.
[Ezekiel 10:21] EVERY ONE HAD FOUR FACES APIECE, AND EVERY ONE FOUR WINGS;AND THE LIKENESS OF THE HANDS OF A MAN WAS UNDER THEIR WINGS.
[Ezekiel 10:22] AND THE LIKENESS OF THEIR FACES WAS THE SAME FACES WHICH I SAW BY THE RIVER OF CHEBAR, THEIR APPEARANCES AND THEMSELVES: THEY WENT EVERY ONE STRAIGHT FORWARD.

The sacred chariot may be understood to represent the twelve tribes of Israel and their role in history. Through Israel God expresses Himself in this world. Midrash Numbers Rabah: BaMidbar 2;7:
<<Each Tribe had its own sign and color on its standard. The color was the same as that of the Tribe's precious stone [on the Ephod on the heart of Aaron]. Reuben had the Odem ("Ruby") stone [in Hebrew "Odem" means red] and his flag was red. Dudaim ["mandrakes"] were depicted on it. Shimeon had the pitda stone, his flag was colored green and depicted the city of Schechem. Levi had the bareket stone and his flag was one third white, one third black, one third red. The Urim and Tummin were depicted on it. Judah had the nophech stone, the color of his flag was like the sky. It depicted a lion.
Issachar had the sapir stone, it depicted the sun and moon, as it says "AND OF THE CHILDREN OF ISSACHAR, WHICH WERE MEN THAT HAD UNDERSTANDING OF THE TIMES" [1-Chronicles 12:32]. Zebulon had the yeholam (diamond) stone. His flag was whitish and a ship was depicted on it as it says, "ZEBULON SHALL DWELL ON THE BEACHES OF THE SEA" (Genesis 49;13). Dan had the leshem stone, The color of his flag was like a sapphire and it depicted a snake as it says, "DAN SHALL BE A SNAKE BY THE WAYSIDE" (Genesis 49;17).
Gad had the shevo stone. The color of his flag was not white and not black but mixed black and white. It depicted an encampment, as it says, "GAD SHALL BE A TROOP: BUT HE SHALL OVERCOME AT THE LAST" (Genesis 49:19).
Naphtali had the achlama stone. The color of his flag was like clear wine, reddish but not strongly so. A hind was depicted on it, as it says, "NAPHTALI IS A HIND LET LOOSE: HE GIVETH GOODLY WORDS" (Genesis 49:21).
Asher had the tarshish stone. The color of his flag was like that of the precious stone women use to decorate themselves. An olive tree was depicted on it: "OUT OF ASHER HIS BREAD SHALL BE FAT, AND HE SHALL YIELD ROYAL DAINTIES" (Genesis 49:20).
Joseph had the shoham stone. The color of his flag was the deepest black. On the flag of Joseph for the two princes of Ephraim and Menasseh was depicted a representation of Egypt since their origins were in Egypt.
On the flag of Ephraim was depicted a bull: "HIS GLORY IS LIKE THE FIRSTLING OF HIS BULLOCK" (Deuteronomy 33:17). This was exemplified by Joshua who was from the Tribe of Ephraim.
On the flag of Menasseh was depicted a Raem [Unicorn] as it says: AND HIS HORNS ARE LIKE THE HORNS OF UNICORNS (Deuteronomy 33:17). This was exemplified by Gideon who was from Menasseh.
[The complete verse says:
<<HIS GLORY IS LIKE THE FIRSTLING OF HIS BULLOCK, AND HIS HORNS ARE LIKE THE HORNS OF UNICORNS: WITH THEM HE SHALL PUSH THE PEOPLE TOGETHER TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH: AND THEY ARE THE TEN THOUSANDS OF EPHRAIM, AND THEY ARE THE THOUSANDS OF MANASSEH>> [DEUTERONOMY 33:17].
Benjamin had the Yaspa stone. The color of his flag was like all the 12 colors. A wolf was depicted on it: "BENJAMIN SHALL RAVIN AS A WOLF: IN THE MORNING HE SHALL DEVOUR THE PREY, AND AT NIGHT HE SHALL DIVIDE THE SPOIL" (Genesis 49:27).>>

All of the above symbols are those of peoples and nations whom we have identified as possessing a large proportion of Israelites amongst them.
Remarks:
Reuben had the Odem stone which was red. Some identify this with the ruby. The Dictionary says that the name "ruby" is derived from the Old French "rubi" from the Latin "rubeus" meaning red.
Even so "Ruby" is a nickname for Reuben.
Nachmanides (Numbers 2:2) quotes other sources: Nachmanides says:
The Standard of Reuben depicted the form of a man as well as Dudaim (Mandrakes). {Some say that Dudaim were the root of a plant. The root was in the shape of a man. This would allow for both Dudaim and the form of man to be represented}. Ephraim had a bull. Judah had a lion. Dan had an eagle. These four figures (man, bull, lion, eagle) represented the four angelic forms in the Chariot of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1;10).

EZEKIEL INDEX
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