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Ezekiel Saw the Glory Leave the Temple and Come Back

Targum Jonathan counts sixty-four faces and 256 wings on the throne. Ezekiel watches the glory move out through the east gate and waits for it to return.

Curated by Arthur · Told by Maggid ·
Table of Contents
  1. A Throne That Could Move
  2. What Isaiah Saw First
  3. Sixty-Four Faces and Two Hundred Fifty-Six Wings
  4. The Glory That Left Through the East Gate
  5. The Return Through the Eastern Gate

A Throne That Could Move

Ezekiel does not see a throne locked in place. He is standing among the exiles beside the river Chebar in Babylon, and what comes toward him out of the north is something that travels. The storm-wind, the great cloud, the brightness and the fire and the four living creatures at the center of it, these are not a vision of a static God sitting fixed in heaven. They are a vision of glory in motion, coming to meet a man who has been carried out of the land where the Temple stood.

That mobility is both the terror and the comfort of what Ezekiel sees. The terror: the presence that had been seated in the Temple, between the golden cherubim in the Holy of Holies, is no longer fixed there. The comfort: if the glory can move, it can move back.

What Isaiah Saw First

Before Ezekiel, Isaiah saw what the throne looked like when it was still. In the year that King Uzziah died, Isaiah saw the Lord seated on a throne high and lifted up, with the train of his robe filling the Temple. The seraphim stood above and covered their faces so they would not see, covered their bodies so they would not be seen. Holy, holy, holy, Lord of Hosts. The whole earth is full of His glory.

Targum Jonathan on Isaiah takes that vision and gives it the Aramaic's precise distance. Isaiah does not see God directly. He sees the glory of the Shekhinah of the King of worlds, the divine presence in its accessible form, not the unmediated source. The throne is lifted to the highest heavens, while the Temple below fills with the brightness of that glory. Proximity and transcendence at the same time: close enough to fill the house, high enough that no house contains Him.

When Isaiah said he was ruined, a man of unclean lips from a people of unclean lips who had seen the King, the angel came with a coal from the altar and touched his mouth. The guilt was removed. The man was sent. Isaiah's vision was the stable vision, the throne in its place, heaven touching the Temple at the fixed point.

Sixty-Four Faces and Two Hundred Fifty-Six Wings

Ezekiel's vision was not stable. Targum Jonathan on Ezekiel counts what the prophet saw with a precision that later mystical tradition would build entire systems on. Sixty-four faces on the living creatures. Two hundred fifty-six wings. Eyes covering the wheels beneath the throne, eyes that missed nothing and turned in every direction without the wheels turning themselves. The chariot was not a simple structure. It was an organism, living and counting and watching.

The sound of the wings was like the sound of many waters, like the sound of Shaddai, like the sound of a camp. Four faces on each creature: human and lion and ox and eagle, the four forms the tradition would repeatedly use to describe the range of creation from its highest to its most animal expression, gathered into a single carrier for the divine presence.

All of this was what Ezekiel saw not in the Temple but in Babylon, beside a river in exile. The throne had come to where he was.

The Glory That Left Through the East Gate

Then Ezekiel saw the hardest thing. In chapters 10 and 11 of his book, he watched the glory leave the Temple. Not an absence he inferred, not a silence he interpreted. He watched it happen in sequence: from the inner sanctuary to the threshold, from the threshold to the east gate, from the east gate to the mountain east of the city. Step by step, the presence withdrew, and Ezekiel stood in Babylon and watched it leave the house it had inhabited since Solomon built it.

The Targum does not hide from this. It renders the departure with the same precision it uses for everything else. The glory moves. The Shekhinah lifts. The cherubim carry it out through the eastern door and the eastern gate and over the mountain and into the space between the Temple and the exile, where Ezekiel was already standing.

The Return Through the Eastern Gate

Then, years later in the same book, Ezekiel saw the return. In chapter 43, he saw the glory coming from the east. The earth shone with its brightness. It entered through the gate that faced east, the same gate it had left by, and filled the house, and the Lord spoke from inside the house and said: this is the place of my throne and the place of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of Israel forever.

The Targum reads the dry bones of chapter 37 the same way: not merely a resurrection of individuals but a return of Israel from exile, bones assembling, breath returning, a nation standing on its feet. The exile had been a drying-out. The return was the breath coming back.

Ezekiel saw all of it from Babylon. The throne that moved came to him first. It left the Temple by the east gate and filled his vision beside the Chebar river and showed him what a God in exile looked like. Then it showed him the return, the same path taken in reverse, the glory coming back from the east to the house that was waiting to be filled again.

EzekielIsaiahMerkavahThroneShekhinahExileTemple
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From the tradition

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6 sources

The texts this telling draws on, in full. Open a card to read inline, or expand it for a wider, quieter read.

Targum Jonathan on Isaiah 6:1-8Targum Jonathan on Prophets

In the year in which King Uzziah was smitten with the leprosy the prophet said, I saw the glory of the Lord sitting upon His throne, high, and lifted up unto the highest heavens, and the temple was filled with the brightness of His glory.

Holy ministers on high stood before him: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, that it should not see; and with twain he covered his body, that it should not be seen; and with twain he was ministering.

And one cried unto another, and they were saying, Holy in the highest and exalted heavens is the house of His Shekinah, holy upon the earth is the work of His might, holy for ever, world without end, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of the brightness of His glory.

And the posts of the threshold of the temple moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house of the sanctuary was filled with cloudy darkness.

Then said I, Woe is me, for I have sinned, for I am a guilty man to reprove, and I dwell in the midst of a people polluted with sin: for mine eyes have seen the glory of the Shekinah of the King of the worlds, the Lord of hosts.

Then flew one of the ministers unto me, and in his mouth was a word, which he received from the Shekinah of Him who sat upon the throne of glory in the highest heavens, above the altar.

And he placed it in my mouth, and said, Behold, I have put the words of my prophecies in thy mouth, and thy iniquities are put away, and thy sins are expiated.

And I heard the voice of the Word of the Lord, which said, Whom shall I send to prophesy? and who will go to teach? Then said I, Here am I, send me.

Full source
Targum Jonathan on Ezekiel 1:4-14Targum Jonathan on Prophets

I saw, and behold, a storm wind came from the north, a great cloud, and flashing fire, with brightness all around it. From within the cloud and from within the whirlwind there was something like the appearance of chashmal from within the fire.

From within it came the likeness of four creatures, and this was their appearance: they had the likeness of human beings.

There were four faces to one, and four faces to each one. There were sixteen faces to one creature, so the count of the faces of the four creatures was sixty-four faces. There were four wings to one, and four wings to each one, sixteen for every face. There were sixty-four wings to one creature, and the count of the wings of the four creatures was two hundred fifty-six wings.

Their legs were straight legs, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of round calf feet. They made the world tremble as they moved, and they flashed like the appearance of burnished copper.

Hands like human hands were made for them under their wings on their four sides, so that they could take coals of fire from among the cherubim beneath the firmament over their heads, place them in the palms of the seraphim, and throw them upon the place of the wicked, to destroy guilty people who transgress His Word. Their faces and their wings were equal for the four of them.

Their wings were aligned one opposite the other. They did not turn when they moved. Each creature moved toward the direction of its face.

The likeness of their faces was a human face; a lion face was made on the right for all four of them; an ox face was made on the left for all four of them; and an eagle face was made for all four of them.

Their faces and their wings were spread above. For each one, two wings were aligned one with the other, and two covered their bodies.

Each creature moved toward the direction of its face. Wherever there was a will for it to go, it went. They did not turn when they moved.

The appearance of the creatures was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches. Fire flashed among the creatures, brightness belonged to the fire, and lightning came out from the fire.

When the creatures were sent to do the will of their Master, whose Shekhinah dwells in the height above them, they returned in the blink of an eye, circled and covered the world, and came back together. The creatures were swift like the appearance of lightning.

Full source
Targum Jonathan on Ezekiel 1:15-28Targum Jonathan on Prophets

I saw the creatures, and behold, one wheel was set from below up to the height of heaven, beside the creatures, for its four faces.

The appearance of the wheels and their work was like the appearance of a precious stone. The likeness was the same for all four of them, and their appearance and their work were like a wheel inside a wheel.

They moved on their four sides when they went. They did not turn when they moved.

Their backs were level with the firmament, and they had height, and they were fearsome. Their backs were full of eyes all around, for all four of them.

When the creatures moved, the wheels moved opposite them. When the creatures were lifted from below toward the height of heaven, the wheels were lifted.

Wherever there was a will to go, they went to the place where there was a will to go. The wheels were lifted opposite them, because the spirit of the creatures was in the wheels.

When they moved, they moved; when they stood in their place, they stood. When they were lifted from below toward the height of heaven, the wheels were lifted opposite them, because the spirit of the creatures was in the wheels.

Above the heads of the creatures was the likeness of a firmament, like the appearance of strong ice, bent over their heads from above.

Under the firmament their wings were aligned one opposite the other. Each had two wings covering them, and each had two wings covering their bodies.

I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like a voice from before Shaddai when they moved. The sound of their speech, when they gave thanks and blessed their Master, the living King of the worlds, was like the sound of the camp of the angels on high. When they stood in their place, their wings fell silent before the speech.

When there was a will before Him to make speech heard to His servants, the prophets of Israel, a voice was heard from above the firmament, from between the cherubim, beneath the firmament over their heads. In their place, their wings fell silent before the speech.

Above the firmament over their heads was something like the appearance of a precious stone, the likeness of a throne. Upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness like the appearance of a human being above it, from above.

I saw something like the appearance of chashmal, like the appearance of fire within it all around, the appearance of glory that the eye cannot see and that it is impossible to gaze upon. Above was an appearance of glory that the eye cannot see and that it is impossible to gaze upon; below I saw something like the appearance of fire, with brightness all around it.

Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. I saw it, fell on my face, and heard the voice of one speaking.

Full source
Targum Jonathan on Ezekiel 10:1-22Targum Jonathan on Prophets

I saw, and behold, in the firmament that was over the heads of the cherubim, like a precious stone, like the appearance of the likeness of a throne, it appeared over them.

He said to the man clothed in garments, and He said, "Enter between the wheels beneath the cherub. Fill your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city." He entered while I was watching.

The cherubim were standing south of the house when the man entered, and a cloud filled the inner court.

The glory of the LORD rose from the cherub upon which it had rested, and it came to stand above, opposite the threshold of the house. The house was filled with the cloud, and the court was filled with the radiance of the glory of the LORD.

The sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard as far as the outer court, like a voice from before Shaddai when He speaks.

When He commanded the man clothed in garments, saying, "Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubim," he entered and stood beside the wheel.

A cherub stretched out his hand from between the cherubim to the fire that was between the cherubim. He took it and placed it into the cupped hands of the one clothed in garments. He took it and went out.

The likeness of a human hand was seen beneath the wings of the cherubim.

I saw, and behold, four wheels were beside the cherubim, one wheel beside one cherub and one wheel beside another cherub. The appearance of the wheels was like the look of a precious stone.

Their appearance was one likeness for the four of them, as though a wheel were inside a wheel.

When they went, they went toward their four sides. They did not turn when they went, for wherever the first one turned, they went after it, and they did not turn when they went.

All their bodies, their backs, their rims, their wings, and the wheels were full of eyes all around, the four of them with their wheels.

As for the wheels, they were called "the wheel," and I heard it.

Each one had four faces: the face of the first was the face of a cherub, the face of the second was the face of a human, the third was the face of a lion, and the fourth was the face of an eagle.

The cherubim rose up. They were the living creatures that I had seen by the River Chebar.

When the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them. When the cherubim lifted their wings to rise from below toward the height of heaven, the wheels did not turn away from beside them.

When they stood in their place, the wheels stood. When they rose, the wheels rose with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in them.

The glory of the LORD, which had rested above the threshold of the house, rose and rested upon the cherubim.

The cherubim lifted their wings and rose from below toward the height of heaven while I watched them go out, and the wheels were beside them. They stood at the entrance of the eastern gate of the house of the sanctuary of the LORD, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them from above.

These were the living creatures that I had seen beneath the glory of the God of Israel by the River Chebar, and I knew that they were cherubim.

Each one had four faces, each one had four wings, and the likeness of human hands was beneath their wings.

The likeness of their faces was the same faces that I had seen by the River Chebar, their appearance and themselves. Each creature went straight before its face.

Full source
Targum Jonathan on Ezekiel 43:1-7Targum Jonathan on Prophets

He brought me to the gate, the gate that opens toward the east.

Behold, the glory of the God of Israel was revealed from the way of the east, and the sound of those blessing His name was like the sound of many waters. The earth shone from the radiance of His glory.

The appearance of the vision that I saw was like the vision I saw when I prophesied concerning the destruction of the city, and the vision was like the appearance that I saw by the River Chebar. I fell on my face.

The glory of the LORD was revealed in the house by way of the gate that opens toward the east.

A spirit lifted me and brought me into the inner court, and behold, the house was filled with the glory of the LORD.

I heard one speaking with me from inside, while a man was standing opposite me.

He said to me, "Son of man, this is the place of the house of the throne of My glory, and this is the place of the house where My Shekhinah rests, where I will cause My Shekhinah to dwell among the children of Israel forever. The house of Israel shall no longer defile My holy name, they or their kings, with their idols and with the corpses of their kings in their high places."

Full source
Targum Jonathan on Ezekiel 37:1-14Targum Jonathan on Prophets

The spirit of prophecy from before the LORD rested upon me. He brought me out by the spirit of prophecy that rested upon me from before the LORD, and He set me in the middle of the valley, and it was full of human bones.

He made me pass over them all around. Behold, they were very many on the face of the valley, and behold, they were very dry.

He said to me, "Son of man, will these bones live?" I said, "LORD God, it is revealed before You."

He said to me, "Prophesy over these bones, and say to them: Dry bones, receive the word of the LORD."

Thus says the LORD God to these bones: behold, I am bringing spirit into you, and you shall live.

I will place sinews upon you, bring flesh up upon you, cover you with skin, and put spirit into you. You shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD.

I prophesied as I had been commanded. There was a sound as I prophesied, and behold, a shaking, and the bones drew near, bone to its fellow.

I saw, and behold, sinews were upon them, flesh came up, and skin covered them above. But there was no spirit in them.

He said to me, "Prophesy to the spirit. Prophesy, son of man, and say to the spirit: thus says the LORD God: from the four winds, let the spirit come and enter these slain, and they shall live."

I prophesied as He commanded me. The spirit entered them, they lived, and they stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, Our bones are dried up, our hope is cut off, we are lost to ourselves."

Therefore prophesy and say to them: thus says the LORD God: behold, I am opening your graves, and I will bring you up from your graves, My people, and I will bring you into the Land of Israel.

You shall know that I am the LORD when I open your graves and when I bring you up from within your graves, My people.

I will place My spirit in you, and you shall live. I will settle you upon your land, and you shall know that I, the LORD, decreed by My Word and will fulfill it, says the LORD.

Full source