Ezekiel 10:13 — Word Study
WLCלָא֖וֹפַנִּ֑ים לָהֶ֛ם קוֹרָ֥א הַגַּלְגַּ֖ל בְּאָזְנָֽי׃
BSAI heardʼôzen the wheelsʼôwphân [the whirling wheels, chariot wheels] being calledqârâʼ■ [to cry out, summoned by name] the whirling wheelsgalgal [a wheel or whirlwind]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לָא֖וֹפַנִּ֑ים | to the wheels | Preposition, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| לָהֶ֛ם | to them | Preposition, suffix |
| קוֹרָ֥א | it was called | Verb, Pual, perfect third person masculine singular |
| הַגַּלְגַּ֖ל | the wheel | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| בְּאָזְנָֽי׃ | in ears my | Preposition, noun common feminine dual construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | I heard the wheels being called “the whirling wheels.” |
| KJV | As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel. |
| ASV | As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing the whirling wheels. |
| YLT | To the wheels — to them is one calling in mine ears, 'O wheel!' |
| WEB | As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, “the whirling wheels”. |
| BBE | As for the wheels, they were named in my hearing, the circling wheels. |
Where they part company is in the interpretation of the wheels — see How Translations Differ.
One main clause with a prepositional phrase describing the action and a noun phrase specifying what they are called.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbקָרָא
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Ezekiel 10:13
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Ezekiel's Vision of the Divine Chariotgenerated
Ezekiel 10:13 describes a vision where Ezekiel hears the wheels being called 'the whirling wheels.' This vision is part of a larger narrative where divine beings are depicted with intricate details, emphasizing their movement and purpose. The wheels play a crucial role in the imagery of the chariot of God, reflecting the dynamic nature of divine presence as seen in other parts of Ezekiel's writings.
Cross References
The Key Word — אוֹפָן, la.'o.fa.Nimgenerated
The word אוֹפָן (o.fan) means 'wheel' and is derived from a root meaning to revolve. It specifically refers to wheels in various contexts, including chariot wheels and the wheels in Ezekiel's vision. Its use here emphasizes the mobility and dynamic nature of the divine chariot.
The plural form indicates multiple wheels, which aligns with the imagery of the chariot described in Ezekiel's vision. The parsing as a noun in the absolute state highlights its role as a subject in the sentence, drawing attention to the wheels as significant elements in the vision.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb קוֹרָא (kara'), meaning 'it was called', governs the sentence with a subject and a prepositional phrase. The structure indicates that the focus is on the wheels being named, which is a crucial aspect of the vision.
The phrase לָא֖וֹפַנִּ֑ים serves as the object of the verb, specifying what is being called. The arrangement of the words highlights the significance of the wheels in the context of the divine chariot.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint uses the Greek word τροξοῖς to translate אוֹפָן. This choice suggests a focus on the circular nature of the wheels, aligning with the imagery of movement and whirling.
The translation reflects a direct correspondence with the Hebrew term, emphasizing the importance of the wheels in the vision.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezekiel 10:13 describes a vision where Ezekiel hears the wheels being called 'the whirling wheels.' This emphasizes the wheels' significance in the divine chariot's movement, reflecting the dynamic nature of God's presence.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The wheels represent the movement and presence of the divine, emphasizing the dynamic nature of God's chariot.
This name highlights their rapid movement and the power associated with them in the vision.
They symbolize the mobility of God's presence and the execution of His will on earth.
The imagery teaches us about the active and dynamic nature of God's involvement in the world.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What do the wheels symbolize in your understanding of God's presence in your life?
- How can you relate the concept of divine movement to your own spiritual journey?
- In what ways do you see God's guidance and movement in your daily experiences?
- How can the imagery of the wheels encourage you to be more aware of God's presence around you?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezekiel 10:13 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAs for the wheels, it was cried to them in my hearing,.... Or they were called, as the prophet heard in the vision, by the following name: O wheel, or, "the wheel": for though there are several
Read John Gill on Ezekiel 10 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAs for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel. It was cried unto them ... O wheel!
Read Robert Jamieson on Ezekiel 10 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleAs to their frame and motion, however it was, still there was one who guided as by vocal direction. Unto them; to each of them, as appears by that, O wheel, and the prophet is ear-witness of it.
Read Matthew Poole on Ezekiel 10 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsEzekiel 10:13 As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel.Ver. 13. It was cried unto them.] By him who sat upon the throne calling for their obedience, as indeed all things here, yea, even the senseless creatures, are God’ s servants. O wheel.] O round world - q.d., Hear the voice of thy Maker and Master; or, Oh how unstable and changeable art thou!
Read John Trapp on Ezekiel 10 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 13. As for the wheels, it was cried unto them - O wheel.] Never was there a more unfortunate and unmeaning translation. The word הגלגל haggalgal, may signify, simply, the roller, or a chariot, or roll on, or the swift roller. And he clepide ilke wheelis volible, or turninge about. Old MS. Bible. Any of these will do: "and as to the wheels," לאופנים laophannim, "they were called in my hearing" הגלגל haggalgal, "the chariot." The gentleman who took for his text "O wheel!" and made God's decree of eternal predestination out of it, must have borrowed some of Rabbi Ananias's three hundred barrels of oil! But such working of God's word cannot be too severely reprehended. As these wheels are…
Read AdamClarke on Ezekiel 10 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges13. in my hearing, O wheel] Rather as mar., They were called in my hearing Wheel, R.V., whirling wheels. Cf. Ezekiel 10:2; Ezekiel 10:6 where the word (galgal) is used by the divine speaker.
Read Cambridge on Ezekiel 10 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleAccording to the marginal rendering the present verse refers back to Ezekiel 10:2, Ezekiel 10:6, and tells us that the name “galgal, a rolling thing” (compare Isaiah 17:13), was given to the wheels in the seer’s hearing.
Read Albert Barnes on Ezekiel 10 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible13. “As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, the whirling wheels” (R.V.). The last word — galgal — is very difficult to translate.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Ezekiel 10 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
I heard the wheels being called “the whirling wheels.”
As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, “the whirling wheels”.
I heard the wheels being called “the whirling wheels.”
As for their wheels, they were called “the wheelwork” as I listened.
Tyndale line
As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel.
As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing the whirling wheels.
As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, the whirling wheels.
As for the wheels, it was cried to them in my hearing, O wheel.
And the Cherub cryed to these wheeles in mine hearing, saying, O wheele.
Strictly literal
As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, Galgal.
To the wheels — to them is one calling in mine ears, 'O wheel!'
As for the wheels—they were called “Whirling Wheel” in my ears.
As for the wheels, they were called Galgal before my ears.
As I listened, the wheels were called, “Whirling.”
From the Latin
And these wheels he called voluble, in my hearing.
Simplified
I heard the wheels being referred to as “the chariot wheels.”
As for the wheels, they were named in my hearing, the circling wheels.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with a complete match in the key terms. The Dead Sea Scrolls provide partial evidence, with some words restored by an editor, but the core elements remain consistent with the Masoretic Text.
לָא֖וֹפַנִּ֑ים לָהֶ֛ם קוֹרָ֥א הַגַּלְגַּ֖ל בְּאָזְנָֽי׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
[לאופנים] [ל׳הם] [קורא] [הגלגל] באזנ׳י
1 word on the leather — 4 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Ezekiel 10:13
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אוֹפַן (o.fan) means 'wheel' and is derived from a root meaning to revolve. It specifically refers to wheels in various contexts, including chariot wheels, the wheels in Ezekiel's vision, and those found in Solomon's temple. The entries consistently emphasize its association with circular objects used for movement.
אוֹפַן, אוֹפָן n.m. wheel
base
H212 אוֹפַן, אוֹפָן wheel
212 'owphan o-fawn'
or (shortened) pophan {o-fawn'}; from an unused root meaning
to revolve; a wheel:--wheel.
אוֹפָן (o.phan) — wheel.
1) wheel
1a) chariot wheel
1b) wheel in Ezekiel's vision
1c) wheels of the ten bases beneath the lavers in Solomon's temple
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural absoluteHRd/Ncmpa
הֶם (hem) — them.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine plural
HR/Sp3mp — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp3mp
The Hebrew word קָרָא (qara') is a primitive root meaning to call, proclaim, or read. It encompasses a range of actions including calling out, crying for help, reading aloud, and summoning. The word can also imply being called or named in various contexts. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
קָרָא 724 vb. call, proclaim, read
Qal
call, cry, utter a loud sound
call, cry
call unto some one
cry for help
proclaim
read aloud
read to oneself
summon
call = name
Niph.
reflex.
pass. be called
Pu. be called
base
H7121 קָרָא call, proclaim, read .. . call, cry, utter a loud sound
. call, cry
. . call unto some one
. cry for help
. proclaim
. . read aloud
. read to oneself
. summon
. call = name
. . reflex.
. pass. be called
. be called
7121 qara' kaw-raw'
a primitive root (rather identical with 7122 through the idea
of accosting a person met); to call out to (i.e. properly,
address by name, but used in a wide variety of
applications):--bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for,
forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite,
mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(- ation),
pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.
see HEBREW for 07122
קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call to.
: call_to/invite/entreat
1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound
1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)
1a3) to proclaim
1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read
1a5) to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint, call and endow
1a6) to call, name, give name to, call by
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to call oneself
1b2) to be called, be proclaimed, be read aloud, be summoned, be named
1c) (Pual) to be called, be named, be called out, be chosen
קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call by.
: call_by/name
1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound
1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)
1a3) to proclaim
1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read
V-Pual-Perf-3ms — Verb · Pual · perfect third person masculine singularHVPp3ms
גַּלְגַּל (galgal) refers to a wheel or a whirlwind, with implications of something that rolls or whirls, such as dust or chaff. The word is built from reduplication and connects to the concept of movement. It appears in contexts that involve rolling or whirling, but no specific verses are cited.
גַּלְגַּל n.m. wheel, whirl, whirlwind
base
H1534 גַּלְגַּל wheel, whirl, whirlwind
1534 galgal gal-gal'
by reduplication from 1556; a wheel; by analogy, a whirlwind;
also dust (as whirled):--heaven, rolling thing, wheel.
see HEBREW for 01556
גַּלְגַּל (gal.gal) — wheel.
1) wheel, whirl, whirlwind, whirling
1a) wheel
1b) whirl (of dust, chaff)
Aramaic equivalent: gal.gal (גַּלְגַּל "wheel" H1535)
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ncmsa
hwel:
(1) 'ophan, is the usual word (Ex 14:25, etc.). In Pr 20:26; Isa 28:27 the rollers of a threshing wagon are meant (see AGRICULTURE).
(2) galgal, "rolling thing," generally in the sense of "wheel" (Isa 5:28, etc.), but the Revised Version (British and American) in Eze 10:2,6,13 has "whirling wheels," an advantageous change. The "wheel .... broken at the cistern" in Ec 12:6 is the windlass for drawing the water, and by the figure the breakdown of the old man's breathing apparatus is probably meant. In Ps…
Wheel
(Heb. galgal; rendered “wheel” in Ps. 83:13, and “a rolling thing” in Isa. 17:13; R.V. in both, “whirling dust”). This word has been supposed to mean the wild artichoke, which assumes the form of a globe, and in autumn breaks away from its roots, and is rolled about by the wind in some places in great numbers.
Ps 83:13, translated "rolling thing" in Isa 17:13. Mr. Thomson, for many years a missionary in Syria, thinks the wild artichoke may here be referred to. This plant sends out numerous stalks or branches of equal length in all directions, forming a globe a foot in diameter. These globes become rigid and light as a feather in autumn, and thousands of them fly rolling and bounding over the plains, the sport of every wind. This "rolling thing" furnishes the modern Arabs with a current proverb and a curse.
The Hebrew word אֹ֫זֶן (*ozen*) means 'ear' and is derived from a root that suggests broadness. It refers to the physical ear as well as the organ of hearing, and can also imply the act of revealing or receiving divine revelation. The term appears in contexts such as Exodus 29:20.
אֹ֫זֶן 188 n.f. Ex 29:20 ear
ear, as part of body
especially as organ of hearing
open ears of, reveal to
base
H241 אֹ֫זֶן ear
241 'ozen o'-zen
from 238; broadness. i.e. (concrete) the ear (from its form
in man):--+ advertise, audience, + displease, ear, hearing, +
show.
see HEBREW for 0238
אֹ֫זֶן (o.zen) — ear.
: ear
1) ear, as part of the body
2) ear, as organ of hearing
3) (subjective) to uncover the ear to reveal; the receiver of divine revelation
אֹ֫זֶן (o.zen) — ear: hearing.
: hearing
1) ear, as part of the body
2) ear, as organ of hearing
3) (subjective) to uncover the ear to reveal; the receiver of divine revelation
אֹ֫זֶן (o.zen) — ear: to ears.
: to[ears_of](PERSON)
1) ear, as part of the body
2) ear, as organ of hearing
3) (subjective) to uncover the ear to reveal; the receiver of divine revelation
Prep | N-fd | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine dual construct · suffixHR/Ncfdc/Sp1bs