Ezekiel 1:14

Authorized King James Version

And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
וְהַחַיּ֖וֹת
And the living creatures
alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or livin
#2
רָצ֣וֹא
ran
to run; also to delight in
#3
וָשׁ֑וֹב
and returned
to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point);
#4
כְּמַרְאֵ֖ה
as the appearance
a view (the act of seeing); also an appearance (the thing seen), whether (real) a shape (especially if handsome, comeliness; often plural the looks),
#5
הַבָּזָֽק׃
of a flash of lightning
a flash of lightning

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

The literary and historical milieu of the literary conventions and historical circumstances of biblical literature shapes this text's meaning. The historical development of salvation within the theological tradition of Ezekiel Understanding the ancient worldview that shaped the author's theological expression helps modern readers appreciate why the author emphasizes divine revelation in this particular way.

Questions for Reflection

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