And when he commanded the man clothed in linen …: After the small digression Ezekiel returns to the action by repeating here most of the material in verse 2 (see the comments there). And is literally “And it happened” (similarly New King James Version ), which marks a continuation of the narrative. Most translations omit this connective expression (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). Instead of the pronoun he, Good News Translation and New Century Version say “the LORD” for clarity.

Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim: As in verse 2, God commands the man wearing linen clothes to take burning coals from among the wheels and the living creatures. Although the actual words of the command are slightly different than those in verse 2, the general meaning is the same. Take fire means to take some of the burning coals. Because this command is repeated from verse 2, Contemporary English Version omits it. If translators find this more natural and yet clear, they may also do this. However, like Revised Standard Version, most translations keep it. Good News Translation uses indirect speech for God’s words, which other languages may find helpful.

He went in and stood beside a wheel: As in verse 2, the man obeyed the LORD. But in this verse Ezekiel adds that when the man went inside the set of wheels, he stood beside a wheel. He did not go into the center of the space under the throne, but he stayed near one side.

Here is one model for the verse:

• After God commanded the man with the linen clothing to go among the turning wheels and the living creatures and to pick up the fire [or, the burning coals], the man went among them and stood beside one of the wheels.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .