This is the climax of the vision, where Ezekiel sees God himself sitting on his throne. As elsewhere in this chapter, Ezekiel cannot describe in exact detail what he saw. Either the glory surrounding God was so bright that he could not make out the details properly, or (more likely) the vision of God on his throne was so wonderful and supernatural that human words were not adequate to describe it. Twice Ezekiel talks of the likeness of a throne, and his description of God is qualified three times with the words appearance, likeness, and form. In our translations the description of God and his throne should not be more explicit than the original text.

And above the firmament over their heads, that is, on the platform that was over the heads of the four creatures, there was the likeness of a throne, that is, something that looked like a throne. A throne is a large chair, on which kings and queens sit when they conduct their official business. Here it may be rendered “king’s seat” or “seat for a king.” This throne, which Ezekiel could not describe exactly, was standing on the platform above the creatures. In some languages, instead of the impersonal expression there was the likeness of a throne, it will be better to say “I saw something that looked like a seat for a king.”

The throne was in appearance like sapphire, that is, it looked as if it were “made of sapphire” (Good News Translation). Sapphire is the ancient name for the precious gemstone called lapis lazuli. This is a deep blue stone with golden flecks through it. It comes from China and is very valuable. Most translations use the word sapphire, even though the modern gem called a sapphire was not known in the time of Ezekiel. Some versions observe in a footnote that Ezekiel actually wrote “lapis lazuli,” not “sapphire” (so Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Revised English Bible). But the most important aspect here is not the actual gem in view, but the color of the throne, so like sapphire may be rendered “like the blue stone that is very valuable.”

And seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness as it were of a human form, that is, “sitting on the throne was a figure that looked like a man” (Good News Translation). Ezekiel does not say the figure he saw was a human being, but he implies that the figure looked like a person. We must retain this reluctance to describe God in precise detail. Seated above seems to suggest that the figure was floating above the throne and not sitting on it. The text should not be translated like this. Rather, above refers to the position of the throne itself. It was “high above” (New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible). A good model for this whole sentence is “and on this throne high above was a figure whose appearance resembled a human” (similarly New Living Translation).

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 .