יחזקאל, פרק י׳, פסוק כ״א

The carriers of the Divine chariot appear in intricate detail, revealing their complex physical form. Each of these heavenly beings possesses four distinct faces. Some commentators note an even deeper layer of complexity, suggesting that each of those four faces is itself made up of four faces [מצודת דוד]. Every figure also has four wings, with human-like hands positioned carefully beneath them. At their core, the faces of these beings are completely identical to the ones seen in the earlier vision of the chariot by the Chebar River [מלבי״ם, אברבנאל].

However, a profound shift takes place in this moment. The change does not occur within the figures themselves, but rather in the nature of the chariot's movement [אברבנאל]. In the initial vision, the movement was horizontal, traveling from place to place across the earth. Because of this earthly motion, the figures were known as living creatures and featured the face of an ox, a symbol of natural walking. Now, the movement becomes strictly vertical, capturing the departure and elevation of God's glory as it lifts from the earth upward. Because of this upward trajectory, the figures are newly identified as cherubs, a term closely tied to angels and flight. Their wings become the central focus, highlighting their rise into the sky.

This transition from walking to flying carries a deep underlying purpose. When the decree was sealed that God's glory would depart from the Israelites, Ezekiel prayed that this departure would not simply be a shift to another physical location on earth. He asked that the Divine presence not go to rest upon another nation. In response to his prayer, the face of the ox, which represented earthly travel, was transformed into the face of a cherub, representing upward flight. This deliberate change served as a guarantee that God's glory would return to His high place in heaven, rather than resting upon any other nation of the world [אברבנאל].