Isa 6:2, 6 | JFB | STEP | 2. stood —not necessarily the posture of standing; rather, were in attendance on Him [MAURER ], hovering on expanded wings. the —not in the Hebrew. seraphim —nowhere else applied to God's attendant angels; but to the fiery flying (not winged, but rapidly moving ) serpents, which bit the Israelites ( ), called so from the poisonous inflammation caused by their bites. Seraph is to burn; implying the burning zeal, dazzling brightness ( ) and serpent-like rapidity of the seraphim in God's service. Perhaps Satan's form as a serpent ( nachash ) in his appearance to man has some connection with his original form as a seraph of light. The head of the serpent was the symbol of wisdom in Egypt (compare ). The seraphim, with six wings and one face, can hardly be identified with the cherubim, which had four wings (in the temple only two ) and four faces ( ). (But compare ). The "face" and "feet" imply a human form; something of a serpentine form (perhaps a basilisk's head, as in the temples of Thebes) may have been mixed with it: so the cherub was compounded of various animal forms. However, seraph may come from a root meaning "princely," applied in to Michael [MAURER ]; just as cherub comes from a root (changing m into b ), meaning "noble." twain —Two wings alone of the six were kept ready for instant flight in God's service; two veiled their faces as unworthy to look on the holy God, or pry into His secret counsels which they fulfilled ( ); two covered their feet, or rather the whole of the lower parts of their persons—a practice usual in the presence of Eastern monarchs, in token of reverence (compare , their bodies ). Man's service a fortiori consists in reverent waiting on, still more than in active service for, God.

Isaiah 6:2

2. stood—not necessarily the posture of standing; rather, were in attendance on Him [MAURER], hovering on expanded wings.

the—not in the Hebrew.

seraphim—nowhere else applied to God's attendant angels; but to the fiery flying (not winged, but rapidly moving) serpents, which bit the Israelites (Nu 21:6), called so from the poisonous inflammation caused by their bites. Seraph is to burn; implying the burning zeal, dazzling brightness (2Ki 2:11; 6:17; Eze 1:13; Mt 28:3) and serpent-like rapidity of the seraphim in God's service. Perhaps Satan's form as a serpent (nachash) in his appearance to man has some connection with his original form as a seraph of light. The head of the serpent was the symbol of wisdom in Egypt (compare Nu 21:8; 2Ki 18:4). The seraphim, with six wings and one face, can hardly be identified with the cherubim, which had four wings (in the temple only two) and four faces (Eze 1:5-12). (But compare Re 4:8). The "face" and "feet" imply a human form; something of a serpentine form (perhaps a basilisk's head, as in the temples of Thebes) may have been mixed with it: so the cherub was compounded of various animal forms. However, seraph may come from a root meaning "princely," applied in Da 10:13 to Michael [MAURER]; just as cherub comes from a root (changing m into b), meaning "noble."

twain—Two wings alone of the six were kept ready for instant flight in God's service; two veiled their faces as unworthy to look on the holy God, or pry into His secret counsels which they fulfilled (Ex 3:6; Job 4:18; 15:15); two covered their feet, or rather the whole of the lower parts of their persons—a practice usual in the presence of Eastern monarchs, in token of reverence (compare Eze 1:11, their bodies). Man's service a fortiori consists in reverent waiting on, still more than in active service for, God.

Isaiah 6:6

6. unto me—The seraph had been in the temple, Isaiah outside of it.

live coal—literally, "a hot stone," used, as in some countries in our days, to roast meat with, for example, the meat of the sacrifices. Fire was a symbol of purification, as it takes the dross out of metals (Mal 3:2, 3).

the altar—of burnt offering, in the court of the priests before the temple. The fire on it was at first kindled by God (Le 9:24), and was kept continually burning.