Isaiah 6:2
New International Version
Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.

New Living Translation
Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.

English Standard Version
Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

Berean Standard Bible
Above Him stood seraphim, each having six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.

King James Bible
Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

New King James Version
Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

New American Standard Bible
Seraphim were standing above Him, each having six wings: with two each covered his face, and with two each covered his feet, and with two each flew.

NASB 1995
Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

NASB 1977
Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

Legacy Standard Bible
Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

Amplified Bible
Above Him seraphim (heavenly beings) stood; each one had six wings: with two wings he covered his face, with two wings he covered his feet, and with two wings he flew.

Christian Standard Bible
Seraphim were standing above him; they each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Seraphim were standing above Him; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

American Standard Version
Above him stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

Contemporary English Version
Flaming creatures with six wings each were flying over him. They covered their faces with two of their wings and their bodies with two more. They used the other two wings for flying,

English Revised Version
Above him stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Angels were standing above him. Each had six wings: With two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.

Good News Translation
Around him flaming creatures were standing, each of which had six wings. Each creature covered its face with two wings, and its body with two, and used the other two for flying.

International Standard Version
The seraphim stood above him. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he was flying.

Majority Standard Bible
Above Him stood seraphim, each having six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.

NET Bible
Seraphs stood over him; each one had six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and they used the remaining two to fly.

New Heart English Bible
Above him stood the seraphim. Each one had six wings. With two he covered his face. With two he covered his feet. With two he flew.

Webster's Bible Translation
Above it stood seraphim: each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

World English Bible
Above him stood the seraphim. Each one had six wings. With two he covered his face. With two he covered his feet. With two he flew.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Seraphim are standing above it: each one has six wings; with two [each] covers its face, and with two [each] covers its feet, and with two [each] flies.

Young's Literal Translation
Seraphs are standing above it: six wings hath each one; with two each covereth its face, and with two each covereth its feet, and with two each flieth.

Smith's Literal Translation
And seraphs standing from above to it; six wings, six wings to one; with two he will cover his face, and with two he will cover his feet, and with two he will fly.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Upon it stood the seraphims: the one had six wings, and the other had six wings: with two they covered his face, and with two they covered his feet, and with two they flew.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The Seraphims were standing above the throne. One had six wings, and the other had six wings: with two they were covering his face, and with two they were covering his feet, and with two they were flying.

New American Bible
Seraphim were stationed above; each of them had six wings: with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they hovered.

New Revised Standard Version
Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And above him stood the seraphim; each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he did fly.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Seraphim were standing above him, six wings to each of them, with two covering his face and with two covering his feet and with two they were flying
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Above Him stood the seraphim; each one had six wings: with twain he covered his face and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And seraphs stood round about him: each one had six wings: and with two they covered their face, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Isaiah's Vision of the Lord in His Glory
1In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted; and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2Above Him stood seraphim, each having six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3And they were calling out to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.”…

Cross References
Revelation 4:8
And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

Ezekiel 1:5-11
and within it was the form of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had a human form, / but each had four faces and four wings. / Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf, gleaming like polished bronze. ...

Revelation 5:11-12
Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels encircling the throne, and the living creatures and the elders. And their number was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands. / In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

Daniel 7:9-10
As I continued to watch, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. / A river of fire was flowing, coming out from His presence. Thousands upon thousands attended Him, and myriads upon myriads stood before Him. The court was convened, and the books were opened.

Revelation 7:11
And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. And they fell facedown before the throne and worshiped God,

1 Kings 22:19
Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.

Psalm 99:1
The LORD reigns; let the nations tremble! He is enthroned above the cherubim; let the earth quake!

Exodus 25:20
And the cherubim are to have wings that spread upward, overshadowing the mercy seat. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the mercy seat.

Revelation 4:6-7
And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, as clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, covered with eyes in front and back. / The first living creature was like a lion, the second like a calf, the third had a face like a man, and the fourth was like an eagle in flight.

Ezekiel 10:1-22
And I looked and saw above the expanse, above the heads of the cherubim, the likeness of a throne of sapphire. / And the LORD said to the man clothed in linen, “Go inside the wheelwork beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And as I watched, he went in. / Now when the man went in, the cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple, and a cloud filled the inner court. ...

Hebrews 1:6
And again, when God brings His firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all God’s angels worship Him.”

Psalm 80:1
For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm of Asaph. Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock; You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth

Luke 2:13-14
And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying: / “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!”

Matthew 18:10
See that you do not look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven.

Psalm 103:20-21
Bless the LORD, all His angels mighty in strength who carry out His word, who hearken to the voice of His command. / Bless the LORD, all His hosts, you servants who do His will.


Treasury of Scripture

Above it stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he did fly.

stood

1 Kings 22:19
And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.

Job 1:6
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

Daniel 7:10
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

seraphims

Psalm 104:4
Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

Ezekiel 1:4
And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

Hebrews 1:7
And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

wings

Exodus 25:20
And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.

Exodus 37:9
And the cherubims spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubims.

1 Kings 6:24,27
And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits…

covered his face

Genesis 17:3
And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,

Exodus 3:6
Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

1 Kings 19:13
And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

his feet

Job 4:18
Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:

Job 15:15
Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.

Ezekiel 1:11
Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.

Jump to Previous
Covered Covereth Covering Face Faces Feed Feet Flew Flieth Flight Fly Flying Ones Seraphim Seraphims Seraphs Six Standing Stood Twain Winged Wings
Jump to Next
Covered Covereth Covering Face Faces Feed Feet Flew Flieth Flight Fly Flying Ones Seraphim Seraphims Seraphs Six Standing Stood Twain Winged Wings
Isaiah 6
1. Isaiah, in a vision of the Lord in his glory
5. Being terrified, has apprehensions removed
8. He offers himself, and is sent to show the obstinacy of the people
13. A remnant shall be saved














Above Him stood seraphim
The term "seraphim" is derived from the Hebrew root "saraph," which means "to burn." This suggests a fiery, radiant nature, symbolizing purity and the consuming holiness of God. The seraphim are celestial beings, often associated with the highest order of angels, who serve in the presence of God. Their position "above Him" indicates their role in the heavenly hierarchy, emphasizing their duty to glorify and serve the Almighty. Historically, the seraphim are seen as guardians of God's throne, reflecting His majesty and holiness.

each having six wings
The six wings of the seraphim are symbolic of their divine purpose and function. In ancient Near Eastern iconography, wings often denote swiftness and the ability to transcend earthly limitations. The number six, biblically, can represent completeness in the context of creation, as God created the world in six days. Thus, the six wings signify the seraphim's complete readiness and ability to serve God in His holy presence.

with two wings they covered their faces
Covering their faces is an act of reverence and humility before the holiness of God. Even these exalted beings, who dwell in the presence of the Almighty, shield themselves from His glory, acknowledging His supreme holiness. This gesture reflects the biblical theme that no one can see God and live (Exodus 33:20), underscoring the transcendence and awe-inspiring nature of God.

with two they covered their feet
Covering their feet signifies modesty and respect in the presence of God. In the ancient world, feet were often considered unclean or a symbol of one's earthly journey. By covering their feet, the seraphim demonstrate their awareness of their creatureliness and the need to honor God's holiness. This act parallels Moses removing his sandals before the burning bush (Exodus 3:5), recognizing the sacredness of God's presence.

and with two they were flying
The act of flying represents the seraphim's readiness and swiftness to carry out God's commands. It signifies their active service and perpetual motion in fulfilling God's will. Flying also symbolizes the transcendence of the heavenly realm over the earthly, illustrating the seraphim's role as messengers and ministers of God's divine purposes. This imagery inspires believers to be ever-ready and willing to serve God with zeal and dedication.

(2) Above it stood the seraphims . . .--It is noticeable that this is the only passage in which the seraphim are mentioned as part of the host of heaven. In Numbers 21:6, the word (the primary meaning of which is the burning ones) occurs as denoting the fiery serpents that attacked the people in the wilderness. Probably the brazen serpent which Hezekiah afterwards destroyed (2Kings 18:4) had preserved the name and its significance as denoting the instruments of the fiery judgments of Jehovah. Here, however, there is no trace of the serpent form, nor again, as far as the description goes, of the animal forms of the cherubim of Ezekiel 1:5-11, and of the "living creatures" of Revelation 4:7-8. The "burning ones" are in the likeness of men, with the addition of the six wings. The patristic and mediaeval distinction between the seraphim that excel in love, and the cherubim that excel in knowledge, rests apparently on the etymology of the former word. The "living creatures" of Revelation 4:7-8, seem to unite the forms of the cherubim of Ezekiel with the six wings of the seraphim of this passage. Symbolically the seraphim would seem to be as transfigured cherubim, representing the "flaming fire" of the lightning, as the latter did the storm-winds and other elemental forces of nature (Psalm 104:4). . . . Verse 2. - Above it stood the seraphims; rather, above him were standing seraphim. The "seraphim" are introduced, not as well known, with the article, but without it, as unknown. The word means "fiery ones," and is supposed to denote the burning love of the blessed spirits spoken cf. They appeared to the prophet as standing above the King as he sat upon his throne - "standing" to show their readiness to minister; but why "above him" is not so clear. Perhaps, simply, as those that stand are "above" those that sit; perhaps as ready to fly through infinite space at the bidding of him who was seated in his palace, as it were upon the ground. Their form, as seen by the prophet, appears to have been human, and only distinguished from ordinary humanity by the wings. Thus, though in name they resembled those other "fiery ones," which had punished the Jews in the wilderness (Numbers 21:6-9), there is nothing to show that Isaiah in any way connected the two. Each one had six wings. Gesenius is mistaken in saying that there are at Persepolis any six-winged figures ('Thesaurus,' p. 1342). The Persians not infrequently represented their genii with four wings ('Ancient Monarchies,' vol. 3. pp. 353, 354); but no six-winged figures have been found, so far as I know, among the Persian remains. With twain he covered his face, etc. The general idea of the six wings was probably rapid flight, the carrying out of God's behests "with speed swiftly." But, in the Divine presence, the wings were applied to a different use. One pair veiled the seraph's head from the intolerable effulgence of the Divine glory; another concealed the feet, soiled in their various ministrations, and unmeet for the all-pure presence; the third pair alone sustained the seraph in mid-air, as he hovered in readiness to depart on any errand on which Jehovah aright send him.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Above
מִמַּ֙עַל֙ (mim·ma·‘al)
Preposition-m | Adverb
Strong's 4605: The upper part, with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top

Him
ל֔וֹ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

stood
עֹמְדִ֤ים ׀ (‘ō·mə·ḏîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

seraphim,
שְׂרָפִ֨ים (śə·rā·p̄îm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8314: Burning, poisonous, a saraph, symbolical creature

each
לְאֶחָ֑ד (lə·’e·ḥāḏ)
Preposition-l | Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

having six
שֵׁ֧שׁ (šêš)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 8337: Six (a cardinal number)

wings:
כְּנָפַ֛יִם (kə·nā·p̄a·yim)
Noun - fd
Strong's 3671: An edge, extremity, a wing, a flap, a quarter, a pinnacle

With two [wings]
בִּשְׁתַּ֣יִם ׀ (biš·ta·yim)
Preposition-b | Number - fd
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

they covered
יְכַסֶּ֣ה (yə·ḵas·seh)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3680: To plump, fill up hollows, to cover

their faces,
פָנָ֗יו (p̄ā·nāw)
Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

with two
וּבִשְׁתַּ֛יִם (ū·ḇiš·ta·yim)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Number - fd
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

they covered
יְכַסֶּ֥ה (yə·ḵas·seh)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3680: To plump, fill up hollows, to cover

their feet,
רַגְלָ֖יו (raḡ·lāw)
Noun - fdc | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7272: A foot, a step, the pudenda

and with two
וּבִשְׁתַּ֥יִם (ū·ḇiš·ta·yim)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Number - fd
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

they were flying.
יְעוֹפֵֽף׃ (yə·‘ō·w·p̄êp̄)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5774: To fly, to faint


Links
Isaiah 6:2 NIV
Isaiah 6:2 NLT
Isaiah 6:2 ESV
Isaiah 6:2 NASB
Isaiah 6:2 KJV

Isaiah 6:2 BibleApps.com
Isaiah 6:2 Biblia Paralela
Isaiah 6:2 Chinese Bible
Isaiah 6:2 French Bible
Isaiah 6:2 Catholic Bible

OT Prophets: Isaiah 6:2 Above him stood the seraphim (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 6:1
Top of Page
Top of Page