Lexical Summary natsats: To sparkle, to shine, to gleam Original Word: נָצַץ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance sparkle A primitive root; to glare, i.e. Be bright- colored -- sparkle. Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [נָצַץ] verb shine, sparkle (Late Hebrew נִצְנֵץ; akin to Arabic  sparkle, flash, ᵑ7 נְעָא); — Qal Participle וְנֹצְצִים כְּעֵין נְחשֶׁת Ezekiel 1:7 (of cherubim); — PerlesAnal.45 proposes נוֺצִיצָם their plumage (׳נ "" form of נוֺצָה), compare Ew. Topical Lexicon Root idea of radiant shining Strong’s 5340 evokes the sudden flash or sparkle that catches the eye when metal is highly polished and turned toward the light. In the ancient Near East such brightness was associated with splendor, purity, and the presence of power, making the verb well suited to describe a moment of divine revelation. Occurrence in Ezekiel’s inaugural vision Ezekiel 1:7 stands as the sole biblical use of נָצַץ. In the Berean Standard Bible the prophet writes of the four living creatures, “their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the gleam of polished bronze.” In the turbulent context of Babylonian exile, Ezekiel is granted a vision in which even the creatures’ feet radiate an intense brightness. The “gleam” punctuates the scene with a hint of unapproachable holiness, underscoring that everything connected to the throne of God emanates glory. Symbolism of polished bronze Bronze in Scripture often signals strength, endurance, and judgment (Numbers 21:9; Deuteronomy 28:23). When it appears burnished and gleaming, the emphasis shifts to the flawless, finished quality that resists corrosion (Exodus 38:8). In Ezekiel’s vision the creatures’ feet—agents of movement—are portrayed as free from earth’s defilement. The imagery anticipates later apocalyptic descriptions: “His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace” (Revelation 1:15). Thus נָצַץ ties the prophetic and apostolic portraits of heaven together by the consistent motif of incandescent, purified metal. Theophanic brightness as a biblical theme From the fiery bush of Exodus 3 to the blinding light on the Damascus road (Acts 9:3), Scripture repeatedly uses sudden brilliance to signal Divine self-disclosure. נָצַץ situates Ezekiel’s experience within that wider pattern, affirming that God’s nature is “light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). The solitary occurrence helps highlight that the vision is exceptional; ordinary language proves insufficient when a mortal confronts transcendent glory. Christological resonance While Ezekiel describes angelic beings, the New Testament revelation of Jesus Christ appropriates identical imagery. Daniel 10:6 and Revelation 1:15 both portray the Messiah with feet like glowing bronze, linking His post-resurrection majesty to Ezekiel’s creatures. The gleam of נָצַץ therefore foreshadows the incarnate Son’s unveiled splendor, reinforcing the unity of prophetic and apostolic witness. Ministry and devotional implications 1. Worship: The flashing radiance calls believers to approach God with reverence, recognizing the holiness that sets Him apart from all created things (Hebrews 12:28–29). Summary Though נָצַץ appears only once, its strategic placement in Ezekiel 1:7 furnishes a vivid snapshot of celestial brilliance. The term threads together themes of holiness, purity, and the unchanging majesty of God, serving both to elevate worship and to inspire the people of God to lives that reflect His radiant light. Forms and Transliterations וְנֹ֣צְצִ֔ים ונצצים veNotzeTzim wə·nō·ṣə·ṣîm wənōṣəṣîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezekiel 1:7 HEB: רֶ֣גֶל עֵ֔גֶל וְנֹ֣צְצִ֔ים כְּעֵ֖ין נְחֹ֥שֶׁת NAS: hoof, and they gleamed like burnished KJV: foot: and they sparkled like the colour INT: their legs A calf's gleamed the colour bronze 1 Occurrence |
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