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.
A whirlwind - emblematic of God's judgments (Jeremiah 23:19; Jeremiah 25:32).
Out of the north - i:e., from Chaldea, whose hostile forces would invade Judea from a northerly direction, by the entering in of Hamath. The prophet conceives himself in the temple.
A fire infolding itself - laying hold on whatever surrounds it, drawing it to itself, and devouring it. Literally, catching itself - i:e., kindling itself (Fairbairn). The same Hebrew х mitlaqachat (H3947)] occurs Exodus 9:24, as to the "fire mingled with the hail" [from laachach, to take].
A brightness was about it - i:e., about the cloud.
Out of the midst thereof - i:e., out of the midst of the fire.
The colour of amber - rather, 'the glancing brightness (literally, the eye х `ayin (H5869)]; and so the glancing appearance) of polished brass.' The Hebrew, 'Chasmal,' is from two roots, smooth х maalal (H4448), or mal] and brass [nªchas] (cf. Ezekiel 1:7, "burnished brass;" and Revelation 1:15). (Gesenius.) The Septuagint and Vulgate translate it 'electrum,' a brilliant metal compounded of gold and silver. [Bochart takes it from nªchas, brass, and mªlaalaa', gold. But I prefer the rendering and derivation as given above].