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Isaiah 6:2
ESV 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.
NIV 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.
NASB 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.
CSB 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.
NLT 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.
KJV 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.

What does Isaiah 6:2 mean?

Isaiah is describing a powerful experience he had with the Lord at or near the beginning of his work as a prophet. It's unknown whether he was physically in the temple or somewhere else (Isaiah 6:1). But whether this was a vision or Isaiah was standing in the temple, the context is the temple in Jerusalem. God chose for Isaiah to glimpse His presence in this way to call him to the work He had set aside for him.

For a mere man to be in the presence of God in any context is both terrifying and awesome, as Isaiah's reaction will show. He looks up to see the Lord upon His throne, with His royal robe filling the room (Isaiah 6:1). Now he adds that he saw the seraphim or "seraphs" standing above the Lord God.

Seraphim are a type of angel. The Hebrew word seraphim is used in Numbers 21:6 for the fiery serpents sent among the Israelites to bite and kill some of the people. Isaiah will also use the term to describe fiery flying serpents later in this book (Isaiah 14:29; 30:6). Scholars suggest they may have a dragon-like appearance.

These seraphim are six-winged creatures who stand in the presence of the Lord. This passage breaks down a description of these creatures by stating how each set of wings are used. One pair of wings is used to cover their faces, another pair is used to cover their feet, and the final pair of wings is used to fly. They hide their eyes from looking directly at the Lord and hide their feet so that He need not see them. Isaiah does not say how many of these creatures were with the Lord in this moment.
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