< Ezekiel 1 >
1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,
3 the word of Jehovah came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar, and the hand of Jehovah was there upon him.
4 And I looked, and, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with a fire enfolding itself, and a brightness round about it, and out of the midst of it, as it were glowing metal, out of the midst of the fire.
5 And out of the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance. They had the likeness of a man.
6 And each one had four faces, and each one of them had four wings.
7 And their feet were straight feet, and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot, and they sparkled like burnished brass.
8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides. And those four had their faces and their wings thus:
9 Their wings were joined one to another. They did not turn when they went; they went each one straight forward.
10 As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man. And those four had the face of a lion on the right side, and those four had the face of an ox on the left side, those four also had the face of an eagle.
11 And their faces and their wings were separate above, two wings of each one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
12 And they went each one straight forward. Where the spirit was to go, they went. They did not turn when they went.
13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches. It went up and down among the living creatures, and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
15 Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold, one wheel was upon the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it.
16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl. And those four had one likeness, and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel.
17 When they went, they went in their four directions. They did not turn when they went.
18 As for their rims, they were high and fearful. And those four had their rims full of eyes round about.
19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them. And when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
20 Wherever the spirit was to go, they went; there the spirit was to go. And the wheels were lifted up beside them, for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
21 When those went, these went, and when those stood, these stood, and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them, for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
22 And over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of a firmament, like awesome crystal to look upon, stretched forth over their heads above.
23 And under the firmament their wings were straight, the one toward the other. Each one had two which covered their bodies on this side, and each one had two which covered on that side.
24 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of a host. When they stood, they let down their wings.
25 And there was a voice above the firmament that was over their heads. When they stood, they let down their wings.
26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone. And upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man upon it above.
27 And I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it round about, from the appearance of his loins and upward. And from the appearance of his loins and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire. And there was brightness round about him.
28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice speaking.
