< Ezekiel 1 >

1 In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the River Kebar, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God.
It came to passe in the thirtieth yere in the fourth moneth, and in the fift day of the moneth (as I was among the captiues by the riuer Chebar) that the heauens were opened and I sawe visions of GOD.
2 On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin—
In the fift day of the moneth (which was the fift yere of King Ioiachins captiuitie)
3 the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Kebar. And there the LORD’s hand was upon him.
The word of the Lord came vnto Ezekiel the Priest, the sonne of Buzi, in the lande of the Caldeans, by the riuer Chebar, where the hande of the Lord was vpon him.
4 I looked and saw a whirlwind coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing back and forth and brilliant light all around it. In the center of the fire was a gleam like amber,
And I looked, and beholde, a whirlewinde came out of the North, a great cloude and a fire wrapped about it, and a brightnesse was about it, and in the middes thereof, to wit, in the middes of the fire came out as the likenesse of amber.
5 and within it was the form of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had a human form,
Also out of the middes therof came the likenesse of foure beastes, and this was their forme: they had the appearance of a man.
6 but each had four faces and four wings.
And euery one had foure faces, and euery one had foure wings.
7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf, gleaming like polished bronze.
And their feete were streight feete, and the sole of their feete was like the sole of a calues foote, and they sparkled like the appearance of bright brasse.
8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four living creatures had faces and wings,
And the handes of a man came out from vnder their wings in the foure parts of them, and they foure had their faces, and their wings.
9 and their wings were touching one another. They did not turn as they moved; each one went straight ahead.
They where ioyned by their wings one to another, and when they went forth, they returned not, but euery one went streight forward.
10 The form of their faces was that of a man, and each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and also the face of an eagle.
And the similitude of their faces was as the face of a man: and they foure had the face of a lyon on the right side, and they foure had the face of a bullocke on the left side: they foure also had the face of an eagle.
11 Such were their faces. Their wings were spread upward; each had two wings touching the wings of the creature on either side, and two wings covering its body.
Thus were their faces: but their wings were spred out aboue: two wings of euery one were ioined one to another, and two couered their bodies.
12 Each creature went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they moved.
And euery one went streight forward: they went whither their spirit led them, and they returned not when they went forth.
13 In the midst of the living creatures was the appearance of glowing coals of fire, or of torches. Fire moved back and forth between the living creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it.
The similitude also of the beasts, and their appearance was like burning coles of fire, and like the appearance of lampes: for the fire ran among the beastes, and the fire gaue a glister, and out of the fire there went lightning.
14 The creatures were darting back and forth as quickly as flashes of lightning.
And the beastes ranne, and returned like vnto lightning.
15 When I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces.
Nowe as I behelde the beastes, beholde, a wheele appeared vpon the earth by the beastes, hauing foure faces.
16 The workmanship of the wheels looked like the gleam of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. Their workmanship looked like a wheel within a wheel.
The facion of the wheeles and their worke was like vnto a chrysolite: and they foure had one forme, and their facion, and their worke was as one wheele in another wheele.
17 As they moved, they went in any of the four directions, without pivoting as they moved.
Whe they went, they went vpon their foure sides, and they returned not when they went.
18 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.
They had also rings, and height, and were fearefull to beholde, and their rings were full of eyes, round about them foure.
19 So as the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them, and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose.
And when the beastes went, the wheeles went with them: and when the beasts were lift vp from the earth, the wheeles were lift vp.
20 Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise alongside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
Whither the spirit led them, they went, and thither did the spirite of the wheeles leade them, and the wheeles were lifted vp besides them: for the spirit of the beastes was in the wheeles.
21 When the creatures moved, the wheels moved; when the creatures stood still, the wheels stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose alongside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
When the beastes went, they went, and when they stoode, they stoode, and when they were lifted vp from the earth, the wheeles were lifted vp besides them: for the spirite of the beastes was in the wheeles.
22 Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of an awesome expanse, gleaming like crystal.
And the similitude of the firmament vpon the heads of the beasts was wonderfull, like vnto chrystall, spred ouer their heads aboue.
23 And under the expanse, their wings stretched out toward one another. Each one also had two wings covering its body.
And vnder the firmament were their wings streight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which couered the, and euery one had two, which couered their bodies.
24 When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the roar of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.
And when they went foorth, I heard the noyse of their wings, like the noyse of great waters, and as the voyce of the Almightie, euen the voyce of speach, as the noyse of an host: and when they stood, they let downe their wings.
25 And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood still with their wings lowered.
And there was a voyce from the firmament, that was ouer their heads, when they stoode, and had let downe their wings.
26 Above the expanse over their heads was the likeness of a throne with the appearance of sapphire, and on the throne high above was a figure like that of a man.
And aboue the firmament that was ouer their heads, was the facion of a throne like vnto a saphir stone, and vpon the similitude of the throne was by appearance, as the similitude of a man aboue vpon it.
27 From what seemed to be His waist up, I saw a gleam like amber, with what looked like fire within it all around. And from what seemed to be His waist down, I saw what looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded Him.
And I sawe as the appearance of amber, and as the similitude of fire round about within it to looke to, euen from his loynes vpwarde: and to looke to, euen from his loynes downewarde, I sawe as a likenesse of fire, and brightnesse round about it.
28 The appearance of the brilliant light all around Him was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking.
As the likenesse of the bowe, that is in the cloude in the day of raine, so was the appearance of the light round about. This was the appearance of the similitude of the glorie of the Lord: and when I sawe it, I fell vpon my face, and I heard a voyce of one that spake.

< Ezekiel 1 >