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.
And it comes to pass, in the thirtieth year, in the fourth [month], on the fifth of the month, and I [am] in the midst of the expulsion by the river Chebar, the heavens have been opened, and I see visions of God.
2 On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin—
In the fifth of the month—it is the fifth year of the expulsion of King Jehoiachin—
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 YHWH has certainly been to Ezekiel son of Buzi the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans, by the river Chebar, and there is on him there a hand of YHWH.
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 look, and behold, a turbulent wind is coming from the north, a great cloud, and fire catching itself, and brightness to it all around, and out of its midst as the color of electrum, out of the midst of the fire.
5 and within it was the form of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had a human form,
And out of its midst [is] a likeness of four living creatures, and this [is] their appearance; a likeness of man [is] to them,
6 but each had four faces and four wings.
and each had four faces and each of them had four 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 feet [are] straight feet, and the sole of their feet [is] as a sole of a calf’s foot, and they are sparkling as the color of bright bronze;
8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four living creatures had faces and wings,
and on their four sides [each had] hands of man under their wings; and [each] of the four 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.
their wings [are] joining to one another, they do not turn around in their going, they each go straight 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.
As for the likeness of their faces, [each had] the face of a man, and toward the right the four had the face of a lion, and on the left the four had the face of an ox, and the four 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.
And their faces and their wings dividing from above, of each [are] two joining together, and two are covering their bodies.
12 Each creature went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they moved.
And they each go straight forward, to where the Spirit is to go, they go, they do not turn around in their going.
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.
As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearances [are] as coals of fire—burning as the appearance of lamps; it is going up and down between the living creatures, and brightness [is] to the fire, and lightning is going forth out of the fire.
14 The creatures were darting back and forth as quickly as flashes of lightning.
And the living creatures are running, and turning back, as the appearance of the flash.
15 When I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces.
And I see the living creatures, and behold, one wheel [is] in the earth, near the living creatures, at its four 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 appearance of the wheels and their works [is] as the color of beryl, and the four of them had one likeness, and their appearances and their works [are] as it were the wheel in the midst of the wheel.
17 As they moved, they went in any of the four directions, without pivoting as they moved.
On their four sides, in their going they go, they do not turn around in their going.
18 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.
As for their rings, they are both high and fearful, and their rings, of the four of them, [are] full of eyes around them.
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 in the going of the living creatures, the wheels go beside them, and in the living creatures being lifted up from off the earth, the wheels are lifted up.
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.
To where the Spirit is to go, they go, there the Spirit [is] to go, and the wheels are lifted up alongside them, for a living spirit [is] in the wheels.
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.
In their going, they go; and in their standing, they stand; and in their being lifted up from off the earth, the wheels are lifted up alongside them; for a living spirit [is] in the wheels.
22 Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of an awesome expanse, gleaming like crystal.
And over the heads of the living creatures—a likeness of an expanse, as the color of the fearful ice, stretched out over their heads from above.
23 And under the expanse, their wings stretched out toward one another. Each one also had two wings covering its body.
And under the expanse their wings [are] straight, one toward [its] sister; two [wings] of each are covering them, and two [wings] of each are covering 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 I hear the noise of their wings, as the noise of many waters, as the noise of the Mighty One, in their going—the noise of tumult, as the noise of a camp, in their standing they let their wings fall.
25 And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood still with their wings lowered.
And there is a voice from above the expanse, that [is] above their head: in their standing they let their wings fall.
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 above the expanse that [is] over their head, as an appearance of a sapphire stone, [is] the likeness of a throne, and on the likeness of the throne a likeness, as the appearance of man on it from above.
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 see as the color of electrum, as the appearance of fire all around within it, from the appearance of His loins and upward; and from the appearance of His loins and downward, I have seen as the appearance of fire, and brightness [is] all around Him.
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 appearance of the bow that is in a cloud in a day of rain, so [is] the appearance of the brightness all around.
