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.
Now it came about in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, while I was by the river Chebar among those who had been made prisoners, that the heavens were made open and I saw visions of God.
2 On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin—
On the fifth day of the month, in the fifth year after King Jehoiachin had been made a prisoner,
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 to me, Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldaeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was on me there.
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, looking, I saw a storm-wind coming out of the north, a great cloud with flames of fire coming after one another, and a bright light shining round about it and in the heart of it was something coloured like electrum.
5 and within it was the form of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had a human form,
And in the heart of it were the forms of four living beings. And this was what they were like; they had the form of a man.
6 but each had four faces and four wings.
And every one had four faces, and every one 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 were straight feet; and the under sides of their feet were like the feet of oxen; and they were shining like polished brass.
8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four living creatures had faces and wings,
And they had the hands of a man under their wings; the four of them had faces on their four sides.
9 and their wings were touching one another. They did not turn as they moved; each one went straight ahead.
They went without turning, every one went 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 form of their faces, they had the face of a man, and the four of them had the face of a lion on the right side, and the four of them had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four of them 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 wings were separate at the top; two of the wings of every one were joined one to another, and two were covering their bodies.
12 Each creature went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they moved.
Every one of them went straight forward; wherever the spirit was to go they went; they went on without turning.
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.
And between the living beings it was like burning coals of fire, as if flames were going one after the other between the living beings; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went thunder-flames.
14 The creatures were darting back and forth as quickly as flashes of lightning.
And the living beings went out and came back as quickly as a thunder-flame.
15 When I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces.
Now while I was looking at the four living beings, I saw one wheel on the earth, by the side of the living beings, for the four of them.
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 form of the wheels and their work was like a beryl; the four of them had the same form and design, and they were like a wheel inside a wheel.
17 As they moved, they went in any of the four directions, without pivoting as they moved.
The four of them went straight forward without turning to one side.
18 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.
And I saw that they had edges, and their edges, even of the four, were full of eyes round about.
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 living beings went on, the wheels went by their side; and when the living beings were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were 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.
Wherever the spirit was to go they went; and the wheels were lifted up by their side: for the spirit of the living beings was 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.
When these went on, the others went; and when these came to rest, the others came to rest; and when these were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up by their side: for the spirit of the living beings was 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 beings there was the form of an arch, looking like ice, stretched out over their heads on high.
23 And under the expanse, their wings stretched out toward one another. Each one also had two wings covering its body.
Under the arch their wings were straight, one stretched out to another: every one had two wings covering their bodies on this side and two covering their bodies on that side.
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, the sound of their wings was like the sound of great waters to my ears, like the voice of the Ruler of all, a sound like the rushing of an army: when they came to rest they let down 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 voice from the top of the arch which was over their heads: when they came to rest they let down 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 on the top of the arch which was over their heads was the form of a king's seat, like a sapphire stone; and on the form of the seat was the form of a man seated on it on high.
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 saw it coloured like electrum, with the look of fire in it and round it, going up from what seemed to be the middle of his body; and going down from what seemed to be the middle of his body I saw what was like fire, and there was a bright light shining round 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.
Like the bow in the cloud on a day of rain, so was the light shining round him. And this is what the glory of the Lord was like. And when I saw it I went down on my face, and the voice of one talking came to my ears.
