Ezekiel 1
1 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.
Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, when I was in the midst of the captives by the river Chobar, the heavens were opened, and I saw the visions of God.
2 On the fifth day of the month, in the fifth year after King Jehoiachin had been made a prisoner,
On the fifth day of the month, the same was the fifth year of the captivity of king Joachin,
3 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.
The word of the Lord came to Ezechiel the priest the son of Bud in the land of the Chaldeans, by the river Chobar: and the hand of the Lord was there upon him.
4 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.
And I saw, and behold a whirlwind came out of the north: and a great cloud, and a fire infolding it, and brightness was about it: and out of the midst thereof, that is, out of the midst of the fire, as it were the resemblance of amber:
5 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.
And in the midst thereof the likeness of four living creatures: and this was their appearance: there was the likeness of a man in them.
6 And every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings.
Every one had four faces, and every one four wings.
7 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.
Their feet were straight feet, and the sole of their foot was like the sole of a calf’s foot, and they sparkled like the appearance of glowing brass.
8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings; the four of them had faces on their four sides.
And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides: and they bad faces, and wings on the four sides,
9 They went without turning, every one went straight forward.
And the wings of one were joined to the wings of another. They turned not when they went: but every one went straight forward.
10 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.
And as for the likeness of their faces: there was the face of a man, and the face of a lion on the right side of all the four: and the face of an ox, on the left side of all the four: and the face of an eagle over all the four.
11 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.
And their faces, and their wings were stretched upward: two wings of every one were joined, and two covered their bodies:
12 Every one of them went straight forward; wherever the spirit was to go they went; they went on without turning.
And every one of them went straight forward: whither the impulse of the spirit was to go, thither they went: and they turned not when they went.
13 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.
And as for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like that of burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps. This was the vision running to and fro in the midst of the living creatures, a bright fire, and lightning going forth from the fire.
14 And the living beings went out and came back as quickly as a thunder-flame.
And the living creatures ran and returned like flashes of lightning.
15 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.
Now as I beheld the living creatures, there appeared upon the earth by the living creatures one wheel with four faces.
16 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.
And the appearance of the wheels, and the work of them was like the appearance of the sea: and the four had all one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the midst of a wheel.
17 The four of them went straight forward without turning to one side.
When they went, they went by their four parts: and they turned not when they went.
18 And I saw that they had edges, and their edges, even of the four, were full of eyes round about.
The wheels had also a size, and a height, and a dreadful appearance: and the whole body was full of eyes round about all the four.
19 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.
And when the living creatures went, the wheels also went together by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels also were lifted up with them.
20 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.
Whithersoever the spirit went, thither as the spirit went the wheels also were lifted up withal, and followed it: for the spirit of life was in the wheels.
21 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.
When those went these went, and when those stood these stood, and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels also were lifted up together, and followed them: for the spirit of life was in the wheels.
22 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.
And over the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of the firmament, as the appearance of crystal terrible to behold, and stretched out over their heads above.
23 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.
And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other, every one with two wings covered his body, and the other was covered in like manner.
24 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.
And I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of many waters, as it were the voice of the most high God: when they walked, it was like the voice of a multitude, like the noise of an army, and when they stood, their wings were let down.
25 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.
For when a voice came from above the firmament, that was over their heads, they stood, and let down their wings.
26 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.
And above the firmament that was over their heads, was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of the sapphire stone, and upon the likeness of the throne, was a likeness as of the appearance of a man above upon it.
27 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.
And I saw as it were the resemblance of amber as the appearance of fire within it round about: from his loins and upward, and from his loins downward, I saw as it were the resemblance of fire shining round about.
28 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.
As the appearance of the rainbow when it is in a cloud on a rainy day: this was the appearance of the brightness round about.
